Most aspiring language learners ask themselves this fundamental question at some point: How long does it take to learn Portuguese?
Building knowledge is very fulfilling and leads to expectations of improvement, so it’s only natural to wonder what kind of time commitment you’re looking at. However, the answer to this question is quite subjective!
For example, what’s your definition of “learning” in the first place?
No, we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel.
Everyone needs to master the same basic grammar concepts and learn the same essential vocabulary. There’s definitely a learning curve. But one of the biggest factors in how long it takes to learn Portuguese is the level of proficiency one wants to achieve.
For example, some people are only seeking enough Portuguese fluency to interact with locals while traveling. Others want to achieve full fluency so they can work or go to universities in a Portuguese-speaking country, which demands a whole different level of knowledge.
In this article, we’ll take a look at additional factors to consider, discuss what language skills and abilities are expected at each proficiency level, and give you advice on how to learn Portuguese faster using the best tools.
If you’re excited to start this learning journey, raise your hand!
This article will provide you with time estimates regarding how long it takes to reach each level of Portuguese, but these times can vary depending on numerous factors. Perhaps the number-one factor to consider is how similar one’s native language is to Portuguese.
The timeframes given in this article are for English speakers looking to learn Portuguese. Because Portuguese is a Romance language and English is a Germanic one, there are considerable differences between the two (despite their having some shared influence from other languages, such as French). That said, the United States’ Foreign Service Institute (FSI) ranks Portuguese as a Category I language—this means that it’s relatively easy for native English speakers to pick up, compared to other more “distant” languages.
As far as ease of learning goes, speakers of other Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, French, Romanian) will have the easiest time picking up the Portuguese language. Those who speak languages far outside the Romance language family (Thai, Japanese, Hungarian, Arabic, etc.) will have a more difficult time. English speakers tend to fall somewhere in the middle.
The skills we’ve mentioned for each level of learning are based upon the required knowledge for levels A, B, and C of the EPE certificate of Portugal’s Instituto Camões.
Beginner Level
Good resources can lead you to an A grade in the A-level test.
We all have to begin somewhere. For Portuguese learners, mastering levels A1 and A2 is the starting point.
In a nutshell, these are the skills needed for this level:
Understand everyday expressions and simple statements.
Formulate simple sentences and introduce yourself.
Know how to use the present tense.
Communicate in most basic everyday contexts.
The estimated time it takes to reach this point is between 80 and 100 hours of active study.
Study Tips
Not sure where to start? Here are a few tips on how to learn Portuguese for beginners.
Reading & Writing.
At this point, your reading skills should consist of being able to identify the key information of short texts on different topics. You should also be able to write down very basic sentences. You’ll need to build up a solid core vocabulary and become familiar with Portuguese syntax.
Here are some useful resources from PortuguesePod101.com you can use to improve your beginner-level reading and writing skills:
Make sure to peruse our wide array of themed vocabulary lists and make use of our spaced repetition flashcards (or make your own) to maximize your study efforts. If you opt to go the traditional route, you can place your flashcards on the objects they identify to help you better associate each word with its meaning in context. Either way, we recommend you study them for at least 15 minutes a day!
Speaking & Listening.
As for speaking and listening, you should be able to interact with native speakers using simple phrasal structures. You should also be able to understand simple daily communication and identify the key information in dialogues.
You can gain these basic skills by going through short listening exercises, practicing your pronunciation, and engaging in short conversations with native speakers (if possible).
Here are a few resources on PortuguesePod101.com we recommend:
Of course, there are plenty of other ways to learn Portuguese online. For example, there are some interesting flashcard apps such as AnkiDroid (for Android) and Anki (for PC).
As a beginner, you should also focus your efforts on reading. PortuguesePod101 has several lessons with transcripts you can go over, and you can also check out some Portuguese-language children’s books or magazines. The digital GoRead platform is an interesting source for Brazilian magazines, for instance.
Intermediate Level
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At the intermediate level (B1 and B2), students are able to identify primary and secondary information through both reading and listening.
In a nutshell, these are the skills needed for this level:
Participate in daily interactions.
Explain ideas, present opinions, and participate in arguments.
Know how to use different verb tenses.
Be familiar with different phrase patterns.
Recognize and use both the formal and informal register.
Express yourself creatively.
In essence, it’s time for some hard work—that pays off. So how long does it take to learn Portuguese up to the intermediate level? Around 350 to 400 hours of study.
Study Tips
As you approach and make your way through the intermediate level, there’s a lot of new ground to cover and the learning dynamics get more interesting. You’ll find yourself becoming more able to understand complex communication in various contexts. While there are no shortcuts in language learning, we do have some tips on how to learn Portuguese more easily at this stage.
Reading & Writing.
Of course, your reading and writing skills will benefit from additional vocabulary at this point. Continue studying your flashcards and make new ones, broaden your reading to more complex mediums (such as newspapers or short non-children’s books), and learn more about the Portuguese syntax and writing system.
Here are a few resources from PortuguesePod101 you may benefit from:
There are two things that will immensely help your speaking and listening comprehension at this stage: dialogue-based lessons and Portuguese-language media.
A good way to start is by watching Portuguese Netflix series, films, and YouTube channels with subtitles. Also, news podcasts are ideal for getting in touch with objective content and plain language, which is easier to understand. At the beginning of the intermediate level, you can focus on shorter podcasts with headlines and then move on to more complex ones.
Watching and listening to this type of media is also really important because it will help you start grasping cultural context and information. A good Portuguese course will already introduce you to some of this cultural information, but seeing it applied in character and in realistic situations outside the classroom is something completely different.
Studying abroad can be very helpful for the advanced learner.
You’re almost there. You’re almost fluent in Portuguese.
Advanced Portuguese fluency corresponds to levels C1 and C2, and this level of fluency is often required for those interested in working or studying abroad. Some people simply want to achieve total fluency for personal reasons or self-satisfaction!
In a nutshell, these are the skills needed for this level:
Interpret and write complex texts using advanced grammar knowledge.
Speak fluently in nearly all contexts.
Be capable of flexible communication.
Have a comprehensive vocabulary.
To achieve the advanced level, the student needs 850 to 900 hours of studying.
Study Tips
This is quite a time commitment, but we have some advice on how to learn Portuguese faster and more effectively.
Reading & Writing.
As an advanced listener, you’re expected to comprehend both explicit and implicit information in messages. You must be able to distinguish between factual information and expressions of opinions, feelings, or arguments.
In terms of writing, you should have enough knowledge of Portuguese grammar and syntax to develop coherent, complex texts on abstract, scientific, technical, and cultural themes.
At this stage, you may find our Level 5 Portuguese lesson pathway quite useful as you continue to develop and hone your reading and writing skills. You can also continue to expand your reading to include larger books, more detailed magazines or blogs, or anything else you find interesting.
Speaking & Listening.
Because your speaking and listening skills should be fairly solid by now, you should start conversing with native speakers as often as possible (if you aren’t already!).
One good way to do this is to visit online chats, forums, and language exchange programs that allow you to converse with native Portuguese speakers. You should also consider doing a student exchange program, which will give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture firsthand.
Culture and language deeply influence each other, so becoming familiar with Portuguese and Brazilian culture will work wonders for your speaking and listening abilities.
In this article, we answered the question: How long does it take an English speaker to learn Portuguese?
We also went into some detail about what’s expected of a learner at each proficiency level and gave you some useful tips on how to learn the Portuguese language effectively.
Remember: If your goal is to learn Portuguese fast online, you can’t lower the bar. As presented, learning Portuguese isn’t too difficult for English speakers—but constant learning efforts and motivation are still important, as they can fuel the process to promote lasting results.
These factors, when combined with your learning tools of choice, will determine how well and how quickly you can learn Portuguese.
PortuguesePod101 is an intuitive and well-structured website that delivers a range of Portuguese learning materials on many topics. Our grammar lessons, listening and reading comprehension exercises, and speaking/pronunciation practice tools are all organized and presented in bite-size chunks that help students learn Portuguese one step at a time.
We combine video, text, and audio in the right doses to stimulate every learner to achieve their goals. Get access now to digital flashcards, a word bank, personal one-on-one teaching, and much more.
How fast can you learn Portuguese? As fast as you try PortuguesePod101.
Before you go, we’re curious: How likely are you to start learning Portuguese after reading this article? And if you’ve been learning a while, how long did it take you to reach your current level?
When it comes to conducting business, knowing the everyday vocabulary might not be enough. There are plenty of situation-specific sentences, words, and greetings that you should become familiar with in order to create an amazing first impression and navigate professional relationships. So whether you’re keen on working in Brazil or you have a business trip lined up soon, it will be very helpful to master some Portuguese business phrases.
Fortunately, things won’t get overly complicated in this article! You don’t have to worry about learning complex ways of addressing people or memorizing huge lists of vocabulary that you’ll rarely use. We’ll focus on introducing handy vocabulary for different situations and helping you understand some of the most commonly used sentences in work or business contexts. From job interviews to work trips and interactions with colleagues, we’ll cover it all.
With this guide, you’ll be able to avoid many of the embarrassing situations that result from communication misunderstandings, and you’ll soon be comfortable dealing with all of the dynamic challenges that arise in your professional life. Ready to dive right in?
Let’s start with the step that comes before the actual work. Getting the job pretty much always requires a job interview, a situation that’s already quite stressful by nature. We hope that, with our list of useful Portuguese for business interviews, you’ll be able to relax on the language front and focus on showcasing your strengths!
First, let’s go over some useful words related to job interviews:
Entrevista de trabalho/emprego (“Job interview”)
Candidatura (“Application”)
Perguntas (“Questions”)
Respostas (“Answers”)
Trabalhar (“To work”)
Estudar (“To study”)
Formar / Graduar (“To graduate”)
Oportunidade (“Opportunity”)
Qualidades (“Qualities”)
Pontos fortes (“Strengths”)
Defeitos (“Faults”)
Pontos fracos (“Weaknesses”)
First of all, congratulations on getting an interview! Once you arrive at the place of the interview, the first thing you should do is greet the interviewer with a handshake and the customary greeting sentences in Portuguese.
Olá, bom dia. (“Hello, good morning.”)
Olá, boa tarde. (“Hello, good afternoon.”)
Olá, boa noite. (“Hello, good evening.”)
It’s also polite to ask how the other person is, in a more formal way.
Como está? / Como vai? (“How are you?”)
Next, introduce yourself. The interviewer will probably address you by your name in their greeting, but in case they don’t know how to address you, make sure to say it.
Muito prazer, meu nome é [nome]. (“Nice to meet you, my name is [name].”)
One of the first things that comes up in a job interview is your previous academic and professional experience. Here, you can talk about what you studied, when you graduated, where you’ve worked, and what kind of tasks you’ve performed!
Tenho um mestrado em Marketing. (“I have a Master’s degree in Marketing.”)
Trabalhei na empresa X por 2 anos, como coordenador de Recursos Humanos. (“I worked in the company X for two years, as a Human Resources coordinator.”)
