• +55 (21) 2267-6552       info@caminhosbrasil.com
Caminhos Languages
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Methodology & Levels
    • Our School
    • Teachers & Staff
    • Accreditations & Testimonials
    • Mais Caminhos
      (Social Program)
    • FAQ
  • Courses
    • Courses Overview
    • Group Courses
      • Intensive Portuguese (20h)
      • Combo 25 (25h)
      • Latin Speakers
      • Caminhos Talk – Conversation Course
    • Private Classes
      • One-on-One Portuguese
      • Celpe-Bras
      • Rio Immersion
      • Immersion Weekends
      • Online Portuguese Classes
    • Academic Programs & Exam Preparations
      • Celpe-Bras
      • Bildungsurlaub
      • Flas, Fellowship & Scholarships
      • Groups, Universities & Companies
    • Corporate Portuguese
      • In-Company
      • Executive Immersion
      • Online Portuguese Classes
    • Special Courses
      • Survival Course
      • Portuguese & Samba
      • Portuguese & Capoeira
      • Portuguese & Surf
      • Flight Attendant Course
    • Methodology & Levels
    • Student Visa
    • Level Test
  • Accommodation
    • Accommodation Overview
    • Homestay
    • Apartments
    • Airport Transfer
  • Activities
    • Activities Overview
    • Free Activities
      • Orientação
      • Beach Volleyball
      • Bate-Papo
      • Brazilian Cinema
      • Support Hour
      • Samba Classes
      • Capoeira
      • Football
      • City Tour
      • Caipi-Sexta
      • Special Events
    • Paid Activities
      • Favela Tour
      • Cooking Class
      • Sat-Ventures
      • Pedra do Telégrafo Tour
      • Additional Activities
    • Activity Calendar
  • Prices
    • Prices Overview
    • Prices Group Courses
    • Prices Private Classes
    • Prices Accommodation
  • More
    • Caminhos Organization
      • Eco Caminhos
      • Mais Caminhos
      • Caminhos Tours
    • Volunteering
    • Services
      • Visa Support
      • Portuguese Translation Service
    • Pictures & Videos
    • Ipanema
    • Things to Bring
    • Work With Us
    • Blog
    • Feedback
  • Book Now
    • Book Now
    • How to Pay
  • Contact Us

Language:

  • English (en)English
  • Deutsch (de)Deutsch
  • Français (fr)Français
  • Português do Brasil (br)Português do Brasil
  • Español (es)Español
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Methodology & Levels
    • Our School
    • Teachers & Staff
    • Accreditations & Testimonials
    • Mais Caminhos
      (Social Program)
    • FAQ
  • Courses
    • Courses Overview
    • Group Courses
      • Intensive Portuguese (20h)
      • Combo 25 (25h)
      • Latin Speakers
      • Caminhos Talk – Conversation Course
    • Private Classes
      • One-on-One Portuguese
      • Celpe-Bras
      • Rio Immersion
      • Immersion Weekends
      • Online Portuguese Classes
    • Academic Programs & Exam Preparations
      • Celpe-Bras
      • Bildungsurlaub
      • Flas, Fellowship & Scholarships
      • Groups, Universities & Companies
    • Corporate Portuguese
      • In-Company
      • Executive Immersion
      • Online Portuguese Classes
    • Special Courses
      • Survival Course
      • Portuguese & Samba
      • Portuguese & Capoeira
      • Portuguese & Surf
      • Flight Attendant Course
    • Methodology & Levels
    • Student Visa
    • Level Test
  • Accommodation
    • Accommodation Overview
    • Homestay
    • Apartments
    • Airport Transfer
  • Activities
    • Activities Overview
    • Free Activities
      • Orientação
      • Beach Volleyball
      • Bate-Papo
      • Brazilian Cinema
      • Support Hour
      • Samba Classes
      • Capoeira
      • Football
      • City Tour
      • Caipi-Sexta
      • Special Events
    • Paid Activities
      • Favela Tour
      • Cooking Class
      • Sat-Ventures
      • Pedra do Telégrafo Tour
      • Additional Activities
    • Activity Calendar
  • Prices
    • Prices Overview
    • Prices Group Courses
    • Prices Private Classes
    • Prices Accommodation
  • More
    • Caminhos Organization
      • Eco Caminhos
      • Mais Caminhos
      • Caminhos Tours
    • Volunteering
    • Services
      • Visa Support
      • Portuguese Translation Service
    • Pictures & Videos
    • Ipanema
    • Things to Bring
    • Work With Us
    • Blog
    • Feedback
  • Book Now
    • Book Now
    • How to Pay
  • Contact Us

