Molly, muito obrigada pela tua sugestoes!
What you have written is exactly what I was hoping someone would say and do. We are ALL stumbling along, as you correctly point out. I have long since stopped worrying about whether I sound stupid or not. I recognize I need to TRY anyway. But you have given me some thoughts that can work. And there is NO reason not to try them out.
I suggested to the founders some time back that PP start a lesson in/on how to write sentences in Portuguese. I was told it could be “tricky.” I agree that is correct! But it is precisely this sort of interaction that brings out progress. With this forum, it may be an excellent way to get started. I just now re-read ALL the notes and comments on why we are learning Portuguese. While I prefer those comments be in both English and Portuguese, I did note that I understood an awful lot of what was written. The difficulty came when I ran into a sentence that would NOT translate for me. Also LONG sentences are a hazard. It is so easy to get lost when they are long. Those who KNOW some Portuguese easily forget that everything has to be translated by beginners before anything can be understood…and processed.
Joseph is very knowledgeable. He grew up with street Portuguese (according to his own comments), so he is a natural for what SOUNDS good. It is great to have that kind of correction help. I also noted your corrections to my incorrectly written sentences. “e” and “sao” are troublemakers for me! There are many times when “e” does not mean the same and it is hard to know “when is what!”
Obrigada!