Minha função era coordenar os funcionários. (“My role was coordinating the employees.”)
Also take the opportunity to showcase your strengths and accomplishments!
Minha maior qualidade é a dedicação à equipe. (“My biggest quality is dedication to the team.”)
No meu último trabalho, consegui resolver desafios na área de marketing. (“In my last job, I solved challenges in Marketing.”)
No meu último emprego, tive a oportunidade de aprender novas técnicas. (“In my last job, I had the opportunity to learn new techniques.”)
The interviewer may also ask you to talk about both your strong and weak points:
Quais são seus pontos fortes e seus pontos fracos? (“What are your strengths and weaknesses?”)
Meus pontos fortes são a organização e ambição. Meus pontos fracos são a teimosia e falta de experiência na área. (“My strengths are organization and ambition. My weaknesses are stubbornness and the lack of experience in the field.”)
If the interviewer is speaking too quickly, you can ask him or her to slow down or repeat the sentence.
Desculpe, não entendi. Pode falar mais devagar? (“I’m sorry, I didn’t understand. Could you speak slower?”)
Desculpe, não entendo. Pode falar de novo? (“I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Can you say it again?”)
Finally, once the interview is over, let them know you’re thankful for the opportunity!
Obrigada pela oportunidade! Aguardo seu contato. (“Thank you for the opportunity! Looking forward to hearing from you.”)
Note that, in the sentence above, obrigada is the feminine form.
Remember that job interviews are all about seeing if you and the company, as well as the job, are a match. It’s always a good idea to go in with a few questions of your own to ask, to see if you’d like working there.
Qual é a sua experiência na área? (“What’s your experience in the field?”)
2. Interacting with Coworkers
Now that you’re already in, it’s time to meet your colleagues and prepare for some amazing times together at work. Your coworkers will be of much help in getting you acquainted with the new responsibilities, and they’d definitely love to take you out for some drinks afterwards!
First, let’s take a look at the most useful Portuguese business words for dealing with coworkers.
In your first few days, there will be a lot of greetings and introductions. Just use the same self-introduction sentence from the job interview section. You can also add some information about the work you’ll be doing.
Olá, muito prazer. Meu nome é Luís, eu sou o novo funcionário de Finanças. (“Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Luís, I am the new Finances employee.”)
You might need to ask about the names or functions of your colleagues while you’re still getting acquainted.
Quem é aquela pessoa? (“Who is that person?”)
Qual é o nome do supervisor? (“What is our supervisor’s name?”)
Quem é o nosso gerente? (“Who is our manager?”)
Asking for help is a great way to accelerate your learning curve and help you form bonds with your colleagues! So don’t be shy about asking for some support.
Será que você pode me ajudar com isso? (“Would you be able to help me with this?”)
Você pode me mostrar como fazer a reserva? (“Could you show me how to make the reservation?”)
Você poderia me ensinar a finalizar o processo? (“Could you teach me how to finalize the process?”)
Inevitably, you will make mistakes on the job. That’s okay! Just nail these Portuguese business phrases that you can use to apologize.
Sinto muito! Fiz algo errado. (“I’m sorry! I did something wrong.”)
Me desculpa, confundi os arquivos. (“I’m sorry, I confused the files.”)
Sinto muito pela confusão! (“I’m sorry for the mix-up!”)
Also let your coworkers know that you appreciate all of their effort. This is an essential part of creating a good work environment!
Obrigada pela sua ajuda! (“Thank you for your help!”)
Obrigada is the feminine form.
Muito obrigado por ser tão prestativo. (“Thank you so much for being so helpful.”)
Obrigado is the masculine form.
Note /! In the sentences above, you can see that obrigada/obrigado can be followed by different words that mean the same thing, since they are variations of por (“for”).– Por (“For”) – Pelo = por + masculine article o – Pela = por + feminine article a
And, of course, enjoy a nice evening out with your colleagues! In Brazil, it’s common to go out for happy hour after work to share some beers and talk!
Vamos tomar uma cerveja? (“Let’s have a beer?”)
Vamos beber uma cerveja? (“Let’s drink a beer?”)
Hoje tem promoção de happy hour no bar. Vamos? (“There is a happy hour promotion at the bar today. Let’s go?”)
Vamos jantar todos juntos essa sexta-feira? (“Let’s have dinner together this Friday?”)
3. In a Meeting
We know you want to sound smart when attending a meeting in Brazil, once the time comes. Don’t worry! We’ll show you the Portuguese business phrases you need to do exactly that.
Some of the words you should become familiar with for meetings are:
Reunião (“Meeting”)
Apresentação (“Presentation”)
Relatório (“Report”)
Acordo (“Agreement” / “Compromise”)
Concordar (“To agree”)
Discordar (“To disagree”)
Parceria (“Partnership”)
Proposta(“Proposal”)
When it comes to setting the date for a meeting, you might encounter phrases like these:
Vamos marcar uma reunião na sexta-feira. (“Let’s have a meeting on Friday.”)
Podemos marcar uma reunião esta semana?(“Can we set up a meeting this week?”)
You can answer with a yes or no, and suggest a time for the meeting.
Sim. Estou disponível todos os dias.(“Yes. I am available every day.”)
Não, esta semana não estarei na cidade.(“No, I won’t be in town this week.”)
During the actual meeting, your colleagues will want to know your opinions and insight.
Eu acho que os números não estão corretos.(“I think the numbers are not correct.”)
Eu penso que essa estratégia vai funcionar.(“I think this strategy will work.”)
Eu acredito que todos estamos interessados nessa parceria.(“I believe that we are all interested in this partnership.”)
In addition, you’re likely to either agree or disagree with someone else’s opinion.
Estamos todos de acordo?(“Are we all in agreement?”)
Eu concordo com a Maria.(“I agree with Maria.”)
Eu discordo dessa análise.(“I disagree with this analysis.”)
Note that the structure you use will be different depending on whether you’re agreeing or disagreeing:
– When agreeing, the verb concordar (“to agree”) is followed by com (“with”). – When disagreeing, the verb discordar (“to disagree”) is followed by de (“of”).
Also notice that com (“with”) and de (“of”) might be followed by a definite article: a (feminine form) or o (masculine form). The use of the article will depend on the direct object or, in other words, the person or thing we agree or disagree with.
When de (“of”) is followed by the article, it becomes da (de + a) or do (de + o).
Here are a few examples to make it all a bit clearer:
Object (in this case, você) doesn’t require an article:
Eu concordo com você.
(“I agree with you.”)
Eu discordo de você. (“I disagree with you.”)
Object (in this case, professor) requires an article. The masculine word uses the article o:
Eu concordo com o professor. (“I agree with the professor.”) – male
Eu discordo do professor. (“I disagree with the professor.”) – male
Object (in this case, diretora) requires an article. The feminine word uses the article a:
Eu concordo com a diretora. (“I agree with the director.”) – female
Eu discordo da diretora. (“I disagree with the director.”) – female
In a meeting, it might also be necessary to negotiate a bit, talking about proposals, partnerships, and compromises. Here’s some practical Portuguese business language to help you make it through negotiations.
Acredito que podemos chegar a um acordo.(“I believe we can reach an agreement.”)
Queremos seguir em frente com essa parceria.(“We want to move forward with this partnership.”)
Essa é a nossa proposta final.(“This is our final proposal.”)
After the meeting, you may all agree that you need to report to your supervisor by delivering a report or sending him/her the presentation through email.
Posso enviar a apresentação por email. (“I can send the presentation by email.”)
Já enviei o relatório que você me pediu. (“I already sent the report you asked for.”)
Phone calls can be quite nerve-wracking, especially in a business setting and in another language. That’s why it’s important to be familiar with what you can expect to hear during a phone call. Emails tend to be a bit better, since you have time to read and re-read, search for unfamiliar words on Google, and correct any errors.
Words you can expect to hear during calls or see in emails include:
Alô (“Hello,” used in phone calls)
Mensagem (“Message”)
Mensagem de voz (“Voice message”)
Caixa postal (“Voicemail”)
Ocupado (“Busy”)
Ligação / Chamada (“Call”)
Caixa de entrada (“Inbox”)
Anexo (“Attachment”)
Documento (“Document “)
1 – Phone Calls
When starting a phone call, the first word you will say and hear is Alô (“Hello”). But you will also encounter different sentences, especially in business settings. Some people might say their first and last name, or the business’ name. You might even hear:
Pois não? (“May I help?” or “Yes?”)
Com que eu falo? (“Whom am I talking to?”)
Not being able to reach the person you want to talk to is very common. Maybe the line is busy, they don’t pick up, or there is a poor connection.
Não consegui falar com ele. Está ocupado. (“I could not talk to him. [The line] is busy.”)
Chama, chama e ninguém atende. (“Nobody is picking up.”)
Não consigo ouvir, a ligação está ruim. (“I can’t hear, the connection is bad.”)
Perhaps someone else picks up and you can leave a message.
Posso deixar uma mensagem? (“Can I leave a message?”)
Posso passar sua mensagem para ela. (“I can pass your message on to her.”)
Sometimes, you might dial the wrong number. In such cases, simply say:
Desculpe, foi engano. (“Sorry, it was a mistake.”)
Finally, when it’s time to wrap up the call, end it with one of these sentences:
Muito obrigado, tchau. (“Thank you very much, bye.”)
Obrigado is the masculine form.
Até logo. (“See you soon.”)
Ligo novamente mais tarde. (“I’ll call again later.”)
Ligo novamente amanhã. (“I’ll call again tomorrow.”)
2 – Emails
When writing an email or business letter in Portguese, things might change depending on the corporate culture. Some businesses are all about speed and prefer short, to-the-point messages. Others are more traditional and like a formal approach. Here, we’ll show you a semi-formal and widely used way to write an email.
First, you open the email by respectfully addressing the other person with words like:
Prezado/Prezada [nome] (“Dear [name]”) – masculine and feminine form
Caro/Cara [nome] (“Dear [name]”) – masculine and feminine form
A bit less formal, but still appropriate: Bom dia. / Boa tarde/ / Boa noite. (“Good morning.” / “Good afternoon.” / “Good evening.”)
In case your email has an attachment, you can say:
Envio o documento em anexo. (“I’m sending the document attached.”)
There’s a variety of semi-formal email endings to pick from. First, let the recipient know whether you’re expecting an answer.
Aguardo seu contato. (“Looking forward to hearing from you.”)
Aguardo sua resposta. (“Looking forward to your reply.”)
Then, say goodbye!
Atenciosamente, [nome] (“Sincerely, [name]”)
Cordialmente, [nome] (“Cordially, [name]”)
Antecipadamente grata/grato, [nome] (“Thanks in advance, [name]”) – feminine and masculine form
Send the best emails in Portuguese with our tips.
5. Business Trips
It’s traveling time! If you have a business trip coming up soon, there are a few handy Portuguese business phrases to help you navigate the journey.
Here are some important words to know:
Viagem (“Trip”)
Passagem (“Ticket”)
Reserva (“Reservation” / “Booking”)
Hotel (“Hotel”)
Itinerário (“Itinerary”)
Mapa (“Map”)
First things first. It’s possible that you’re the one left in charge of booking airplane tickets or making hotel reservations.
