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In this post we’ll learn some vocabulary and expressions that you can use to talk about the natural world.

As Flores, As Árvores, A Grama e O Ar Fresco Flowers, Trees, Grass, and Fresh Air

Let’s start with some basics of nature that you can find around you even if most of the nature you see is in a park: uma árvore (a tree), uma flor (a flower), um jardim (a garden), a grama (grass), uma planta (a plant), um lago (a lake), uma lagoa (a pond), um caminho (a path), a mata (woods). You’re probably not going to see much wildlife in a park, but if you’d like to know how to talk about the animals you do see, check out this post.

• Há muitas árvores no parque. 
  There are lots of trees in the park.
• Olha que bonita aquela flor.
  Look at that beautiful flower.
• Vamos nos sentar na grama. 
  Let’s sit in the grass.

• Vamos nos sentar no banco ao lado do jardim.
  Let’s sit on the bench next to the garden.
• Há um caminho passando pela mata. 
  There’s a path through the woods.
• Vamos caminhar ao redor da lagoa.
  Let’s walk around the pond.
• Há peixes neste lago?
  Are there fish in this lake?
• O lago é raso ou fundo? 
  Is the lake shallow or deep?

As Árvores e As Plantas Trees and Plants

No matter where we are, there’s usually some kind of plant life around us, even if it’s in a pot in the corner of your office: as plantas caseiras (houseplant), o vaso de plantas  (flowerpot), a rosa (rose), o espinho (thorn), o solo (soil), a folha (leaf), a bolota (acorn), a haste (stem), a semente (seed), a noz (nut), regar uma planta (to water a plant), plantar uma semente (to plant a seed), florescer; as flores florescem (to bloom; flowers bloom), crescer; as plantas crescem (to grow; plants grow).

• (Eu) preciso regar minhas plantas.
  I need to water my plants.
• (Nós) temos muitas plantas em casa.
  We have a lot of houseplants.
• Esse vaso de plantas é lindo.
  That’s a beautiful flowerpot.
• As folhas da planta estão ficando marrom.
  That plant’s leaves are turning brown.
• As bolotas estão caindo das árvores.
  Acorns are falling from the tree.
• As rosas têm espinhos nas hastes.
  Roses have thorns on their stems.
• Aquela é uma árvore de bordo ou um carvalho?
  Is that tree a maple or an oak?
• Os pinheiros permanecem verdes no inverno.
  Pine trees are green in the winter.
• Plantei sementes de tomate no jardim.
  I planted tomato seeds in the garden.
• As flores florescem na primavera.
  The flowers bloom in the spring.
• As plantas no seu jardim estão crescendo rapidamente. 
  The plants in your garden are growing quickly.

As Colinas, Os Rios e Os Vales Hills, Rivers, and Valleys

Let’s add some more nature vocabulary: a colina (hill), o vale (valley), o rio (river), o riacho (stream), a cachoeira (waterfall); o campo (field), o prado (meadow), a pedra (rock), o pântano (swamp).

• Nossa casa fica em uma colina. 
  Our house is on a hill.
• Moramos próximos ao rio.
  We live next to a river.
• O rio corre rapidamente aqui.
  The river runs quickly here.
• Há uma linda cachoeira aqui perto.
  There’s a beautiful waterfall nearby.
• Há muitas fazendas no vale.
  There are a lot of farms in the valley.
• Há um pequeno riacho na mata perto da nossa casa.
  There is a little stream in the woods near our house.
• Caminhamos através do campo. 
  We walked across the field.
• Há lindas flores selvagens no prado.
  There are beautiful wild flowers in the meadow.
• Há muitas pedras na encosta da colina.
  There are a lot of rocks on the hillside.
• Esta estrada passa por um pantano.
  This road goes through a swamp.

As Montanhas e As Florestas Mountains and Forests

If you ever get to the mountains, you may need to say: uma montanha (a mountain); uma cadeia de montanhas (a mountain range); o pico da montanha (the summit of the mountain); caminhar na montanha (to hike in the mountains); escalar uma montanha (to climb a mountain); um pico (a peak); um penhasco (a cliff); uma floresta (a forest); acampar na floresta (to camp in the forest); os pinheiros (pine trees); as árvores de bordo (maple trees); os carvalhos (oak trees); as bétulas (birch trees); animais selvagens (wild animals).

• Há duas cadeias de montanhas neste país.
  There are two mountain ranges in this country.
• Podemos ver lindas montanhas da nossa janela.
  We can see beautiful mountains from our window.
• Qual a altura do pico desta montanha?
  How high is the summit of this mountain?
• Os picos das montanhas estão cobertos de neve.
  The mountain peaks are covered in snow.
• Qual a altura daqueles penhascos?
  How high are those cliffs?
• Gosto de acampar na floresta.
  I like to camp in the forest.
• Há pinheiros / árvores de bordo / bétulas / carvalhos nesta floresta.
  There are pine trees/maple trees/birch trees/oak trees in this forest.
• Há animais selvagens nesta floresta?
  Are there wild animals in this forest?

O Mundo The World

Let’s finish with some geographical terms that you can use to talk about the natural world. o continente (continent), o oceano (ocean), o mar (sea), a baía (bay), a costa (coast), a ilha (island), a península (peninsula), o deserto (desert), a selva (jungle), a geleira (glacier), o iceberg (iceberg), o polo norte / sul (north/south pole), norte / sul / leste / oeste (north/south/east/west).

• Quantos continentes existem?
  How many continents are there?
• O oceano é largo e profundo.
  The ocean is wide and deep.
• Amo nadar no mar.
  I love swimming in the sea.
• O rio esvazia em uma baia grande.
  The river empties into a big bay.
• Dirigimos ao longo do litoral.
  We drove along the coast.
• Você tem que pegar uma balsa para chegar à ilha.
  You have to take a ferry to get to the island.
• O deserto é quente e seco.
  The desert is hot and dry.
• Muitas variedades de plantas e animais vivem na selva.
  Many different plants and animals live in the jungle.
• As geleiras estão ficando cada vez menores.
  The glaciers are getting smaller and smaller.
• Há geleiras no oceano perto do polo norte / sul.
  There are icebergs in the ocean near the north/south pole.
• O sol nasce no leste e se põe no oeste. 
  The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

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