acontecer nas melhores famílias

Portuguese

FWOTD – 6 October 2014

Etymology

Literally, “to happen in the best families”.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.kõ.teˈse(ʁ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.li.ɐs/ [a.kõ.teˈse(h) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.lɪ.ɐs], (faster pronunciation) /a.kõ.teˈse(ʁ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.ljɐs/ [a.kõ.teˈse(h) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.ljɐs]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.kõ.teˈse(ʁ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.li.ɐs/ [a.kõ.teˈse(h) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.lɪ.ɐs], (faster pronunciation) /a.kõ.teˈse(ʁ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.ljɐs/ [a.kõ.teˈse(h) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.ljɐs]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /a.kõ.teˈse(ɾ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.li.ɐs/ [a.kõ.teˈse(ɾ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.lɪ.ɐs], (faster pronunciation) /a.kõ.teˈse(ɾ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾis faˈmi.ljɐs/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /a.kõ.teˈse(ʁ) naʒ meˈʎɔ.ɾiʃ faˈmi.li.ɐʃ/ [a.kõ.teˈse(χ) naʒ meˈʎɔ.ɾiʃ faˈmi.lɪ.ɐʃ], (faster pronunciation) /a.kõ.teˈse(ʁ) naʒ meˈʎɔ.ɾiʃ faˈmi.ljɐʃ/ [a.kõ.teˈse(χ) naʒ meˈʎɔ.ɾiʃ faˈmi.ljɐʃ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.kõ.teˈse(ɻ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾes faˈmi.li.as/ [a.kõ.teˈse(ɻ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾes faˈmi.lɪ.as], (faster pronunciation) /a.kõ.teˈse(ɻ) naz meˈʎɔ.ɾes faˈmi.ljas/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐ.kõ.tɨˈseɾ nɐʒ mɨˈʎɔ.ɾɨʃ fɐˈmi.ljɐʃ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐ.kõ.tɨˈseɾ nɐʒ mɨˈʎɔ.ɾɨʃ fɐˈmi.ljɐʃ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐ.kõ.tɨˈse.ɾi nɐʒ mɨˈʎɔ.ɾɨʃ fɐˈmi.ljɐʃ/

Verb

acontecer nas melhores famílias (first-person singular present aconteço nas melhores famílias, first-person singular preterite aconteci nas melhores famílias, past participle acontecido nas melhores famílias)

1. (impersonal) used to comfort a person who is excessively disappointed with his mistake
   • 1999, Fernando Tavares Sabino, “O tabuleiro de damas”, in Record, page 116:

     Pedi-lhe desculpas, dizendo que não me levasse a mal — acontecia nas melhores famílias

     I apologised to him, asking him not to take me the wrong way — It happened in the best families.

2. (impersonal) describes something people from all walks of life may have to go through
   • 2003, Moacyr V. de Godoy Moreira, República da bicicletas: crônicas & outros escritos, Ateliê Editorial, page 82:

     (foi um dia de bancos e filas, coisa que acontece nas melhores famílias).

     (it was a day of banks and queues, something that happens in best families).