Gostaria de reservar dois quartos de hotel. (“I would like to book two hotel rooms.”)
Já comprei nossas passagens. (“I already bought our tickets.”)
Eu fiz a reserva. (“I’ve made the reservation.”)
If that’s the case, you also have to tell your colleagues what the plans and itineraries are.
Vamos viajar às 9h da manhã. (“We are going to travel at nine a.m.”)
O vôo é sexta-feira de tarde. (“The flight is Friday afternoon.”)
Chegamos na cidade às 10 horas, e a palestra começa às 11 horas. (“We arrive in the city at ten a.m., and the lecture starts at eleven a.m.”)
Vamos participar da conferência pela manhã e, depois, passear pela cidade. (“We will participate in the conference in the morning and then take a tour of the city.”)
Once you get to your destination, check in like a native Portuguese speaker!
Olá, bom dia. Temos uma reserva para cinco pessoas. (“Hello, good morning. We have a reservation for five people.”)
Before you wrap up your trip, don’t forget to thank your hosts for their hospitality.
Obrigada por nos receber. (“Thank you for having us.”) – feminine form
Obrigado pela hospitalidade. (“Thank you for your hospitality.”) – masculine form
Finally, people will probably ask you some questions about your trip once you’re back.
Como foi a viagem? (“How was the trip?”)
A viagem foi ótima! A conferência foi muito produtiva e a cidade é muito bonita. (“The trip was great! The conference was very productive and the city is very beautiful.”)
Tenho uma reserva para hoje. (“I have a reservation for today.”)
6. Continue Learning Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
Practice the sentences introduced in this article and continue improving your Portuguese. When the time comes, we’re sure you’ll be ready to do business in Portuguese at your new workplace! Impress your coworkers with your language skills—they might even give you some Portuguese speaking tips over a beer during happy hour!
Did you like this guide to Portuguese business phrases? Did we miss some important aspect that you wish we had covered? Let us know in the comments; we would sincerely love to hear from you.
If you want to take your learning experience further, members of PortuguesePod101.com get access to the largest language lesson library in the world, with thousands of real lessons by real teachers. Perfect for anyone who wants to learn from anywhere, feel motivated, and be ready to speak Portuguese with confidence.
Happy learning, and good luck with your business endeavors!
Learning a new language is all about interaction and discipline. Luckily, there are millions of video channels online in foreign languages to help immerse you in your target language—something that many language learning apps, for example, tend not to facilitate.
As you learn Portuguese, YouTube channels can be a wonderful supplement to your studies. But imagine how much work it would be to go through every channel, trying to figure out which ones are worthwhile. Beginners, in particular, would have difficulty distinguishing good content from bad content.
This is where PortuguesePod101 steps in.
We’ve compiled a master list of the top channels to learn Portuguese on YouTube. These channels fall into a variety of categories, from those with formal language lessons to more laidback cooking channels and vloggers. This way, you’ll definitely be able to find a channel that fits your interests and language learning needs!
Before we begin, let’s talk about the number-one destination for studying Portuguese on YouTube: the PortuguesePod101 YouTube channel. In our videos, we apply a structured teaching approach that’s captivating for the learner. Condensed tips, full-length lessons, fun facts, exercises… We combine some of the best features of each channel on our list in a practical and effective way.
Now, let’s take it step-by-step. Meet the top ten YouTube channels for improving your Portuguese.
Looking for European Portuguese YouTube channels? EuroPortuguese LA is a bona fide independent education channel focused on teaching Portuguese from the perspective of Portugal. This means that the grammar is adjusted to the subtleties of the European country’s version of the language.
The lessons are extremely short, presenting useful tips and structured content. You’ll also find that the European Portuguese readings are both short and interesting, often featuring lines of poetry.
There are resources for beginners, as well as a few lessons for intermediate learners who want to improve their Portuguese speaking skills. This channel is particularly useful for those who want to work on their pronunciation.
Tim is an American who lives in Brazil and hosts a lifestyle vlog in Portuguese. For many years, he has commented on various Brazilian themes and situations from a foreigner’s point of view.
For instance, it’s fun and interesting to watch him visit a typical market in Goiás or attend the Carnival of Bahia. A bonus for language learners is that his videos often feature local slang and interactions, which makes his vlog one of the most easygoing and educational YouTube channels to learn Portuguese.
Another interesting thing about his vlog is that he sometimes analyzes Brazilians speaking English and points out their train of thought and pronunciation—this might be an interesting “reverse engineering” exercise. Lately, he’s also been performing some stand-up comedy.
Arquivo Nacionalis Brazil’s National Archive. Its YouTube channel may be institutional, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring! In fact, this is one of the best Portuguese learning YouTube channels, showing a variety of mentalities and cultural points of view.
This channel is constantly updated with newsreels and archives of Brazilian music, arts, geography, and politics. Some examples of video topics in the archive include:
Presentations of Brazilian cities
Profiles of actors, actresses, and singers
Short documentaries
Art exhibitions
Military and political reports
Miscellaneous press and RP reports
The narration is normally clear, and the videos give privileged insight concerning some noticeable events of the twentieth century in Brazil.
Firstly, this channel is presented by a gaucho (from Rio Grande do Sul, that is) chef in Brazil, José Luiz de Souza. This is an interesting opportunity for foreign speakers to get in touch with this dialect from the South of Brazil. In addition to the accent, these videos feature very specific gaucho words and manners from that region.
This is a wonderful place to discover Portuguese recipes on YouTube, and many southern dishes (a mix of Italian, Argentinian, and Brazilian food). José also presents viewers with useful cooking tips, and many of his videos feature heavy machinery and exclusive equipment designed to help feed a lot of people.
Finally, the production of this channel is very nice. Some Portuguese YouTube channels have good content but are a little tough on the eyes. But this one was tailored for TV channels in Brazil and is now available on YouTube.
Rusty is a Brazilian language enthusiast and creates very interesting videos to help English speakers learn Portuguese.
This young teacher is a native speaker and utilizes a very resourceful teaching approach. She presents news, tricks, music, and more, in short but very effective lessons. Sometimes her YouTube Portuguese lessons are taught in English, and other times in Portuguese (she speaks slowly).
At the time of this writing, the channel has not been updated in a while. Fortunately, there are nearly eighty videos available for you to enjoy. Learn Brazilian Portuguese in baby steps with this sympathetic teacher.
This is the channel of a popular Brazilian TV show host and major celebrity. Portiolli has been a man of the media since he was young, working on various radio stations and becoming an elected member of the city council of Ponta Porã.
Then, he migrated to TV in the early 1990s and stayed there until 2017. Since 2016, he’s been developing a personal YouTube channel.
This channel is a mix of interesting and humorous, if odd, content. After all, watching a 6’1″ 52-year-old man bake a giant Toblerone in his kitchen brings up mixed feelings.
Still, the channel is packed with irreverent content (recipes, music parodies, personal vlogs), its host is charismatic, and the visual language is very swift and modern. It’s definitely a fun way to practice listening comprehension skills, especially for kids.
Pop culture is a very compelling niche for many users of the virtual world. And inside this niche, there’s the ever-expanding geek culture. This is one of our top Portuguese YouTube channel picks for people interested in geek culture, reading, and similar topics.
The hosts discuss books and authors in varying degrees of depth, making this channel best suited for intermediate and advanced learners. Since there’s a big focus on classic authors (especially sci-fi writers), there’s a lot of common ground to start threading into your Portuguese studies.
Also, the discussions and reviews on this channel cover both national and international books. This can offer you unique insight into the differences of theme and approach in works from different cultures.
This Portuguese news YouTube channel, hosted by Franscisco Venâncio, is constantly updated with videos covering the latest news concerning Angola and international politics, as well as national history. It’s a good opportunity to become acquainted with Angola’s version of Portuguese and its history.
Some of the most interesting historic videos from this channel are those that describe the founding of Angola’s capital Luanda, and the demographic formation of the country. Another fascinating video is one that describes the relationship of the African Kingdoms of Congo and Ndongo, and the development of slave trafficking to the Americas.
Olhar Angolano also presents Angolan news and opinion polls on matters of daily life. This content is interesting in that it creates a notion of the local customs and the prevalent questions that make headlines in the country.
The PortuguesePod101 YouTube channel is the perfect complement to our website. We offer the best Portuguese lessons on YouTube, with tons of useful features: listening and reading exercises, vocabulary learning lessons, videos on cultural topics, and much more!
In addition to our actual language and culture videos, we provide content describing how to make the most of your study time with practical tips. Our channel currently features hundreds of videos, and we’re constantly updating our channel and adding more. In fact, you can check our channel at literally any time and face a constant stream of lessons and tips.
Our approach of thorough exposition, in conjunction with our informal and methodical insights, is very effective for learners at every level. Tune in to learn the Portuguese language on YouTube in the most fun and effective way possible!
10. Conclusion
We hope that these top YouTube channels for learning Portuguese will fill any cultural or linguistic gaps in your studies and stimulate your appetite for knowledge.
Being able to listen to and watch the differences between European and Brazilian culture is a great way to understand other lifestyles and become more familiar with the language. Still, interaction is paramount when it comes to new languages. PortuguesePod101 provides the most interesting tools and interactive lessons for learners at various levels, from beginner to expert. Don’t let this golden opportunity slip through your hands!
Before you go, we’d love to hear what your favorite Portuguese YouTube channels are! We look forward to hearing from you in the comments.
Learning a new language is one of the best decisions a person can make. It widens one’s horizons, opens professional and social doors, and it even has health benefits! But we also know it comes with its challenges, so choosing the right language to learn is an important step. One of the questions you might be asking yourself right now is: “Is Portuguese hard to learn?”
The answer is…it depends. I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but bear with me! It will all make sense really soon.
One factor that can affect whether Portuguese is hard for you or not is what languages you already know. Portuguese is one of the Romance languages, so if you know another Romance language, you have a huge advantage!
Another important aspect is how motivated you are to learn the language. Just think about how much easier it is to spend hours doing an enjoyable activity versus something that feels like a chore. Lastly, each person responds differently to various learning strategies. If you use the right resources for you, learning Portuguese will be so easy.
In the end, as long as you have some strategies in place and motivation driving you to succeed, we can say with all confidence that learning Portuguese won’t be too hard!
Don’t believe us? Just take a look at how the U.S. Foreign Service classified Portuguese. They’ve labeled it as Category 1, meaning it’s one of the easiest languages to learn!
In this article, we’ll examine what factors might make the Portuguese language hard to learn and how to overcome those challenges. After all, it does have a few particularities and some annoying exceptions. But—and you can sigh with relief now—we’ll also see what the easiest things about the language are. And once we’ve covered the basics, we’ll talk about the best way to approach your Portuguese-learning journey, from where to start to how you can accelerate the process.
By the end of this guide, we’re sure you’ll be convinced that you can take on this amazing challenge and master Portuguese!
