Portuguese short stories for B1 learners

Era uma mulher alta e magra, de peito fundo e costas curvadas.

She was a tall, thin woman, deep-chested and stoop-backed.

Nos finais de setembro, mal caíram as primeiras chuvas, o Canellas decidiu que era altura de começar a colheita das uvas.

In late September, as soon as the first rains fell, Canellas decided it was time to start the grape harvest.

Até hoje não consegui decifrar por completo uma conversa que tive, faz já muitos anos, com uma senhora.

To this day I have never fully worked out a conversation I once had, many years ago now, with a lady.

Numa tarde, sentado numa confeitaria, eu explicava ao meu amigo Castro as mil trapaças que cometi para sobreviver — enganando convenções e respeitabilidades sem nenhum remorso.

One afternoon, sitting in a pastry shop, I was explaining to my friend Castro the thousand tricks I had pulled to survive — cheating conventions and respectability without a shred of remorse.

Hamlet lembra a Horácio que existem no céu e na terra muito mais coisas do que cabe na nossa filosofia.

Hamlet reminds Horatio that there are many more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy.

Era ainda muito cedo quando Gonçalo desceu a rua, com o rebanho atrás de si, e atravessou a aldeia adormecida.

It was still very early when Gonçalo went down the street, with the flock behind him, and crossed the sleeping village.

Em toda a vila, D. Maria da Piedade passava por ser uma senhora exemplar.

Throughout the whole village, Mrs. Maria da Piedade was regarded as an exemplary woman.

Avisou-me logo que a sua história nada tinha de complicado, e disse chamar-se Macário.

He told me right away that his story had nothing complicated about it, and said his name was Macário.