Love, Lyrics and Language: Celebrating Brazil’s Valentine’s Day

Introdução

Enquanto o mundo celebra o Dia dos Namorados em fevereiro, o Brasil guarda toda sua paixão para 12 de junho, uma data especial que mistura tradição católica, romantismo à brasileira e, claro, oportunidades únicas para aprender inglês. Mas o que exatamente torna nosso Dia dos Namorados diferente? E como isso pode ajudar você a dominar o idioma? Vamos explorar essa data sob a lente do aprendizado de línguas.

📖 Aqui você encontra…

Escute aqui a transcrição:

Easy

Advanced

Wait… Isn’t Valentine’s Day in February?

Yes, in many parts of the world, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th, but here in Brazil, we do things a little differently. If you’re used to celebrating Valentine’s Day in February, Brazil might surprise you. Here, “Dia dos Namorados” is celebrated on June 12, and it’s just as romantic — maybe even more!

Why June 12? It’s the eve of Saint Anthony’s Day, a Catholic celebration honoring the saint known for blessing couples and marriages. Saint Anthony is often called the “matchmaker saint,” and many Brazilians turn to him for help in love. So, celebrating romance the night before? Perfect timing.

How Do Brazilians Celebrate?

In Brazil, “Dia dos Namorados” is all about passion, creativity, and connection. Couples usually exchange heartfelt messages, chocolates, flowers, and personalized gifts. Fancy dinners, weekend trips, or cozy nights with romantic playlists are all part of the tradition.

Unlike Valentine’s Day in the U.S., which can include friends, family, or even coworkers, June 12 in Brazil is strictly about romantic love. Whether you’ve been together for years or just started dating, it’s a day to make your feelings known.

But What Does This Have to Do with English?

More than you might think! Love is one of the most universal themes in language, and English is full of romantic expressions. Just think of how many love songs, movies, books, and poems are written in English. Learning how to express feelings like affection, heartbreak, admiration, and desire can make your English journey deeper and more personal.

Some helpful phrases to know include:

• I have a crush on you – Estou a fim de você

• To fall in love – Se apaixonar

• To be head over heels – Estar completamente apaixonado

• It’s not you, it’s me – Não é você, sou eu (sim, até o fim do relacionamento se aprende em inglês!)

• We have great chemistry – Temos muita sintonia

Love Songs That Help You Learn

On Valentine’s Day — Brazilian or international — is complete without a love song.

Music is one of the most powerful ways to express emotion, and it’s also a great tool to learn a new language. From classic ballads to pop anthems, love songs give you real, emotional vocabulary and natural sentence structures besides catchy rhythms that help with memory and pronunciation.

Here are some of the most famous love songs in English that can also help you boost your English:

🎶 “Perfect” – Ed Sheeran
Great for practicing adjectives and past tenses, and ideal to understand romantic imagery.

🎶 “Just the Way You Are” – Bruno Mars
Full of compliments and descriptive vocabulary. A great song to learn how to express admiration.

🎶 “I Will Always Love You” – Whitney Houston
Powerful and emotional, this classic helps you understand future tense (will) and how to express deep feelings.

🎶 “Can’t Help Falling in Love” – Elvis Presley
Slow, clear, and poetic. Perfect to practice modal verbs like “can’t help” and learn romantic expressions.

🎶 “My Heart Will Go On” – Celine Dion
Emotional vocabulary, figurative speech, and useful phrasal verbs — all in one epic song.

Listening to these songs can help you understand how English expresses affection, longing, heartbreak, and connection — all while improving your listening skills and pronunciation. So this week, make a playlist, sing along, and let English be the soundtrack to your love story.You can create a playlist, look up the lyrics, and even write down the phrases you recognize. Learning English through music is more than fun — it’s effective.

Learning English Is a Love Story Too

It might sound cheesy, but learning English is a lot like falling in love.

You start slowly, get curious, sometimes feel frustrated… but if you stay committed and keep showing up, you build something real. You connect, express yourself better and open doors to new ideas, people, and places.

And just like a great partner, English doesn’t need you to be perfect — just present, engaged, and willing to grow.

Whether you’re sending a love message, singing a romantic song, or just trying to express yourself better, English gives you the words to make it real. Learning a language isn’t just about grammar and vocabulary — it’s about connection. And what’s more human than love?

Become our student!

Neste Dia dos Namorados, descubra como o inglês pode fazer parte das suas conexões mais importantes, com o mundo, com outras pessoas e com você mesmo.

Na Apollo Academy, a gente transforma o aprendizado em algo leve, envolvente e cheio de significado. Fale com a gente e comece a aprender inglês com quem entende que comunicar é amar em outra língua.

What Romantic Song Matches Your Way of Loving?

Love is different for everyone. Some people love quietly. Others love with drama. Some give gifts. Others give time. Answer these fun questions and we will tell you which romantic song is your love anthem! 🎶💖

0%

How do you show love?

Cooking dinner and slow dancing

Giving compliments every day

Saying goodbye with tears

Holding hands in silence

Sending long love letters

What kind of date do you like?

Picnic under the stars

A cozy night watching TV

Saying goodbye at the airport

Classic dinner with candles

Cruise ship vacation

What do you say when you miss someone?

“Let’s meet and dance!”

“I miss your smile.”

“I’ll always love you, no matter what.”

“Even the silence feels empty.”

“I look at the moon and think of you.”

Love is…

Being perfect together

Loving someone just the way they are

Saying goodbye with love

Strong and calm

Painful but beautiful

What gift do you give your love?

A romantic homemade meal

A song you wrote for them

A box with goodbye notes

A classic poem

A framed photo from your trip

What’s your love language?

Quality time

Words of affirmation

Deep emotional talks

Long hugs and eye contact

Letters and memories

What’s your favorite romantic movie moment?

Dancing in the street

Singing love songs

Saying goodbye with tears

First kiss in the rain

Titanic on the ship

What would break your heart the most?

Feeling unloved for who you are

Loving someone you must let go

Never having real connection

Never seeing your love again

What Romantic Song Matches Your Way of Loving?

🎵 Perfect – Ed Sheeran

You are romantic and sweet. You like small perfect moments like dancing barefoot in the grass. You say “I found a love for me.” You show love with simple, honest words. Just like the song, your love is pure and real.

🎵 Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars

You are kind and always say nice things. You tell your partner they are perfect, even with small things. You believe people are beautiful without change. You are supportive and loving every day.

🎵 I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston

You love with your whole heart. Even when you part, your love remains. You feel strong emotions and care forever. You show love even in sadness.

🎵 Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley

You fall in love with ease. You go with your heart and feel calm in love. You say “take my hand” and trust love. You show love softly and truly.

🎵 My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion

You love deeply and never give up. You believe true love keeps going, no matter what. Your love is powerful and brave. You will always remember your love, even when it hurts.