1. The Real Deal: The Hardest Things About Portuguese
Let’s rip off the Band-Aid quickly. What are the hardest parts about learning Portuguese? After all, we can’t deny that there are some challenges along the way, especially when you first start the process of learning this beautiful language.
But because the best part of language-learning is improving every day and seeing our capabilities constantly expanding, we’re also going to show you how to make those challenges manageable.
1 – Listening challenges: What are they saying?
About 280 million people speak Portuguese, and in Brazil alone, there are 207 million native Portuguese-speakers. Just imagine the variety of accents, local differences, and expressions you can encounter! Brazilian Portuguese is full of colloquialism and has an always-expanding vocabulary that includes slang and even internet-born sayings.
It’s no surprise, then, that when listening to Portuguese-speakers, you might become confused and overwhelmed. An accent can make a big difference, and if you’re used to one particular accent, you’ll need some time to adapt to other ways of speaking Portuguese.
So yes, listening to native speakers can be hard. But on the other hand, it’s the only way to really learn how real-life Portuguese is spoken! Besides, listening also helps to improve your speaking abilities.
There are a few tips you can follow to mitigate this difficulty. Even if you choose a particular Portuguese accent to learn, you should make the effort to listen to Portuguese-speakers from other regions from time to time. You can find YouTube videos, look for Brazilian movies and songs, or participate in a language exchange. If you hear any unfamiliar expressions, take note and look them up online.
Lastly, if you’re interacting with a native speaker, don’t be afraid of asking them to speak slowly. Brazilians love to help foreigners speak Portuguese, and they’ll be happy to explain anything that might be confusing you!
And remember, some things can be challenging even for Brazilians, so don’t worry too much about it.
For example, there are words that make sense to people from the North of Brazil, but might not mean anything to someone from the southeast or south of the country.
As long as you feel comfortable looking things up or asking questions, you’ll easily get over the difficulties!
2 – A fork, a knife: Word gender.
Oh, gender. This can be the source of many mistakes and confusion. But Portuguese-learners aren’t the only ones who have to suffer through this. French and Spanish, for example, also present this challenging aspect.
Basically, nouns in Portuguese have a grammatical gender, and this will affect the articles used with said nouns. For example:
A casa (“The house”) – feminine word
O carro (“The car”) – masculine word
Uma cadeira (“A chair”) – feminine word
Um avião (“An airplane”) – masculine word
Luckily, there’s a rule you can follow to know whether a word is feminine or masculine. Unfortunately, there are always exceptions. Obviously, you can’t memorize all of the feminine and masculine words in Portuguese. But as long as you try to follow the rule and are open to learning whenever you come across an exception, you’ll do very well.
So what is this rule we keep mentioning? Look for the letter at the end of the noun. If the word ends in -a, chances are it’s a feminine word. If it ends in -o, it’s likely a masculine word.
O gato(“The cat,” masculine)
A gata(“The cat,” feminine)
Um livro(“A book”) – masculine word
Uma escova(“A brush”) – feminine word
Similarly, if the word ends in -or, it’s probably masculine; -ora endings indicate feminine words:
O cantor(“The singer,” masculine)
A cantora(“The singer,” feminine)
O escultor(“The sculptor”)
A escultora(“The sculptress”)
Take a look at this list of the 50 most common nouns in Portuguese for more examples.
3 – All those sounds: Pronunciation.
Portuguese pronunciation is hard for English-speakers—and even for Spanish-speakers—to get the hang of. This is because Portuguese has some difficult sounds, like the infamous nasal sounds, which are present in common words like:
Não (“No”)
Mãe (“Mother”)
Manhã (“Morning”)
As you can see, the tilde (~) indicates the nasal sound.
Some other complicated sounds are the -lh and –nh combinations. They sound a bit different from anything in the English language, but not so different that you can’t approximate them using familiar sounds. For example:
This guide has even more details about Portuguese pronunciation and how to master it. It’s a great resource to begin with. Follow it up with lots of listening, and record yourself speaking in Portuguese; listening to yourself can really help you identify particular aspects you need to work on!
4 – Not quite sure: The subjunctive mode.
The subjunctive mode in Portuguese is used to convey doubt or uncertainty. It’s yet another one of those cases where even Brazilians make mistakes.
What you need to know about the subjunctive mode is that it indicates something that’s not entirely real. It might be an assumption about something, a hope, or a dream. There are three subjunctive tenses: present, past, and future. The verbs will be conjugated according to the tense being used. We won’t really dive into the subjunctive mode in this article, but we will give you a few tips.
First and foremost, take your time with it! It’s not one of the first things you should learn. Although it’s useful for communicating in cases of uncertainty, it’s not the most common grammatical aspect of Portuguese.
Secondly, learn the rules of the subjunctive mode—but instead of focusing too much on the theory, try to create your own sentences using it. If you have a native or advanced speaker to help you along the way, all the better!
And lastly, don’t worry if you make mistakes. As we said, the subjunctive mode can be intimidating even for Brazilians, and they’ll understand your struggles!
2. A Reason to Celebrate: The Easiest Things in Learning Portuguese
Rejoice! We’re done with the hardest parts of Portuguese, and now we can look at the easiest aspects of this language. You’ll see that, compared to other languages, Portuguese has some advantages!
1 – The fundamentals are easy.
There are some core structures you have to learn, but once you get the hang of those, you can begin communicating in most situations.
Portuguese word order is straightforward, and in fact, similar to that of English: Subject – Verb – Object. This makes Portuguese much easier to grasp than languages with different word order patterns! So, you’ll encounter sentences like:
Pedro dorme muito. (“Pedro sleeps a lot.”)
Nós perdemos nossos livros. (“We lost our books.”)
See how you can translate word-for-word? The sentence structure is straightforward most of the time, and similar to English.
The truth is, if you learn the structure for affirmative and negative statements and questions, you already know enough to start conversations in Portuguese!
2 – A big happy family: Romance languages.
Portuguese is one of the Romance languages (yay!). This is great, because if you already know how to speak Spanish, French, Italian, or even Romanian, you have a huge advantage. The shared roots of these languages will give you a head-start in your vocabulary and grammar knowledge!
It’s true that the similarities can, in some cases, generate confusion. But the advantages far surpass the disadvantages in this regard.
And even if you don’t speak any Romance languages, it still makes things easier for you. Considering how many people speak Romance languages, you’ve probably been in contact with at least one such language through the internet, movies, TV shows, and more. For example, chances are that you’ve heard more Spanish or French in your lifetime than Korean or Russian.
3 – No need to invert, Baby.
Step aside, English and French. We don’t need your complicated inversions to ask simple questions! In Portuguese, you don’t have to worry about inverting the subject and verb to ask questions like:
Você foi à festa? (“Did you go to the party?”)
In fact, all you have to do is use the same affirmative statement structure and add a question mark at the end.
We can also make direct questions by using question words. These are fairly straightforward too, requiring only a question word at the beginning of the sentence. For example:
Quando você vai viajar? (“When will you travel?”)
Super-simple!
4 – The Brazilian charm.
Lastly, we need to mention it: Most Brazilians are very supportive of foreigners learning their language. Strangers will be more than happy to help you, give you some tips to improve, and encourage you.
Even if you don’t have the opportunity to talk with native Portuguese-speakers on a daily basis, it’s still very easy to find a Brazilian online to chat! Data from 2019 shows that Brazil is the country with the fourth-largest number of Internet users! In other words, you’ll have an easy time finding someone willing to speak in Portuguese with you online.
This also means that there’s an abundance of resources for you to practice your listening and reading skills. Brazilians produce much content in the form of YouTube videos, podcasts, articles, and social media accounts for you to follow.
3. Getting Started with Portuguese
Now that we’ve shown you how hard Portuguese is to learn (and why it’s easier than you think!), we hope you’re excited to begin! To guarantee your success, we’ve put together the four main things you should focus on in the beginning.
1 – Build your vocabulary.
One of the reasons why starting a new language can be so frustrating is the lack of vocabulary. There are so many things we want to say and express! But even if we know the sentence structure, we can feel stuck if we don’t have the words to fill in the blanks.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to begin by learning the most common and helpful words—those you’ll use pretty much every day. Generally, these include verbs, nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, as well as some adverbs.
Jotting down important words in a notebook or a digital flashcard deck is very useful! Take a look at some vocabulary lists and start becoming familiar with the Portuguese vocabulary.
Remember when we mentioned that pronunciation can be a difficult aspect for Portuguese-learners? Although this is true, it only applies to a small fraction of Portuguese pronunciation. Most of the sounds in Portuguese are actually familiar to English-speakers!
Thankfully, words in Portuguese are spelled the way they’re pronounced. There’s a silent letter here and there, but they’re not very common! Therefore, as soon as you recognize how the syllables are pronounced, you can read Portuguese sentences out loud—even before you know what they mean!
As for the challenging parts of Portuguese pronunciation, the sooner you get familiar with them, the better. Start listening to how native speakers pronounce nasal sounds, and begin slowly practicing them yourself.
3 – Listen to native speakers.
Continuing the thread of the previous point, it’s never too early to start listening to Portuguese-speakers. Become familiar with the rhythm and intonation of the language, the different sounds, and the common sentences. You can do this by listening to music, finding amazing movies and TV shows, listening to podcasts during your commute, finding a buddy to practice with… Resources abound!
Why is this important? Well, not only will it offer you new and useful vocabulary, but it will also show you how Portuguese is spoken in real life. In some cases, you might learn the grammatically correct version of a sentence, but find out that native speakers use a different structure. You can only learn about these nuances through lots of listening!
It’s also an opportunity to find out about the different accents in Brazil, and in other Portuguese-speaking countries!
4 – Speak often.
Listening is great, and definitely super-helpful! But don’t stop there. Make an effort to speak Portuguese right from the beginning.
Yes, we know it might be intimidating, especially when you don’t have a solid vocabulary yet. But trust us, it’s okay. Put whatever you know into practice. You can speak and record yourself or, better yet, talk to native speakers. In the early stages, it’s especially helpful to have a tutor (like the one you’ll get with our MyTeacher feature) to help you overcome shyness or fear, and give you helpful feedback.
Remember, learning a new language is all about being able to communicate. Why would you learn Portuguese and not use it to talk to someone? At the same time, it’s totally acceptable to make mistakes when you’re learning, as the main goal is to get the message across and improve along the way!
4. Advice for the Road
Here are a few things to keep in mind to make it easier for you to learn Portuguese.
1 – Feedback is your friend.
Humans don’t really like being corrected all that much. As such, it’s only natural that we try to avoid making mistakes. If you’re a perfectionist, you might feel this even more strongly.
However, you have to remember that it’s impossible to learn without making mistakes. And if there’s someone who can point out those mistakes for you, it will really accelerate your learning process!
Whenever possible, try to frame feedback and corrections as a tool, an ally that allows you to increase the pace of your learning. With time, you’ll become more appreciative of them, and you’ll soon be glad for every opportunity to improve!
2 – Make it fun.
