Where can I learn "carioca" Portuguese?
 

I have relatives that live in Rio de Janeiro and would like to learn not only their language but also their particular dialect of Portuguese..... but I'm having trouble finding software or courses that use a native "carioca" speaker. Any suggestions on learning Portugues the carioca way? I would love to just go there and live for a while to pick it up but that's not possible for me right now. I need classes or a book but none seem to be for this particular type of Portuguese. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I have looked also and haven't found any. What you can do is read about the differences, listen to them (in a lot of the music, for example) and try to put it all together, especially if you know people who speak it. As for me - without those connections -- I have resigned muself to going with the so-called "standard" that's usually taught, as I fear I would sound like someone "putting on" say, a US Southern accent, or a British accent - even if I did it fairly well, I'd surely sound a bit phony, at best.
Jess

You can do online learning with Skype or a similar technology and get a native carioca speaker that way. I have no idea about this site, but if not this one, there are others:
http://www.italki.com/teachers/

Well I don't know if you're actually going to find any lessons with the Carioca accent but you can find Brazilian Portuguese.

I first started learning Portuguese a few years back with Barons Foreign service Institute tapes and books and that was ok. Then I went to Berlitz for group and private lessons and then another school Inlingua for private. Then went to Brazil a few times to actually speak it and listen, got some practice.

Then I got a hold of the 90, 30 minute Pimsleur lessons on Brazilian Portuguese. I put all of them on my Ipod and listen to all of them many many times. This pulled it all together for me, it's very good and it's Brazilian.

I am not fluent but I have a very good travel Portuguese that gets me pretty far in Rio now every year. Now I listen to the 90 lessons about twice a year as a refresher before my trip and when I get there I'm back in business.

I also know all the Brazilians I could know in my neighborhood and try to speak to them in Portuguese as much as possible and they give good tips too. But it is hard to understand television in Brazil and a group of Brazilians talking together still.

Thank you everyone for all of your great advice. WillTravel, I just perused that italk site, pretty cool, lots of links to help me too. And Dondiega I'm planning on getting those Pimsleur lessons and putting them on my mp3 player as you suggest. I wish it were easier to learn Carioca Portuguese but I'll keep looking!
Thanks again, Karen

For free stuff try Transparent Language Brazilian Portuguese Word of the Day and also their BYKI (Before You Know It software) - not Carioca, but it is WONDERFUL.
I got a $20 Pimsleur intro disc which I put on my iPOD; I found the repetition dreary vut very valuable -- unforch, I found it awfully formal -- "o senhor" instead of "voce", for example. The Brazilians I know says NO ONE talks that way, unless you're a kid and need to "show respect" to everyone, or your mother-in-law is old-school Brazilian. I looked on-line for carioca language schools located in Rio itself, but they seem to pride themselves on exposing students to various accents.
Jess

Why on earth would you like to talk Portuguese with the awful carioca accent?

I don't know if that's just a humorous remark or a serious question , but the OP said she had relatives there. As for me, I got into learning the language from listening to music, much of which is sung with that accent. To an outsider, like me, it seems like one more choice, such as choosing Brazilian - and not European - Portuguese to begin with. As an americana - I do not see one or another accent as awful, as I might, with my native perspective, like or dislike accents from Boston, Brooklyn, Alabama, etc.....

Hi !

I just found your post via Google.

A friend is portuguese teacher in Rio de janeiro, and guest how did she called her school ? "Carioca languages" !! She wrote her book material by herself. maybe you can contact her an see if she can send it to you ? Or take a course with her if you come to Rio ?

Link to her website : http://carioca-languages.com

I hope my answer can help you.

claude

A friend? Not you? Not SPAM? So why have you decided to go looking for places to post this same ADVERTISEMENT on more than one online Brazil forum today? Coincidence? No. SPAM !

Pronounce every 's' with a sh. There, I saved you the cost of the software.