BLOG

All About Carnival in Brazil – History, Where to Go & Vocabulary

  • Thursday February 24th, 2022
  • Posted by: Amanda Ennes
  • Category: Brazil
No Comments
carnival in brazil 2

If you want to learn all about Carnival in Brazil, search no more. In this blog post, we talk about the history of Carnival, the samba schools, and the best cities to visit during the Carnival season in Brazil. Moreover, we also teach you some Carnival vocabulary so you are prepared to celebrate in Brazil.

History of Carnival in Brazil

The origin of Carnival has to do with Christianity and its roots in Middle Ages. Back then, people would wear masks and disguises to celebrate the time before Lent. Even today, Carnival still has a certain connection with Christianity, as the official date for this celebration changes every year according to the Christian calendar. We celebrate Carnival 40 days after Palm Sunday every year. That means Carnival usually falls by the end of February or the beginning of March.

During colonial times, the Portuguese brought Carnival festivities to Brazil, especially Rio de Janeiro. With time, rich people were organizing masquerade balls in the country, making Carnival a popular season. Also around that time, people started to parade on the streets, wearing their masks and costumes. However, samba was not yet a thing.

Read more: History And Types Of Samba In Brazil.

The music people would play the most during Carnival season was marchinha, a genre of music that would serve as a comic satire of military marches. Nonetheless, by the end of the 19th century, samba started to grow among the slums of Rio de Janeiro and the general population. With time, it became the most popular genre of Carnival music.

Not long after that, around the ’20s, the first samba schools were established in Rio de Janeiro.

Meanwhile, in 1950 in Bahia, Carnival was growing differently than in Rio. With the invention of the trio elétrico, Carnival began to revolve around axé music, not samba. Trio elétrico is an adapted sound truck often used for street parties and large musical events.

carnaval no brasil

Samba Schools

Differently from what it might seem, the samba school has nothing to do with formal educational instruction. Samba schools are associations founded by civilians to praise samba and celebrate Carnival. They have a solid community basis and a strong bond with local neighborhoods or favelas.

Around the ’30s, samba schools started to compete against each other, organizing the first parades.

Nowadays, there are over 70 samba schools in Rio de Janeiro. Because of that, there are different leagues in the competition for the best school of the year. The Special League (Grupo Especial) is divided into two groups that parade on the Sunday and Monday of the Carnival season. They compete to crown the winner of the samba school parade every year. The parade lasts about one house and has to follow a number of rules. The Access League (Grupo de Acesso) parades on the Friday and Saturday before the Special League and competes to be promoted to the main league the following year.

To sum it up, the samba school’s competition work just like a football state championship.

The samba school’s competition is such a big deal nowadays, that they take over a year to prepare for their parades. That includes choosing a theme, doing research, creating floats and costumes, writing original songs and deciding which one to use, and more. Thousands of people are involved in the making of each samba school’s parade, such as designers, painters, seamstresses, woodworkers, musicians, choreographers, and much more.

Parades

As stated above, the samba schools need to follow certain rules for their parades. Each Carnival organization decides on these rules. In Rio de Janeiro, for example, the parade has a maximum time of 70 minutes, with a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 Carnival floats.

The parade is divided into wings. No special wing is required, but some of them are traditional in every parade. For example, Ala das Baianas, in which ladies dress in clothes reminiscent of the early twentieth century. Also popular is Velha Guarda, a wing of only elderly people that once had honorable roles in the samba school, such as dancers, musicians, and directors.

