Legend vs. Legenda: A Myth, a Famous Person, or Movie Subtitles — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Use legenda for subtitles or a map key
Legenda commonly means subtitles or captions on a video. On a map or chart, it can also mean the key that explains its symbols. Context shows which kind of legend is meant.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| O filme está legendado em português. | The movie has Portuguese subtitles. |
| A legenda do mapa mostra as linhas de ônibus. | The map key shows the bus lines. |
Use lenda for a traditional legend
A traditional or mythical legend is a lenda. A famous person can be called uma lenda in an informal or admiring sense, much as “a legend” can be used in English.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| A lenda conta como a montanha recebeu esse nome. | The legend tells how the mountain got its name. |
| Aquela cantora é uma lenda da música brasileira. | That singer is a legend of Brazilian music. |
Use the media or story context as a clue
If the word appears with a film, video, or map, legenda likely refers to subtitles or a key. If it introduces a traditional tale, choose lenda. Notice the final syllable: legenda and lenda are related-looking but distinct words.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Prefiro assistir ao filme com legendas. | I prefer to watch the movie with subtitles. |
| Minha avó contou uma lenda sobre o rio. | My grandmother told a legend about the river. |
Remember: Legenda is often subtitles; lenda is a story or an admired figure.
Check your understanding
Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.
Recall the Portuguese, then say it
Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.
The movie has Portuguese subtitles.
Show a Portuguese answer
O filme está legendado em português.
The map key shows the bus lines.
Show a Portuguese answer
A legenda do mapa mostra as linhas de ônibus.
The legend tells how the mountain got its name.
Show a Portuguese answer
A lenda conta como a montanha recebeu esse nome.
That singer is a legend of Brazilian music.
Show a Portuguese answer
Aquela cantora é uma lenda da música brasileira.
I prefer to watch the movie with subtitles.
Show a Portuguese answer
Prefiro assistir ao filme com legendas.
My grandmother told a legend about the river.
Show a Portuguese answer
Minha avó contou uma lenda sobre o rio.
Make the phrase useful to you
Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.
Legenda is often subtitles; lenda is a story or an admired figure.
Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.
Sources and your next lesson
This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Legend vs. Legenda: A Myth, a Famous Person, or Movie Subtitles? lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.
To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.
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