Tell us if you’ve ever had this experience:
You decide to focus on learning something: an instrument, a new drawing technique, a recipe, a complex math challenge… You start working on it and when you finally look at the clock, hours have gone by! “Where did the time go?” you think to yourself.
This is what happens when you’re in a state of flow, enjoying the process so much that you’re completely involved in it. Those moments of flow normally happen when we’re doing something we like, something challenging but engaging.
You can apply this concept to your Portuguese-learning, as well! Start by thinking about why you want to learn Portuguese. Whatever your reason is, make it part of your language-learning journey. Here are some examples.
Let’s say you want to learn Portuguese because you like the culture of a Portuguese-speaking country. As part of your listening practice, discover a new song every day and listen to it a couple of times.
Do you have friends or family from that country? Write a short message talking about your day or asking for news about their life in Portuguese, and send it their way!
Maybe you plan to live in a Portuguese-speaking country at some point. Take some time to watch a video about living there, learn about their celebrations and holidays, or visit the official websites for different cities.
By adding something that makes your heart flutter a little, the process will be much more fun. You can also include some Brazilian jokes, comedy sketches, funny expressions, and hilarious podcasts in your routine, if you’re looking to add some laughs and humor to your learning!
3 – Persistence and consistency are key.
Those two words might be the most important of them all if you’re just starting to learn Portuguese.
You will have ups and downs. At some points, you might lose your motivation, be short on time, or just want to give up. It’s totally understandable, and we all go through it.
However, to master any new skill, constant practice is essential. Even if there are days when you only practice one new word, keep going! Your motivation will eventually return, and you’ll be so happy you didn’t give up.
Remember: A little effort every day will take you a long way!
5. Why is PortuguesePod101 Great for Learning Portuguese?
By now, we hope you’re ready to embark on the exciting, challenging, and fun journey of learning this language. It’s not always going to be easy, but you’re going to love it. If you want an easy way to learn the Portuguese language, PortuguesePod101 might be exactly the ally you need!
1 – Freebies
Regardless of your current Portuguese knowledge, you can benefit from the free content available on PortuguesePod101.com. Every day, you can get a Daily Dose of Portuguese sent straight to your email inbox! As we mentioned before, consistency is an essential part of your language-learning journey, and daily contact with it is very helpful.
Our vocabulary lists are also a great tool, as they help you practice your pronunciation and listening skills. Learn key phrases and the most common words in Portuguese, all for free.
2 – Tailor-made lessons
With PortuguesePod101, you can find lessons that suit your specific needs and current abilities. Advance your learning journey with pathways and lessons that fit your preferences. Are you looking to accelerate your reading & writing skills? There’s a pathway for you. Perhaps you prefer using only video resources? You can filter your lessons and find exactly the type of activity that works best for you.
Most importantly, we offer lessons that include different skills, so you can approach Portuguese learning in a holistic way!
Whether you’re a beginner or are looking to get back into the groove of learning Portuguese, you can find useful resources on PortuguesePod101.com.
3 – Mobile app
Do you like to learn on the go? You can find PortuguesePod101’s app in the major app stores, like Google Play and the App Store, and on Kindle Fire.
This will allow you to take notes, track your progress, and continue learning from anywhere! Even if you need to be offline, you can still access your lessons thanks to the Download Manager integrated into the app.
4 – MyTeacher service
If you’re ready to take your Portuguese to the next level, you might want to consider the premium personal coaching offered through MyTeacher. This service connects you to a private Portuguese tutor who will help you advance more quickly. By offering personalized feedback, exercises that fit your current abilities, and opportunities to improve where you need to, MyTeacher is guaranteed to give you a push.
Put your listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills into practice with a native Portuguese tutor with this exclusive service!
6. Get Down to Business with PortuguesePod101
Hopefully, this guide has shown you how easy learning Portuguese can be, even though there are a few challenges along the way. Being motivated and consistent, and most importantly, having fun, are sure to make the process more enjoyable and manageable for you!
Learning Portuguese is an amazing decision, and we hope to help you do it. If you feel you’ve learned something new after reading this guide, tell us in the comments! Do you feel ready to start or get back to learning Portuguese now? Did we miss some important aspect you wish we had covered? We want to hear from you.
Be sure to check the free Portuguese resources available on PortuguesePod101.com. There are plenty of vocabulary lists to train your ears! Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities.
If you want to take your learning experience further, members of PortuguesePod101.com get access to the largest language lesson library in the world, with thousands of real lessons by real teachers offered through MyTeacher. Perfect for anyone who wants to learn from anywhere, feel motivated, and be ready to speak Portuguese with confidence.
Most people would agree that Portuguese is a complicated language. Add to this the sheer number of people speaking the language around the world, and making mistakes in Portuguese is actually pretty common! Even native speakers confuse certain grammar rules or use the wrong word when trying to show off their vocabulary. As you move along in your Portuguese-learning journey, you’re bound to make some errors yourself…and that’s part of the process!
Mistakes are actually an important part of improving your language skills, and they also provide an amazing opportunity to engage with native speakers and get feedback. Besides, the entire process of understanding why something is wrong and working to address it is a valuable skill you can use in other domains of your life! So see the mistakes for what they are: a completely normal and essential part of learning Portuguese.
This article will help you understand what some of the most common mistakes are and how to correct them. From pronunciation tips to grammar rules and vocabulary mishaps, we’ll cover every mistake in Portuguese you need to know and how to fix or avoid them!
Worried about Portuguese mistakes? Don’t sweat it!
1. Pronunciation Mistakes
Most sounds in Portuguese are familiar to English-speakers. That’s great news! But a few peculiar Portuguese sounds can be challenging to master, and therefore, pronunciation mistakes are quite common for foreigners. However, this kind of error in Portuguese is fairly easy to spot, so you should have no problems as you work to improve your pronunciation skills and get over these common mistakes.
1 – Nasal Sounds
Nasal sounds are all about…you guessed it, the nose. More specifically, the air released through the nose. If it sounds odd, just think about what happens when you hum: you naturally force the release of air through the nose, as you make the sound. That’s exactly what should happen when you pronounce a nasal sound, only now, your mouth should be open.
In Portuguese, you’ll encounter nasal sounds in certain situations:
When the ~ (til) is used: Ã and Õ. For example: maçã(“apple”), pão (“bread”), leões (“lions”)
When a vowel is followed by an M or N.
For example: mentira (“lie”), cantar (“to sing”), atum (“tuna”)
The best way to get the hang of nasal sounds is to do a lot of listening and speaking practice.
2 – Open and Closed Vowels
A single vowel can have both open and closed sounds in Portuguese. Sometimes, the accent mark used will clearly indicate how to pronounce it, although that’s not always the case.
Vowel
Example
Pronounce as in the word
A
Papa(“Pope”)
“Father”
E
Mel (“Honey”)Chapéu (“Hat”)
“Get”
Closed E
Você (“You”)Mesmo (“Same”)
“Way”
I
Ilha (“Island”)
“Penny“
O
Porta (“Door”)Órbita (“Orbit”)
“Got”
Closed O
Folha (“Leaf”)Robô(“Robot”)
“Most”
U
Luz (“Light”)
“Flu“
When you see the acute accent (´), like in the word chapéu (“hat”), expect to encounter an open vowel sound. On the other hand, the circumflex accent (^), like the one in você(“you”), indicates a closed vowel sound. In this case, the vowel should be pronounced with the lips slightly more closed.
Another thing to keep in mind when you encounter accents is that they indicate which syllable should be stressed or emphasized when pronouncing it.
3 – Intonation
Intonation is particularly important in differentiating between questions and statements. In Portuguese, it’s possible to use the same sentence structure to do both things, changing only the intonation.
If your question uses any of the question words—such as quem (“who”), quando (“when”), onde (“where”), and others—it’s easier to identify a question. Of course, intonation is still an important aspect even in those cases. But it really bears weight when you don’t use question words at all.
Luckily, the intonation you have to adopt is the same as in English: raise your voice at the end of the sentence to make it sound like a question. If you’re curious to learn all the details and nuances of Brazilian Portuguese intonation and sound very scholarly next time you discuss the topic, here’s an entire academic study about it!
Master Portuguese pronunciation and feel confident!
2. Vocabulary Word Mistakes
Another type of mistake Portuguese-learners and native speakers alike make relates to vocabulary. Sometimes, we’re just excited to use a new word and don’t really understand its nuanced meaning. Let’s see how to avoid some of the most common Portuguese vocabulary mistakes.
1 – False Friends
There are many Portuguese words that might look familiar to an English-speaker, and in some cases, those similar words have the same meaning. For example, família translates to “family,” universo means “universe,” and elefante is “elephant.”
Unfortunately, not every word that looks the same actually has the same meaning. That’s exactly the case with false friends. Those tricky words appear to be the same or very similar, but their meanings are different. Here are some common examples of false friends to keep in mind.
False friends
What you should say instead
Amassar = “to crush”
Acumular = “to amass”
Entender = “to understand”
Pretender = “to intend”
Pretender = “to intend”
Fingir = “to pretend”
Assumir = “to take over”
Presumir = “to assume”
Avisar = “to warn”
Aconselhar = “to advise”
Advertir = “to warn”
Anunciar = “to advertise”
Pular = “to jump”
Puxar = “to pull”
Puxar = “to pull”
Empurrar = “to push”
Suportar = “to withstand,” “to tolerate”
Apoiar = “to support”
Assistir = “to watch”
Ajudar = “to assist”
Enrolar = “to roll up”
Inscrever = “to enroll”
Recordar = “to remember,” “to recall”
Gravar = “to record”
Resumir = “to summarize”
Continuar = “to resume”
Noticiar = “to inform,” “to report”
Reparar, Perceber = “to notice”
Procurar = “to look for”
Obter, Adquirir = “to procure”
False friends continued
What you should say instead
Balcão = “counter”
Sacada = “balcony”
Taxa = “rate,” “fee”
Imposto = “tax”
Recipiente = “container”
Beneficiário = “recipient”
Atualmente = “currently”
Na realidade = “actually”
Costume = “habit”
Fantasia = “costume”
Educado = “polite”
Instruído = “educated”
Estrangeiro = “foreigner”
Estranho = “stranger”
Parentes = “relatives”
Pais = “parents”
Novela = “soap opera”
Romance = “novel”
Êxito = “success”
Saída = “exit”
Lanche = “snack”
Almoço = “lunch”
Legenda = “subtitles”
Lenda = “legend”
Injúria = “insult”
Ferimento = “injury”
Livraria = “bookshop”
Biblioteca = “library”
Esperto = “clever”
Especialista = “expert”
2 – Similar Portuguese Words
One letter or one extra space can make all the difference in meaning. Some pairs of words are prone to causing a lot of confusion, especially when writing. Check them out:
Mas = “but”
Mais = “more,” “plus”
Mal = “badly” – an adverb or noun
Mau = “bad,” “evil” – an adjective
Bem = “well” – antonym of mal
Bom = “good” – antonym of mau
Agente = “agent”
A gente = “us,” “we”
Besides the pairs listed above, there’s a group of similar words that gets people confused:
Por que = “why”
Por que não vamos no cinema hoje? (“Why are we not going to the movie theater today?”)