Each parade is judged and scored on:

  • Allegorical floats and props (Alegorias e adereços): The Carnival floats.
  • Drumming Section (Bateria): The Carnival orchestra of each school.
  • Front Commission (Comissão de Frente): The first group of participants in a parade. They dance to a well-rehearsed choreography to introduce the theme the samba school is presenting.
  • Plot-theme (Enredo): The theme each school is presenting.
  • Progression (Evolução): The pace and speed of the parade must be in sync with the music.
  • Costumes (Fantasias): The design and ideas for the clothes.
  • Harmony (Harmonia): Everyone at the parade must be singing and dancing.
  • Mestre-Sala and Porta-Bandeira: A couple with a special costume that dances while paying tribute to the samba school’s flag. Each school can have more than one couple honoring the flag, but only the main couple is judged.
  • Samba song (Samba-enredo): The original melody and lyrics composed for the parade.

Sambadrome

The sambadrome is the place samba schools parade during Carnaval in Brazil. There are spectator viewing areas around the avenue and VIP suites that offer open bar and special attractions.

Famous samba schools

In Rio de Janeiro, some of the most popular and traditional samba schools are:

  • Portela – founded in 1923 – 22 titles
  • Mangueira – founded in 1928 – 20 titles
  • Beija-Flor – founded in 1948 – 14 titles
  • Salgueiro – founded in 1953 – 9 titles
  • Imperatriz Leopoldinense – founded in 1959 – 8 titles
  • Mocidade – founded in 1955 – 6 titles
  • Unidos da Tijuca – founded in 1931 – 4 titles
  • Unidos de Vila Isabel – founded in 1946 – 3 titles

Further reading: Top 5: Main Traditional Brazilian Festivals.

carnaval de brasil

Blocos de Rua

Blocos de rua, also called bloquinhos or carnaval de rua are the street parades organized all around the city during Carnival season. Even though they are huge in Rio de Janeiro, blocos de rua are organized all over different cities in Brazil, such as São Paulo, Recife, Ouro Preto, and Florianópolis.

Street bands followed by an adapted sound truck (trio elétrico) play lively, fast-paced, and energetic music. Even though many bands play samba, marchinha is the most popular music genre in blocos de rua.

For example, there is a famous Carnival group in Brazil called Sargento Pimenta (Sergeant Pepper) that only plays Beatles songs. However, they use the marchinha beat while doing so.

Watch the Sargento Pimenta band playing All My Loving Carnival-style:

Costumes

The most important thing about Carnival is costumes.

Since the beginning of Carnival celebrations in Brazil, masks were always part of the attire. By 1870 people were already using costumes to make their Carnival more fun. Yes, that was way before samba was even invented!

So, you need to prepare for Carnival — one different costume a day. Be creative, use lots of glitters and colorful props. Do that and you are ready for Carnival!

Where to Enjoy Carnival in Brazil?

Rio de Janeiro

In Rio de Janeiro you do not need to choose between watching the samba schools’ parade or enjoying the street Carnival because we have it all. You can join the blocos during the day and watch the parades in the evening. Rinse and repeat for four days straight!!! There are over 500 ‘blocos de rua’ in Rio and you will have the time of your life.

Salvador

If you want to try something different from samba, Salvador has the best axé music festivities during Carnival. Some Brazilians say everyone must spend at least one Carnival season in Salvador.

Recife and Olinda

One of the most traditional ways to celebrate Carnival is going to Recife and Olinda, sister cities in Pernambuco. The street Carnival is huge there, and you can try Frevo — the local music genre and dance. Guinness Book of World Records registered Galo da Madrugada, a bloco de rua in Recife, as the biggest carnival parade in the world. Over 2,500,000 people followed their parade in 2013.

Watch Teacher Deise’s video on Pernambuco.

Ouro Preto

Ouro Preto is a small historical city in the state of Minas Gerais. The Carnival there is famous among young partygoers, especially college students. That is because Ouro Preto is also a university town. The street Carnival is great and the college dorms and fraternity houses also throw awesome parties.

