Hi Miemie,

Thank you for posting. It's great you're practicing Portuguese with your friend!

As you're using Skype, have you already checked out our Elite program? https://www.portuguesepod101.com/elite

You can learn the Portuguese language and the culture via Skype with our Portuguese teachers. Talking to a native Portuguese speaker is defintely the fastest way to improve your Portuguese !

Answering your question:

"isso" is a demonstrative pronoun corresponding to "that". For example:

"Você vai comer isso agora?" (Are you going to eat that now?)

Here's the our dictionary entry with the word's pronunciation: https://www.portuguesepod101.com/learningcenter/reference/dictionary/isso

When used with a verb that requires a preposition, for example "gostar de" (to like), then it is combined in the following way:

Eu gosto disso (= de (preposition) + isso (pronoun) = disso). I like that.

So, the verb “gostar” (to like) is a transitive verb that requires an indirect object. Therefore we have “gostar de” something or someone:

“Eu gosto de chocolate ao leite” (I like milk chocolate)

“Eu gosto da aula da professora Amanda” (I like teacher Amanda’s class)

“Eu gosto do perfume dele” (I like his perfume).

"Eu gosto disso" (I like that).

If you have any questions, please let us know. ;)

Sincerely,

Cristiane

Team Portuguesepod101.com

Olá Cristiane,

Estou muito bem e tu? Quando comecei a ver as telenovelas, tinha de por o TV muito alto, para que estive capaz de ouvir o que eles estiveram dizendo. Eu só podia estive a ouvir o som "ssssh ssssh ssssh". Demorou um tempo para me estive acostumar de ouvir o que eles estavam falando. O problema era que eu não podia disse-lhes para falam mais devagar. Agora eu estou capaz de ouvir as vocês palavras, mas ainda são umas palavras que não entendi. Todas os dias estou escrevendo para o meu amigo português, no Skype, que não está capaz de falar inglês. Ainda tenho de usar o meu dictionário muito, mas estou a aprender cada a dia mais.

Tenho uma pergunta. Quando tenho de usar a plavra "isso" e quando tenho de usar a palavra "disso"?

Tenha um ótimo dia!

Miemie

Oi Anna,

Thanks for the comment.

You're right. That would be the literal translation. But we are not using it because that's not the way we speak in Brazil.

We usually use this sentence in the past tense - Eu não entendi. For example, in the survival phrases situation above.

I hope it helps!

Paloma

Team PortuguesePod101.com

I think it is not correct to say that "I don't understand" is "Eu não entendi".

I don't understand is "Eu não entendo" (both in present tense)

I didn't understand is "Eu não entendi" (both in past tense)

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Oi Luis,

"Compreender" is not a verb we use in casual conversations usually.

But the difference between both are basically the same as "entender" which was explained in my last comment. Please check it out and let us know if you have any questions!

Paloma

Team PortuguesePod101.com

What about: Eu nao compreendo and Eu nao compreendi

Oi Rose,

Basically, the difference is that "Eu não entendo" is in the present form (I don't understand), and "Eu não entendi" is in the past tense (I didn't understand).

But in real life in Brazil, we usually don't use "Eu não entendo" alone as a phrase, "Eu não entendi" is much more natural.

I hope it helps! Let me know if you still have any questions!

Paloma

Team PortuguesePod101.com

I love these lessons!

Please explain difference between "Eu nao entendo" ou "Eu nao entendi". (Sorry I cannot add the tilde from my phone.)

Obrigada!

Oi Laderon,

Yes, you can use "quê?" ou "como?" It's very common. Just be careful with intonation, so you won't be rude.

"Desculpa" and "perdoa" are used when apologizing for a mistake or when you hurt someone, so it's not very appropriate in this case.

But you can say "desculpa, eu não entendi" to be more polite.

I hope it helps!

Paloma

Team PortuguesePod101.com

Can you just say O QUE? or O QUE COISA? it is sopposed to be rude? Can you say DISCULPE? or PERDOA? just to make a person understand you haven't got it?

I think (O) QUE is internationally used form of asking for repeat. even though the text-books usually say it is not appropriate to say so, nevertheless you do it in Englisg, Italian, Spanish, Russian, German, Dutch (uhm probably not French) - so can you do that in Portugese, too?