Comments on: Ie viva meu Mestra, Part 2: Mestra Suelly

By: Cigano

Cigano — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:14:38 +0000

So, wait, wait, wait… Does that mean he’s not oppressing and patronizing her?

By: Bombom

Bombom — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:55:08 +0000

For the record-they are a very happily married couple and I believe he uses it as a term of endearment.

By: Joaninha

Joaninha — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 11:39:28 +0000

That is interesting, and yet…I guess not very surprising? Since calling someone “my man” or “my woman” still connotes some sort of possession, even if it doesn’t *really* mean it, so looking at history/society/etc., somehow it kind of figures that “my woman” is normal usage while “my man” isn’t, and that the man is actually referred to by the correct title at all times (husband or spouse). Thanks for the information, Shayna!

By: Shayna

Shayna — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 01:22:02 +0000

A comment on your postscript:

In Portuguese, “minha mulher” (literally translated “my woman”) actually means “my wife.” Sometimes “my serious girlfriend”, but “wife” is more common.

Interestingly, the reverse isn’t used: you don’t say “meu homem” (“my man”) to refer to your husband. Instead it’s “meu marido” (my husband) or “meu esposo” (my spouse). Men can also use “minha esposa” (my [female] spouse).