Porque = “because”
Porque seu pai está doente. (“Because your father is sick.”)
Por quê = “why” – at the end of the sentence or as a stand-alone sentence
Você desistiu, por quê? (“You gave up, why?”)
Por quê? (“Why?”)
Porquê = “the reason why”
O porquê eu não sei. (“The reason why, I don’t know.”)
And as a bonus, if you want to really impress your Portuguese-speaking friends, you can explain to them the difference between these expressions that sound exactly the same:
Acerca de = “about”
Há cerca de = “about this long ago” (state how long right after)
A cerca de = “the fence of” (yes, as in a physical property limit)
False friends and similar-looking words can cause a lot of confusion.
As a quick recap, remember that Portuguese follows the Subject + Verb + Object structure. That said, let’s jump right into the most common word order mistakes.
1 – Adjectives
Most of the time, the adjective comes after the noun it refers to. For example:
Eu gosto de vinho tinto. (“I like red wine.”)
Ela não come comidas picantes. (“She doesn’t eat spicy food.”)
If you inverted the word order in those examples, the sentences wouldn’t make sense. However, because Portuguese is never completely straightforward, there are some exceptions!
Sometimes, the adjective can come before the noun. Below are a couple of tips to help you know where the adjective should go.
When the adjective is adding an objective or direct attribute to the noun, place it afterwards:
Ganhei um presente grande. (“I got a big gift.”) – a large gift
When the adjective is adding a more subjective, connotative, or even poetic attribute to the noun, it can be placed beforehand:
Ganhei um grande presente. (“I got a great gift.”)
Unfortunately, this is not a rule that works every time.
Seu livro antigo (“Your old book”)
Seu antigo livro (“Your old book”)
As you can see above, both sentences work and the meaning does not change. With time and practice, knowing the position of the adjective will become more natural to you. But in case you have any doubts, opt to place it after the substantive!
2 – Position of Reflexive Pronouns
When we use certain verbs in Portuguese, it’s necessary to use reflexive pronouns. Because many Portuguese reflexive verbs are not reflexive in English, this causes some confusion. Thus, the improper placement of reflexive pronouns is an error Portuguese-learners make often!
In Brazil, you’ll usually hear people placing the reflexive pronoun before the verb. However, it’s also correct to place the pronoun after the verb, and this is very common in Portugal. Compare both forms below:
Eles se banharam. (“They bathed.”)
Eles banharam-se. (“They bathed.”)
We suggest that you learn and use the first form, as it’s simpler and will be widely understood. So, remember that the pronoun goes immediately before the verb.
Nós nos conhecemos na festa. (“We met each other at the party.”)
Eu não me arrumei. (“I didn’t get ready.”)
Eles se odiaram assim que se conheceram. (“They hated each other as soon as they met.”)
Um bolo amarelo (“A yellow cake”), not um amarelo bolo.
Oh, grammar. Not the coolest kid on the block, we have to admit. But by understanding and avoiding these common mistakes, your Portuguese will improve by leaps and bounds!
1 – Gender Agreement
Nouns in Portuguese can be masculine or feminine, even when it doesn’t really make sense—who says a knife is female? Regardless, this is how Portuguese grammar works. Keeping this gender factor in mind, the article that comes before the noun has to agree with the gender.
As a rule of thumb, most words that end in -a are feminine, and most words that end in -o are masculine. Take a look:
Feminine words
A mesa (“the table”)
A casa (“the house”)
A ideia (“the idea”)
Uma cama (“a bed”)
Uma escova (“a brush”)
Uma máquina (“a machine”)
Masculine words
O barco (“the boat”)
O pato (“the duck”)
O tronco (“the trunk”)
Um colchão (“a mattress”)
Um garfo (“a fork”)
Um livro (“a book”)
Of course, there are always exceptions in Portuguese. For example:
Dia (“day”) is masculine → O dia (“the day”)
Planeta (“planet”) is masculine → Um planeta (“a planet”)
If the words don’t end in -a or -o, it’s a matter of looking it up online and trying to remember as best as you can!
A colher (“the spoon”)
O mar (“the sea”)
A cruz (“the cross”)
O rapaz (“the guy,” “the boy”)
You might also come across words that have both genders or vary in gender depending on their meaning.
Mascote (“mascot”) may have either gender → A mascote (feminine); o mascote (masculine)
Rádio (“radio”) changes gender → A rádio (“the radio station,” feminine word); o rádio (device used to listen to radio stations, masculine word)
It might look a bit complicated at first, but don’t give up! With time, it will become easier and easier to master the gender of words in Portuguese.
2 – To Be or Not to Be: Ser vs. Estar
Unlike in English, in Portuguese, we have two verbs that mean “to be”: ser and estar. At first, it may be quite confusing for you, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll never make this mistake again!
Here’s the trick: Think of the difference between the two verbs in terms of permanence and impermanence.
You can be something permanently (or at least for a long time): a nationality or profession. In this case, use the verb ser.
Eu sou médico. (“I am a doctor.”)
Eu sou alta. (“I am tall.”)
Or you can be something for a short period of time (temporarily): you can be cold, you can be sunblind, or you can be in school. In this case, use the verb estar.
Você está bem? (“Are you alright?”)
Eu estou nervosa. (“I am nervous.”)
The verb estar is also commonly used as an auxiliary verb in continuous tenses, when you want to say that you “were doing” or “are doing” something.
Eu estou saindo agora. (“I am leaving now.”)
Você estava contando uma história. (“You were telling a story.”)
3 – Irregular Comparatives and Superlatives
When making comparisons in Portuguese, there are some rules you should follow:
More than → mais [adjective] que
Less than, fewer than → menos [adjective] que
However, some of the most common comparative adjectives are irregular. On the positive side, they’re not all that different from the irregular comparatives in English.
Bigger than → maior
Smaller than → menor
Better than → melhor que
Worse than → pior que
Now you know you should never say mais bom!
What about the superlatives? In some ways, handling these can be easier in Portuguese than in English. Instead of having different superlatives for each adjective, you can add one of the following expressions:
O mais [adjective] → O mais alto (“The tallest” – male)
A mais [adjective] → A mais alta (“The tallest”- female)
O menos [adjective] → O menos engraçado (“The least funny” – male)
A menos [adjective] → A menos engraçada (“The least funny” – female)
The exceptions are the same adjectives mentioned before:
The biggest → o maior
The smallest → o menor
The best → o melhor
The worst → o pior
Portuguese does have more superlatives than those listed above. However, they’re not frequently used in colloquial conversation, so for the scope of this article, we won’t discuss them.
Preciso de um sapato maior. (“I need a bigger shoe.”)
5. In the Real World
When covering common Portuguese mistakes, we also have to address some of the real-life situations you might face. Like every other language, Portuguese is constantly evolving and changing. As you travel around Brazil and meet native speakers from different parts of the country, you might notice that spoken Portuguese has many “incorrect” formations.
There’s a rich and complex discussion around this topic, with experts and researchers arguing that there’s no one right way to speak a language, and that there’s no one way that’s better than another.
Why is this important? Well, you might be puzzled when hearing some grammatically incorrect phrases from native Portuguese-speakers, and it’s important to recognize when they’re acceptable.
To highlight this point, take the case of using tu and você. Both words translate to “you” and both are second person singular pronouns. However, when using você, verbs are conjugated in the third person singular.
Você é alto. (“You are tall.”)
Tu és alto. (“You are tall.”)
The examples above are officially correct. But in some parts of Brazil, like the state of Rio Grande do Sul, tu is conjugated in the third person singular (like você). Although not dictionary-perfect, we can hardly say that they’re making a mistake. This is just an historical evolution in the spoken Portuguese of the region.
Depending on where in Brazil you want to go or which form (and accent) of Portuguese you prefer learning, you might end up discovering interesting variations of the spoken language.
6. The King of All Mistakes
We’ve covered all kinds of common Portuguese mistakes so far, from pronunciation to word order and grammar.
But you know what? The biggest mistake of them all is being afraid of making mistakes. Many studies have already shown that making mistakes is essential in improving one’s learning. So when the fear of making mistakes stops you from trying, experimenting, saying the wrong thing, or using the wrong word order…you’re actually robbing yourself of another learning opportunity.
Just think about it. When we make mistakes, our attention focuses on how to correct those errors. It also makes us want to understand why it was incorrect and focus our efforts on improving. On the other hand, when we’re right, there’s a sense of not having to be in our sharpest state of mind.
This is true in many different areas of our lives, but this is especially true when it comes to learning a new language. After all, we need to use different mechanisms in our brain, such as recalling things from memory and associating words and sounds with images in our mind. This requires practice—lots and lots of practice.
So if there’s one main takeaway from this article, let it be this: Go forth and make mistakes! Afterwards, try to understand those mistakes and work hard to overcome them…and then make other mistakes!
If this concept still makes you cringe a little, here are three handy tips to help you feel better and bounce back quicker when you make mistakes.
1. Welcome corrections. Whenever you get a chance to talk with other Portuguese-speakers, ask them to point out your mistakes. Since you’re asking for corrections, it will feel more comfortable.
2. Try to use the correct form after identifying a mistake, to solidify the correct form in your mind.
3. Talk openly about errors. By talking about your most common difficulties and mistakes with peers, you’ll encourage them to adopt a positive mindset about mistakes and feel better about your own.
Celebrate your mistakes! They’re an important part of your journey.
7. Learn More Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
We really hope this article helped you identify some common Portuguese mistakes you might be making. But even more importantly, we hope it has changed the way you think about making mistakes! Be proud of your errors—and the improvement that follows as you continue on your language-learning journey. Come back to this article whenever you need some encouragement or want to refresh your memory.
What did you think about the mistakes we covered today? Do you think we forgot an important aspect? Tell us in the comments!
To take your skills to the next level, continue exploring PortuguesePod101.com! There are lots of free Portuguese resources and vocabulary lists to prepare you for any situation. Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities.
If you want to take your learning experience further, members of PortuguesePod101.com get access to the largest language lesson library in the world, with thousands of real lessons by real teachers. Perfect for anyone who wants to learn from anywhere, feel motivated, and be ready to speak Portuguese with confidence.
Asking interesting questions is one of the secrets to a good conversation. Regardless of the language, questions are an essential tool in your conversation toolbox. They can help you learn basic information about the person you’ve just met or dive deep into what makes them unique! Pretty cool, huh?
That’s why knowing how to ask and answer a question in Portuguese will take you a long way toward mastering the language. By practicing the sentences and patterns you’ll see in this article, you’ll begin to feel comfortable during interactions with native speakers. Simply ask interesting questions every now and again, and see how smoothly your conversation will flow.
To help you navigate the world of questions in Portuguese, we’ll introduce you to the top ten questions you can ask, alongside the translation of each word used in the sentences. You’ll also see how to answer them, broken down by the pattern so you can create your own answers. And of course, there will be plenty of examples along the way, to make sure you really grasp the concepts. Ready?
