“Nao sabem nada, nem uma palavra de Portugues? o que e isto? porque precisa passaporte Portugues? faca favor de estudar Portuguese meu senhor.” (Don’t know a single word in Portuguese? What is this? Why you need Portuguese passport? Please Sir Try to learn Portuguese ok? )
He is a much sought after man in Qatar whose services are sought after my Goans looking to have working knowledge of Portuguese.
“Problems for Goans arise specially at the time of interview, filing, and attestation of their Portuguese passport papers, as some of them do not understand the language and end up giving wrong answers, worst is when they go to Portugal to collect the passport there,” he says.
“The Common Civil Code in force in Goa has incorporated the Portuguese laws, in respect of properties matter, marriages, Wills/Testaments etc. Goa is a unique state where the Common Civil code is applicable to people of all religions. People in rest of India except for Jammu and Kashmir, are covered by their own personal laws, like the Hindu Succession Act and the Mohamaden Law.
“Since all the old documents of ancestors including properties plan and other important documents are in Portuguese preserved in civil land registrar, and Archives. If one wants to search any Portuguese document for example : Inscricao (Inscribed certificate), Discricao (Description certificate), Documento dos herdeiros com titulos, Documentos showing heirs in the property and the title), Documentos de Invetario (Invetory documents), Certidao Narrativa (Narrative certificate), Certidao Teor (Detailed / teor certificate i.e. direct certified copy or photocopy from the register), Copia do Registo e planta do Cadastro portugues, ( Old cadastral survey plan and report/description), Planta de tombacao com usurpacoes (Copy of the Comunidade plan with encroachments legalized, and non legalized), Documento de particao/divisao (Partition deed), and many other documents etc,” says Vaz, who has spend a quarter century working in Qatar.
“For all these to document search, one have to take help of others, spend hell of amount, and possibility of getting misguided too in many cases, adds Vaz.
“It is only a suggestion in the interest of Goan Community parents should encourage their children to learn Portuguese, as an additional language, which will be useful for them not only in Goa, but in Europe too,” he says as a parting shot.
Examples of commonly used phrases/ words, and essential for those who have obtained or are seeking to get Portuguese citizenship:
Data de nascimento (Date of birth )
Donde e o Senhor? (From where are you Sir?)
Sou de Goa ( I am from Goa )
Qual parte de Goa ? (Which part of Goa? )
Eu sou de Salcete ( I am from Salcete and so on )
Conselho ( Taluka )
Como se chama ? O que e seu Nome ? (What is your name?)
Onde mora? (Where do you live?)
Lugar de residencia (Place of residence )
Freguesia/Aldeia (Village)
Nome do Pai (Name of the father)
Nome de Mae (Name of the mother)
Casado (Married)
Solteiro (Bachelor or single)
Nome de Esposa / mulher (Name of wife)
Nome do filho legitimo (Name of the legitimate son)
Nome da filha legitima (Name of the legitimate daughter)
Bom Dia ( Good morning )
Boas Horas ( Good Afternoon )
Boa Tarde (Good Evening)
Boa Noite (Good Night)
“If anyone interested to get familiar in this language, and want to know how to learn it, in the easiest way both colloquial or grammatically guide lines can be provided. It is very easy to learn and beautiful to talk, once you start you will not leave it,” says Vaz. Besides Vaz, another long time Goan based in Qatar, Gill Cardozo, are the two resource persons Goans look forward for timely help concerning Portuguese language in an alien land.
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