Here’s a quick tip for you on how to behave more Brazilian during conversations.
When Brazilians are talking they’re not actually communicating with words, they’re communicating with emotions.
A problem that a lot of foreigners have when they’re speaking Portuguese or speaking with Brazilians is that they’re too logical and not using enough emotion in their communication.
The way that you become more Brazilian in conversation is to get inside the other person’s worldview, empathizing with their situation and speak from their frame of reference.
This causes a lot of misunderstanding with foreigners who interpret the Brazilians constant interjections as interruptions, whereas the Brazilian sees it as empathizing with the person.
This is a challenge for you when you’re learning Portuguese because you have to learn how to talk over people when they’re speaking for you, or feeling what you’re feeling. You have to learn how to keep talking.
Another way this is challenging is that you have to learn how to interrupt people when they’re talking and feel what they’re feeling and speak to that.
The next time you’re around Brazilians, observe how they interact and you’ll start to see this more often.
As strange as this may be, this is something that you must learn on your quest to become Brazilian.