Carnival Vocabulary

Portuguese English
Blocos de rua/Blocos de carnaval Street Carnival/Street parties during Carnival
Carro alegórico Carnival floats
Confete e Serpentina Confetti and Serpentine streamer
Desfile Parade
Escola de Samba Samba school
Fantasia Costume
Folia Party
Folião Partygoers
Marchinha The first music genre linked to Carnival in Brazil
Pular carnaval To celebrate Carnival/To go out for Carnival
Purpurina Glitter
Rainha de bateria Drumming section queen
Rei Momo King Momo – the king of Carnival
Samba Brazilian music genre linked to Carnival
Trio elétrico Special sound truck used in Carnival

How About Carnival in 2022?

Due to the increase of Covid cases in Brazil, most cities decided to cancel Carnival in 2022. On January 4th, 2022, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro released a statement canceling street Carnival in 2022. The samba schools’ parade at the Sambadrome, however, was only postponed to April 2022.

Read more: Carnival 2022 In Rio de Janeiro: What do We Know So Far?

 

If you are planning on coming to Rio de Janeiro for Carnival someday, how about arriving a few weeks early and learning some basic Portuguese to help you around the city? Caminhos Language Centre offers Portuguese group courses and private lessons to help you get a grasp of street Portuguese and Brazilian culture. We also have a 4-hour Portuguese crash course to help you with the basics.

