Words English took from Portuguese

1. 1
   marmalade/ˈmɑːrməˌleɪd/

   noun

   Jam made from citrus fruit and its peel.
2. 2
   molasses/məˈlæsəz/

   noun

   Thick dark syrup left over from making sugar.
3. 3
   mosquito/məˈskiːtoʊ/

   noun

   A small flying insect whose bite leaves an itchy bump.
4. 4
   banana/bəˈnænə/

   noun

   A long curved yellow fruit with soft sweet flesh inside.
5. 5
   cashew/ˈkæˌʃuː/

   noun

   A curved nut that is eaten roasted.
6. 6
   flamingo/fləˈmɪŋɡoʊ/

   noun

   A tall pink bird that wades in shallow water.
7. 7
   jaguar/ˈdʒæˌɡwɑːr/

   noun

   A big spotted wild cat from the Americas.
8. 8
   embarrass/ɪmˈberəs/

   verb

   To make someone feel awkward in front of others.
9. 9
   samba/ˈsɑːmbə/

   noun

   A lively dance from Brazil.
10. 10
    caramel/ˈkerəməl/

    adjective

    Light golden brown.

The sentences

1. Could you pass the marmalade and the butter, please?

2. This cookie recipe needs a spoonful of molasses.

3. A mosquito kept buzzing in my ear all night.

4. I'll grab a banana on my way out.

5. I'd like the chicken with cashew nuts, please.

6. Why does a flamingo stand on one leg?

7. We saw a jaguar sleeping in a tree.

8. Please don't embarrass me in front of my friends.

9. We took a samba class on our last trip.

10. She bought a caramel sweater for the winter.

Pronunciation

• molasses/məˈlæsəz/

  The stress is on the middle syllable: muh-LASS-iz.

• mosquito/məˈskiːtoʊ/

  The middle syllable is 'skee', not 'skwee'.

• banana/bəˈnænə/

  The three a's are not the same: only the middle one is full and stressed, buh-NAN-uh.

• cashew/ˈkæˌʃuː/

  The stress is on the first syllable: KASH-oo.

• jaguar/ˈdʒæˌɡwɑːr/

  It has two syllables in American English: JAG-war.

• embarrass/ɪmˈberəs/

  The stress is on the middle syllable: im-BARE-us.

• caramel/ˈkerəməl/

  Say all three syllables: KAIR-uh-mul.

Good to know

marmalade

In the United States, marmalade is less common than jam or jelly, and it usually means a citrus spread. Grape jelly and strawberry jam are the usual choices on toast.

tipping

In restaurants in the United States, tipping is expected, usually between 15 and 20 % of the bill. Service is normally not included, so the tip is added at the end.

sales tax

Prices on shelves and menus in the United States usually leave out sales tax. It is added at the register, and the rate varies by state.

Questions

How do you pronounce jaguar in American English?

It has two syllables in American English: JAG-war. The sentence to try is "We saw a jaguar sleeping in a tree."

Where is the stress in molasses?

The stress is on the middle syllable: muh-LASS-iz. It means a thick dark syrup left over from making sugar.

What does embarrass mean?

It means to make someone feel awkward in front of others. For example: "Please don't embarrass me in front of my friends."