Papai Coruja — A2

1

Listen to the episode

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2

Read the dialogue

Two friends discuss how endearing and attentive a father-to-be has become during his partner's pregnancy.

A: Sabe o que eu não esperava dessa gravidez?

You know what I never expected from this pregnancy?

B: Os pés inchados?

Swollen feet?

A: Bom, isso também! Não, é o quanto o Eduardo ficou carinhoso.

Well, that too! No, it's how endearing Eduardo has become.

B: É, eu vi ele passando a mão na sua barriga, eu achei tão lindo.

Yes, I saw him rubbing his hand on your stomach, I thought it was beautiful.

A: E ele fica conversando com o bebê o tempo todo.

And he keeps on talking to the baby all the time.

B: Nossa, sabe que o Nelson era assim também, era tão legal.

Wow, you know that Nelson was the same way, it was so cool.

A: Realmente é legal ver um homem que curta a gravidez tanto.

It's really cool to see a man that enjoys the pregnancy so much.

B: Papai coruja, né? E o bebê nem nasceu ainda!

Proud papa, you know? And the baby hasn't even been born yet!

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Language focus

Focus 1

O que eu não esperava é — What I didn't expect is (cleft emphasis)

English: what I didn't expect is (emphasis structure)

O que eu não esperava (dessa gravidez) é puts strong focus on an unexpected discovery — echoing the cleft pattern from earlier episodes (Ep45/50) but with a negative twist.

Sabe o que eu não esperava dessa gravidez?
You know what I didn't expect from this pregnancy?É o quanto o Eduardo ficou carinhoso.
It's how endearing Eduardo has become.

Focus 2

Ficar carinhoso — To become affectionate (review)

English: to become affectionate/tender (ficar + adjective, review)

Ficar + adjective (reviewing the pattern from Ep43) describes a change of state — here, someone becoming noticeably more tender and caring.

O quanto o Eduardo ficou carinhoso.
How affectionate Eduardo has become.Ele fica conversando com o bebê o tempo todo.
He keeps talking to the baby all the time.

Focus 3

Papai coruja — Proud papa (cultural idiom)

English: a doting, proud father-to-be (literally "owl daddy")

Papai coruja (owl daddy) describes a man who dotes affectionately over his (soon-to-be) child — coruja (owl) evokes watchful, attentive care.

Papai coruja, né? E o bebê nem nasceu ainda!
Proud papa, right? And the baby hasn't even been born yet!

🦉 Papai/Mamãe coruja The expression coruja (owl) is used for any doting parent, proud of their child beyond reason — a beloved, warmly teasing Brazilian idiom for parental pride.

🔊 Nem nasceu ainda Nem + pretérito (nasceu) + ainda reinforces the "not even yet" pattern seen in earlier episodes — the baby hasn't even been born, and dad is already doting!

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Exercises

Exercise 1 — Comprehension check

Choose the correct answer based on the dialogue.

1. O que A não esperava da gravidez?

O quanto Eduardo ficou carinhoso. Os enjoos matinais. O tamanho da barriga.

2. O que Eduardo faz o tempo todo, segundo A?

Conversa com o bebê. Cozinha para ela. Faz compras.

3. Como B descreve Eduardo no final?

Papai coruja. Papai ausente. Papai nervoso.

Exercise 2 — O que eu não esperava, ficou carinhoso, ou papai coruja?

Fill in each gap to complete the sentence with the correct word(s).

1. 1. Sabe dessa gravidez?

2. 2. É o quanto o Eduardo .

3. 3. , né? E o bebê nem nasceu ainda!

Exercise 3 — Vocabulário de gravidez e família

Match each Portuguese word to its English meaning.

1. Gravidez

2. Barriga

3. Carinhoso

4. Coruja

5. Pés inchados

Exercise 4 — Your turn

Write 4–6 sentences about a doting parent (or pet owner!) you know. Use o que eu não esperava é, ficar + adjetivo, and the idiom papai/mamãe coruja.