Author

  • Amanda Ennes

    View all posts

HOME

caminhos_language_centre

Caminhos Language Centre
Visiting the Rio downtown with the gang! 🌆 - Vi Visiting the Rio downtown with the gang! 🌆
-
Visitando o centro da cidade com o pessoal! 🌆
It doesn’t matter how you cal it, the important It doesn’t matter how you cal it, the important thing is sharing all the love. 😘🥰
-
Não importa como você chama, o importante é compartilhar amor. 😘🥰
#CaminhosTips #learnportuguese #brazilianportuguese
Does it snow in Brazil? Snowing is extremely rare Does it snow in Brazil? Snowing is extremely rare in Brazil. However, it does occur in the high plains of the country's South Region. Thanks to large areas of high altitude, this region is the coldest in Brazil, with snow tending to occur every year in southern municipalities like São Joaquim, Cambará do Sul, and Urubici. Snowing also occurs less often at Itatiaia National Park in Rio de Janeiro, where the sixth-highest peak in Brazil is located: Pico das Agulhas Negras, standing at 2,791 meters (9,157 ft) above sea level.
-
Neva no Brasil? Neve é extremamente rara no Brasil. No entanto, ocorre nos planaltos da Região Sul do país. Graças às grandes áreas de alta altitude, esta região é a mais fria do Brasil, com neve tendendo a ocorrer todos os anos em municípios do sul como São Joaquim, Cambará do Sul e Urubici. A neve também ocorre com menos frequência no Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, no Rio de Janeiro, onde está localizada o sexto pico mais alto do Brasil: o Pico das Agulhas Negras, a 2.791 metros (9.157 pés) acima do nível do mar.
José "Zé" Carioca is a cartoon character created José "Zé" Carioca is a cartoon character created by Walt Disney after his trip to Rio de Janeiro in 1941. The Walt Disney Company introduced Zé Carioca in the 1942 movie Saludos Amigos as a friend of Donald Duck. Zé Carioca is a parrot and represents every aspect of the typical Brazilian stereotype: smart, friendly, and always in a good mood. He is very passionate about the Brazilian culture, often seen singing and dancing samba. He is also eager to share the culture and costumes of his country with others, as when he meets Donald Duck and wants to show him everything about Rio de Janeiro and Salvador.
-
José "Zé" Carioca é um personagem de desenho animado criado por Walt Disney após sua viagem ao Rio de Janeiro em 1941. O Walt Disney Company apresentou Zé Carioca no filme Alô, Amigos de 1942 como amigo do Pato Donald. Zé Carioca é um papagaio e representa todos os aspectos do típico estereótipo brasileiro: esperto, amigável e sempre de bom humor. Ele é apaixonado pela cultura brasileira, muitas vezes sendo visto cantando e dançando samba. Ele também ama compartilhar sobre a cultura e os costumes de seu país com outras pessoas, como quando conhece o Pato Donald e quer mostrar a ele tudo sobre o Rio de Janeiro e Salvador.
Caminhos’ day-trip to Ilha da Gigoia. 🛶 - Pas Caminhos’ day-trip to Ilha da Gigoia. 🛶
-
Passeio na Ilha da Gigoia com o pessoal da Caminhos. 🛶
So, is Pluto a planet or not? 🌎 - Então,Plutã So, is Pluto a planet or not? 🌎
-
Então,Plutão é um planeta ou não? 🌎
#CaminhosTips #learnportuguese #brazilianportuguese
Yesterday we went for our Pizza Night so our stude Yesterday we went for our Pizza Night so our students can experience a Brazilian Rodízio, an all-you-can-eat type of restaurant. Not to mention all of those sweet Brazilian pizza. Banana and cinnamon pizza, chocolate, strawberry… Yummy! 🍕😋
-
Ontem tivemos nossa Noite de Pizzas para que os alunos experimentassem nosso Rodízio Brasileiro, um tipo de restaurante em que você come o quanto quiser e só paga um valor. Além disso, eles provaram as pizzas doces brasileiras. Pizza de banana e canela, chocolate, morango… Delicioso! 🍕😋
On rainy days we… Play football, I guess! ⚽️ On rainy days we… Play football, I guess! ⚽️
-
Em dias chuvoso, nós… Jogamos futebol. É o que parece! ⚽️
It's Thursday, time to give our students their cer It's Thursday, time to give our students their certificates! Yay! Good job, guys! Don't forget to keep practicing Portuguese! ☺
-
É quinta-feira, hora de entregar os certificados aos nossos alunos! Oba! Bom trabalho, galera! Não se esqueçam de continuar falando português! ☺
If you love nature and adventure, planning to visi If you love nature and adventure, planning to visit the highest peaks in Brazil is a great idea to enjoy the country. Check our blog post and learn about the 10 highest mountains in Brazil. Link in bio or stories.
-
Se você gosta de natureza e aventura, visitar os picos mais altos do Brasil é uma ótima ideia para curtir o país. Confira nosso blog e descubra quais são as 10 montanhas mais altas do Brasil. Link na bio ou stories.
In Brazil, many items we use daily are known by th In Brazil, many items we use daily are known by their brand names. These names are or were trademarked, but are now often used to describe any brand in a product category. Check the most common ones.
-
No Brasil, muitos itens que usamos diariamente são conhecidos pelo nome de suas marcas. Esses nomes são ou já foram marcas registradas, mas agora são frequentemente usados para descrever qualquer marca em uma categoria de produto. Confira os mais comuns.
Say hi to Davi and our students visiting Pedra do Say hi to Davi and our students visiting Pedra do Leme today! 😍
-
Diga oi para o Davi e nossos alunos que visitaram a Pedra do Leme hoje! 😍
Oui, monsieur! 🇫🇷 #CaminhosTips #learnportug Oui, monsieur! 🇫🇷
#CaminhosTips #learnportuguese #brazilianportuguese
It’s starting to become chilly in Rio de Janeiro It’s starting to become chilly in Rio de Janeiro this time of the year, but still the perfect weather to enjoy the beach playing some sports! 
-
A temperatura está começando a cair no Rio de Janeiro nesta época do ano, mas ainda é o clima perfeito para aproveitar a praia praticando esportes!
Turma da Mônica (also known as Monica's Gang in E Turma da Mônica (also known as Monica's Gang in English) is the most famous comic book series in Brazil, created by Mauricio de Sousa. The stories revolve around the adventures of Monica and her friends in the fictional Lemon Tree neighborhood. The main characters are Mônica, the leader of the group, a strong-minded 7-year-old girl; Magali, Mônica’s best friend, known for her voracious appetite; Cebolinha, a boy who loves to pick on Mônica; and Cascão, who hates water and never bathes. The first comic strip was published in 1959, and, since then, Turma da Mônica is part of the childhood of many generations of Brazilians. Since then, Turma da Mônica has expanded its brand to movies, video games, toys, amusement parks, and even food.
-
Turma da Mônica é a série de quadrinhos brasileira mais famosa, criada por Mauricio de Sousa. As histórias giram em torno das aventuras de Mônica e seus amigos no fictício bairro do Limoeiro. Os personagens principais são Mônica, uma menina de 7 anos com personalidade forte; Magali, melhor amiga da Mônica e conhecida por seu apetite voraz; Cebolinha, que adora implicar com a Mônica; e Cascão, que odeia água e nunca toma banho. A primeira tirinha foi publicada em 1959 e, desde então, a Turma da Mônica faz parte da infância de muitas gerações de brasileiros. Desde então, a Turma da Mônica expandiu sua marca para filmes, videogames, brinquedos, parques de diversões e até comida
On Sunday we celebrate Mother's Day in Brazil. Ove On Sunday we celebrate Mother's Day in Brazil. Over here, we have the expression 'Mãe Coruja'. We use this for a mom who is ever-protective and ever-proud of her kids, a mom who sees her children as having no faults and is always praising them. Are you Mãe Coruja? Is your mom?
-
No domingo comemoramos o Dia das Mães no Brasil. Por aqui, temos a expressão 'Mãe Coruja'. Usamos esta expressão para uma mãe que é super-protetora e está sempre orgulhosa, que não vê defeitos e está sempre elogiando seus filhos. Você é Mãe Coruja? E a sua mãe?
We took the day to bike from Ipanema to Parque Lag We took the day to bike from Ipanema to Parque Lage in the Jardim Botânico neighborhood. Such a likely day to spend outside! 🚴‍♂️
-
Tiramos o dia para passear de bicicleta de Ipanema até o Parque Lage, no bairro Jardim Botânico. Um lindo dia pra passar ao ar livre! 🚴‍♂️
Teacher Dam and his B2 group had a nice breakfast Teacher Dam and his B2 group had a nice breakfast before starting to study Portuguese today.
-
O professor Dam e sua turma B2 tomaram café-da-manhã juntos hoje antes de começar a estudar português.
In different parts of Brazil people use different In different parts of Brazil people use different names for this kind of shoes. How do you call it? 👞
-
Em diferentes partes do Brasil, as pessoas usam diferentes nomes para este tipo de sapato. Como você chama isso? 👞
#CaminhosTips #learnportuguese #brazilianportuguese
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistic The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics geopolitically divides Brazil into five regions. This division considers geographic aspects of the country, social and cultural elements, and economic factors. The five regions of Brazil are North, Northeast, Central-West, Southeast, and South. Read more on our blog. Link in bio or stories.
-
O Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística divide geopoliticamente o Brasil em cinco regiões. Essa divisão considera aspectos geográficos do país, elementos sociais e culturais e fatores econômicos. As cinco regiões do Brasil são Norte, Nordeste, Centro-Oeste, Sudeste e Sul. Leia mais em nosso blog. Link na bio ou stories.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
OUR COURSES
OUR PRICES
BOOK NOW