Before we see how to ask questions in Portuguese, let’s take a quick look at the building blocks to do so: the question patterns and the Portuguese question words. By learning these elements, you’ll better understand the sentences in this article, and you’ll also be able to create your own questions in the future.
1 – Portuguese Question Words
These are the most common question words in Portuguese that you can use to form direct questions.
“What”
O que O quê (if it’s at the end of the sentence)
O que você quer comer? (“What do you want to eat?”) Você quer comer o quê? (“What do you want to eat?”)
“Why”
Por que Por quê (if it’s at the end of the sentence)
Por que vamos sair? (“Why are we leaving?”) Vamos sair por quê? (“Why are we leaving?”)
“Where”
Onde (used if the subject is not moving) Aonde (used if the subject is moving)
Onde está meu remédio? (“Where is my medicine?”) Aonde você vai? (“Where are you going?”)
“When”
Quando
Quando é a festa? (“When is the party?”)
“Who”
Quem
Quem era aquele homem? (“Who was that man?”)
“How”
Como
Como elas chegaram aqui? (“How did they get here?”)
“Which”
Qual Quais (plural)
Qual é o seu sabor de sorvete favorito? (“What is your favorite ice cream flavor?”) Quais são os seus livros? (“Which ones are your books?”)
Quanto custa esse livro? (“How much does this book cost?”) Quanta água você tem? (“How much water do you have?”) Quantos bebês nasceram hoje? (“How many babies were born today?”) Quantas pessoas vieram? (“How many people came?”)
“Whose”
De quem
De quem é esse carro? (“Whose car is this?”)
2 – Portuguese Question Patterns
There are two main patterns for asking questions in Portuguese that you need to be familiar with.
Question word + subject + verb + complement
Using this pattern, you can ask a huge variety of questions. It follows the same word order as a declarative sentence does. The difference is that you add a question word to the beginning and a question mark at the end. Most of the sample Portuguese questions we saw in the previous table feature this sentence pattern.
Examples:
Quando vocês chegam? (“When do you arrive?”) – plural
Onde posso deixar minha mala? (“Where can I leave my luggage?”)
In some cases, you can also see the question word at the end of the sentence, instead of at the beginning. For example:
A festa é quando? (“The party is when?”)
Subject + verb + complement
This sentence pattern is basically a statement followed by a question mark. Intonation is an essential aspect of asking questions with this pattern, since it’s the only thing differentiating it from a declarative statement.
The intonation is fairly similar to the one used to ask questions in English. Simply raise your voice slightly at the end of the sentence.
Examples:
Você vai sair hoje? (“Are you going out today?”)
Podemos começar? (“May we begin?”)
Regardless of the question pattern, keep in mind that, sometimes, the subject is implicit. This happens fairly often in Portuguese, and you might see question examples in which the subject doesn’t appear. In cases like this, the subject can be inferred by looking at the verb. Take this sentence, for example:
Vamos sair agora? (“Are we leaving now?”)
The subject in this sentence is nós (“we”), as the conjugation of the verb indicates. You can opt to include the word nós in the sentence or leave it out.
Vamos estudar? (“Let’s study?”)
2. The Top 10 Portuguese Questions and Answers to Learn
From the more basic Portuguese questions you can ask during a first meeting to questions that can take the conversation to the next level, you’ll see it all in this article. Pay attention to how the answers normally use elements from the questions—this can help you get your bearings when you’re asked a brand-new question!
1 – What’s your name?
This is probably the first question you’ll hear or ask a Portuguese-speaker. Take your time to learn this question by heart.
Question
Qual é o seu nome?
Qual
é
o seu
nome?
What (in this case, qual translates to “what,” and not “which”)
is
your
name?
Como você se chama?
Como
você
se chama?
How
do you
call yourself?
Answer
Meu nome é [nome].
Meu
nome
é
[nome].
My
name
is
[name].
You can use this same structure to answer what your nickname or family name is.
Meu apelido é [apelido]. (“My nickname is [nickname].”)
Meu sobrenome é [sobrenome]. (“My family name is [family name].”)
Eu me chamo [nome].
Eu
me chamo
[nome].
I
call myself
[name].
Putting it all together
Q: Qual é o seu nome? (“What is your name?”)
A: Meu nome é Maria. (“My name is Maria.”)
Q: Como você se chama? (“What are you called?”)
A: Eu me chamo Gustavo. (“I’m called Gustavo.”)
2 – Where are you from?
Here’s another great icebreaker question for getting to know people!
Question
De onde você é?
De
onde
você
é?
From
where
you
are?
De onde você vem?
De
onde
você
vem?
From
where
you
come?
Answer
Eu sou de [local].
Eu
sou
de
[local].
I
am
from
[place].
Eu venho de [local].
Eu
venho
de
[local].
I
come
from
[place].
Note that, in both cases, the preposition de (“of” / “from”) should agree with the following word in gender and number. Check it out:
Eu sou de Portugal. (“I am from Portugal.”)
Eu venho da África do Sul. (“I come from South Africa.”)
Eu sou dos Estados Unidos. (“I am from the United States.”)
A: Eu sou do Rio de Janeiro. (“I’m from Rio de Janeiro.”)
Q: De onde você vem? (“Where do you come from?”)
A: Eu venho da Índia. (“I come from India.”)
3 – Do you speak Portuguese?
People in Brazil will likely be very curious to know more about your Portuguese-learning experience. Expect to hear some questions about it!
Question
Você fala [idioma]?
Você
fala
[idioma]?
You
speak
Portuguese?
You can also add more details to your question at the end of the sentence. For example:
Você fala inglês fluentemente? (“Do you speak English fluently?”)
Você fala francês há muito tempo? (“Have you spoken French long?”)
Answer
Eu falo [idioma].
Eu
falo
[idioma].
I
speak
Portuguese.
You can begin the sentence with sim (“yes”) or não (“no”), and then complete your answer with the pattern above.
Sim, eu falo Português. (“Yes, I speak Portuguese.”)
Não, eu não falo Espanhol. (“No, I don’t speak Spanish.”)
And, just like before, you can add more details to your answer using adverbs and adjectives.
Eu falo um pouco de Português. (“I speak a bit of Portuguese.”)
Eu falo Espanhol muito bem. (“I speak Spanish very well.”)
Putting it all together
Q: Você fala Italiano? (“Do you speak Italian?”)
A: Sim, eu falo Italiano. (“Yes, I speak Italian.”)
Q: Ela fala português? (“Does she speak Portuguese?”)
A: Não, ela não fala português. (“No, she doesn’t speak Portuguese.”)
Você fala todas essas línguas? (“Do you speak all of those languages?”)
4 – How long have you been studying Portuguese?
After successfully explaining what languages you speak, it’s time to show off your skills. After all, it takes a while to master a new language, and you deserve to brag a little!
Question
Você estuda [idioma] há quanto tempo?
Você
estuda
[idioma]
há
quanto tempo?
You
study
Portuguese
have been
how long?
The translation you see above might confuse you a bit, so let’s unpack it. When we use the verb haver (“to have”) with another verb in the present tense (like estuda), it describes an action that started in the past and continues in the present.
The verb haver can be substituted by the verb fazer (“to make”), which in this case, will have the same meaning as haver:
Você estuda [idioma] faz quanto tempo?
It’s also common to see this question pattern inverted:
Há quanto tempo que você estuda [idioma]?
Faz quanto tempo que você estuda [idioma]?
Answer
You can answer this Portuguese question in a more complete way by repeating part of the question, or in a more direct way, just using the verb and the amount of time.
Eu estudo [idioma] faz / há [tempo].
Eu
estudo
[idioma]
faz / há
[tempo].
I
study
Portuguese
for
[time].
Faz / há [tempo].
Faz / há
[tempo].
For
[time].
Note that, regardless of the number of years or months you answer with, the verb is always in the singular form. That happens because, when referring to actions that started in the past and continue in the present, the verb doesn’t vary in number.
Faz um ano. (“For one year.”)
Eu estudo inglês faz dez anos. (“I have been studying English for ten years.”)
Eu estudo japonês há um ano. (“I have been studying Japanese for one year.”)
Há dez anos. (“For ten years.”)
Putting it all together
Q: Você estuda coreano faz quanto tempo? (“How long have you been studying Korean?”)
A: Faz três anos. (“For three years.”)
Q: Você estuda português faz quanto tempo? (“How long have you been studying Portuguese?”)
A: Eu estudo português há dois meses. (“I have been studying Portuguese for two months.”)
5 – Have you been to [place]?
Traveling is always an interesting topic for conversation, and some of the most common Portuguese questions for foreigners are related to this topic.
Question
Você já foi para [lugar]?
Você
já
foi
para
[lugar]?
You
already
have been
to
[place]?
After the preposition para (“to”), it might be necessary to add articles that agree with the gender and number of the place.
Você já foi para São Paulo? (“Have you been to São Paulo?”)
Você já foi para o Rio de Janeiro? (“Have you been to Rio de Janeiro?”)
Você já foi para a China? (“Have you been to China?”)
Você já foi para os Países Baixos? (“Have you been to the Netherlands?”)
Answer
This question can be answered with a simple sim (“yes”) or não (“no”). However, to really make it count, you can add information about how many times you’ve been or when you went there. You can add this information at the end of the sentence.
Sim / Não,
eu
(não) fui
[complemento].
Yes / No,
I
have (not) been
[complement].
Sim, eu fui uma vez. (“Yes, I’ve been once.”)
Não, eu nunca fui. (“No, I’ve never been.”)
Sim, eu fui lá ano passado. (“Yes, I went there last year.”)
Putting it all together
Q: Você já foi para Roma? (“Have you already been to Rome?”)
A: Sim, eu fui para Roma várias vezes. (“Yes, I’ve been to Rome several times.”)
Q: Ele já foi para o nordeste? (“Has he already been to the northeast [of Brazil]?”)
Você já foi para Paris? Sim, já fui! (“Have you been to Paris? Yes, I’ve been!”)
6 – Do you like [country’s] food?
You can’t talk about traveling without bringing up all of the delicious local cuisine! And you can bet that Brazilians will ask you about your thoughts on Brazilian food.
Question
Você gosta da comida de [país]?
Você
gosta da
comida
de
[país]?
Do you
like
food
of
Brazil?
Once again, the preposition de (“of”) has to agree with the country or place.
Você gosta da comida do Brasil? (“Do you like Brazil’s food?”)
Você gosta da comida da França? (“Do you like France’s food?”)
Instead of using “de + country,” you can also use the adjective that refers to that country. For example:
Você gosta da comida brasileira? (“Do you like Brazilian food?”)
Você gosta da comida francesa? (“Do you like French food?”)
If you want to make the question more specific, you can add adjectives after the word comida (“food”):
Ela gosta da comida tradicional japonesa? (“Do you like traditional Japanese food?”)
Você gosta da comida vegetariana da Índia? (“Do you like vegetarian Indian food?”)
Answer
The answer pattern here is very similar to the one we saw for the previous question. You can start with sim (“yes”) or não (“no”), and then add more information to make your answer complete.