Author

  • Amanda Ennes

    View all posts

language school in brazil

 

PACK FOR A PURPOSE

PFAP LOGO

lonely Best Portuguese School in Rio de Janeiro on TripAdvisor Eco Caminhos Bioconstruction Eco farm volunteering maiscaminhos gringo rio
Portuguese School in Rio de Janeiro on Rio Times yelp bildungsurlaub in brasilien EasyExpat.com: Guia para o Expatriata usa rio english

Rua Farme de Amoedo, 135
Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
22420-020


SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER


    Footer logo
    Copyright © 2021 Caminhos Language Centre
    • About Us
    • Portuguese Courses
    • Group Courses
    • Homestay
    • Student Visa
    • Blog
    • VOLUNTEERING
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Privacy
    Search
    • About Us
      • Methodology & Levels
      • Teachers & Staff
      • Back
    • Courses
      • Group Courses
        • Intensive Portuguese (20h)
        • Combo 25 (25h)
        • Latin Speakers
        • Caminhos Talk – Conversation Course
        • Back
      • Private Classes
        • One-on-One Portuguese
        • Celpe-Bras
        • Rio Immersion
        • Immersion Weekends
        • Online Portuguese Classes
        • Back
      • Student Visa
      • Back
    • Accommodation
      • Airport Transfer
      • Back
    • Activities
      • Activity Calendar
      • Back
    • Prices
    • Book Now
      • How to Pay
      • Back
    • Contact Us