Sim / Não,
eu
(não) gosto
[complemento].
Yes / No,
I
(don’t) like
[complement].
Sim, eu gosto. (“Yes, I like it.”)
Sim, eu gosto da comida peruana. (“Yes, I like Peruvian food.”)
Não, eu não gosto muito. (“No, I don’t like it very much.”)
Não, eu não gosto da comida daqui. (“No, I don’t like the food from here.”)
To emphasize how much you like (or don’t like) the local food, you can use stronger verbs than gostar (“to like”).
Sim, eu adoro. (“Yes, I adore it.”)
Sim, eu amo a comida da Colômbia. (“Yes, I love Colombian food.”)
Não, eu odeio a comida alemã. (“No, I hate German food.”)
Putting it all together
Q: Você gosta da comida da Tailândia? (“Do you like Thailand’s food?”)
A: Sim, eu gosto da comida tailandesa. (“Yes, I like Thai food.”)
Q: Você gosta da comida do Chile? (“Do you like Chile’s food?”)
A: Não, eu odeio. (“No, I hate it.”)
7 – How is ___?
This is a versatile question pattern for you to learn. Let’s say you just made a delicious batch of cookies and offered some to your brand-new acquaintances. Now, you want to know what they think about them. What do you say?
Another scenario: You’re going to visit a friend in another city, but before packing, you want to know what the weather is like there. How can you ask?
In both cases, the question is about how something is at the moment. For this reason, you should use the temporary form of the verb “to be” in Portuguese: estar.
Como está o / a [complemento]?
Como
está
o / a
[complemento]?
How
is
the
[complement]?
Use this question pattern to ask how a singular thing or event is. The articles will change depending on the gender of the thing or event. Take a look at the examples:
Como está o bolo? (“How is the cake?”)
Como está a comida? (“How is the food?”)
Como está o clima aí? (“How is the weather there?”)
Como está a festa? (“How is the party?”)
Como estão os / as [complemento]?
Como
estão
os / as
[complemento]?
How
are
the
[complement]?
Use this second pattern to talk about plural things or events. Once again, make sure the article agrees with the thing or event.
Como estão os biscoitos? (“How are the cookies?”)
Como estão as férias? (“How is the vacation?”)
But what about asking a question about the essence or a permanent characteristic of something? In this case, you should use the permanent “to be” verb, which is ser.
Como é o/a [complemento]?
Como
é
o / a
[complemento]?
How
is
the
[complement]?
Como é a casa nova? (“How is the new house?”)
Como é a sua vizinha/ o seu vizinho? (“How is your neighbor?”)
Como é o gato? (“How is the cat?”)
Como são os/as [complemento]?
Como
são
os / as
[complemento]?
How
are
the
[complement]?
Como são as pessoas da cidade? (“How are the people of the city?”)
Como são os móveis novos? (“How is the new furniture?”)
If you need to refresh your memory, check the conjugation for the verbs serand estar.
Answer
It’s fairly simple to answer these types of questions. Use the same verb that was used in the question (paying attention to the conjugation), and add the adjectives and/or adverbs you want. To make it more complete, you could also add the subject before the verb.
Sujeito
verbo
complemento.
Subject
verb
complement.
Está boa. (“It’s good.”)
A comida está boa. (“The food is good.”)
Estão gostosos. (“They’re tasty.”)
Os biscoitos estão gostosos. (“The cookies are tasty.”)
É fofo. (“It’s cute.”)
O gato é fofo. (“The cat is cute.”)
São simpáticas. (“They’re friendly.”)
As pessoas são simpáticas. (“The people are friendly.”)
Putting it all together
Q: Como está o namoro? (“How is the relationship?”)
A: Está muito bem, obrigado! (“It is very well, thank you!”)
Q: Como são os novos colegas? (“How are the new colleagues?”)
A: São muito simpáticos. (“They’re very friendly.”)
Q: Como está a sopa? (“How is the soup?”)
A: A sopa está muito salgada. (“The soup is very salty.”)
By adding more information at the end of the sentence, you can ask more-specific questions.
O que você está fazendo agora? (“What are you doing now?”)
O que você está fazendo hoje? (“What are you doing today?”)
O que você está fazendo sozinho aqui? (“What are you doing alone here?”)
O que você está fazendo na sala? (“What are you doing in the living room?”)
In Portuguese, you can use this exact pattern to ask what someone is making in the kitchen:
O que você está fazendo para o almoço? (“What are you making for lunch?”)
O que você está fazendo no forno? (“What are you making in the oven?”)
You don’t need to be stuck with the verb fazer (“to do” / “to make”). By using other verbs in the gerund form, you open up many more possibilities:
O que você está assistindo? (“What are you watching?”)
O que você está cortando? (“What are you cutting?”)
O que você está ouvindo? (“What are you listening to?”)
O que você está assando? (“What are you baking?”)
Answer
To answer, you’ll need to describe the action you’re doing in the gerund form.
Eu
estou
[verbo no gerúndio]
[complemento].
I
am
[verb in gerund form]
[complement].
Eu estou lendo um livro. (“I am reading a book.”)
Eu estou limpando o quarto. (“I am cleaning the room.”)
Eu estou assando um bolo. (“I am baking a cake.”)
Eu estou tomando banho. (“I am taking a shower.”)
Eu estou correndo. (“I am running.”)
Putting it all together
Q: O que você está fazendo? (“What are you doing?”)
A: Estou arrumando a garagem. (“I am organizing the garage.”)
Q: O que você está fazendo no quarto? (“What are you doing in the bedroom?”)
A: Estou estudando. (“I am studying.”)
Q: O que vocês estão fazendo? (“What are you doing?”) – plural
A: Estamos assistindo um filme. (“We are watching a movie.”)
Estamos assistindo futebol. (“We are watching soccer.”)
9 – Are you all right?
This is certainly an essential question in our daily interactions with friends, colleagues, loved ones, and relatives!
Você está bem?
Você
está
bem?
You
are
alright?
If you want to ask this question about somebody else, it’s easy: simply use the name or the pronoun instead of você (“you”).
Ela está bem? (“Is she alright?”)
Luís está bem? (“Is Luís alright?”)
You may also hear a simple: Tudo bem? (“Alright?”).It means the same thing!
Alternatively, there’s another question you can ask to discover how a person is. The pattern might look familiar to you.
Como você está?
Como
você
está?
How
you
are?
Once again, you can ask the same question using other subjects:
Como ele está? (“How is he?”)
Answer
Eu
estou
[complemento].
I
am
[complement].
It’s common to see these sentences without the subject, as well.
Estou bem. (“I’m alright.”)
Eu estou muito bem. (“I am very well.”)
Ela está bem. (“She is alright.”)
Eu estou triste. (“I am sad.”)
Eu estou meio doente. (“I’m a bit sick.”)
If the question was Você está bem? (“Are you alright?”), you can also add sim (“yes”) or não (“no”) before the rest of the sentence.
Sim, estou bem. (“Yes, I am well.”)
Não, eu estou mal. (“No, I’m not well.”)
Putting it all together
Q: Você está bem? (“Are you alright?”)
A: Sim, eu estou muito bem! (“Yes, I am very well!”)
Q: Tudo bem? (“Alright?”)
A: Não, não estou muito bem. (“No, I’m not very well.”)
Q: Como você está? (“How are you?”)
A: Estou preocupada. (“I’m worried.”)
10 – How much is it?
When shopping, eating out, or hiring a service, this is a must-ask question.
Question
Quanto custa?
Quanto
custa?
How much
does it cost?
Quanto é?
Quanto
é?
How much
is it?
These are very simple Portuguese questions for asking how much something costs. If you’re holding an item and showing it as you ask, it’s clear enough what you’re referring to. But if you need to make it more specific, add the name of the product or service at the end of the sentence.
Quanto custa esse livro? (“How much does this book cost?”)
Quanto é a massagem? (“How much is the massage?”)
Quanto custa a fatia de bolo? (“How much does the slice of cake cost?”)
Quanto é esse anel? (“How much is this ring?”)
Answer
To answer, you can simply state the value, or start the sentence with one of the verbs used in the question:
Custa / é
[valor].
It costs / it is
[value].
Remember that, in Brazil, the currency is the Real(R$). So when you’re talking about monetary values, you have to use the word reais and centavos (“cents”).
Custa cinco reais e cinquenta centavos. (“It costs R$5,50.”)
É vinte reais. (“It’s R$20,00.”)
Custa um real. (“It costs R$1,00.”)
Putting it all together
Q: Quanto custa o quadro? (“How much does the painting cost?”)
A: Custa 150 reais. (“It costs R$150,00.”)
Q: Quanto é a mensalidade da academia? (“How much is the gym monthly fee?”)
A: É 80 reais. (“It’s R$80,00.”)
Quanto custa esse iogurte? (“How much is this yogurt?”)
This was a long lesson, but hopefully it gave you everything you need to know about asking Portuguese questions. Before you know it, you’ll be spouting them left and right! So take your chances and satisfy your curiosity by putting these questions into practice. Remember, they can be of great help when you’re feeling stuck in a conversation.
Did you like the way the questions and answers were presented? Did we leave out any questions you were hoping to see? Tell us what you think in the comments below! And feel free to come back to this article whenever you feel like it.
Now is the time to continue on your language-learning journey! There are more free Portuguese resources and a variety of vocabulary lists available on PortuguesePod101.com. Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities.
If you want to take your learning experience further, members of PortuguesePod101.com get access to the largest language lesson library in the world, with thousands of real lessons by real teachers. Perfect for anyone who wants to learn from anywhere, feel motivated, and be ready to speak Portuguese with confidence.
Have you ever heard about Celpe-Bras? The name isn’t very clear, I know. But if you’re serious about your Portuguese learning, it’s good to be familiar with it! After all, Celpe-Bras is the official Brazilian Portuguese proficiency test, and the one exam you need to take if you have plans to study or work in Brazil.
Don’t be scared by words like “test” and “exam,” though! We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about this Portuguese test for foreigners, answering the most important questions. In this article, we’ll take a look at how the test is organized, how it measures one’s proficiency in Portuguese, how to register, and how to best prepare for it.
Even if you’ve never heard about Celpe-Bras before today, you’ll know everything about it by the end of this article. If you’ve already decided you’re going to take the exam, this article will be helpful for your preparation so you can achieve the results you want. Sound good? Let’s dive right in!
Celpe-Bras stands for Certificado de Proficiência em Língua Portuguesa para Estrangeiros (“Certificate of Portuguese Language Proficiency for Foreigners”). It’s the official certificate of proficiency in Brazilian Portuguese as a second language, and the only one recognized and issued by the Brazilian Ministry of Education. It’s also recognized internationally!
Officially, the Celpe-Bras certification is valid for life, although different institutions might specify how long ago the test should have been taken.
The four levels of proficiency indicated by the test are:
Intermediate
Upper-intermediate
Advanced
Highly advanced
There isn’t a different test for each level, which means that every candidate takes the same test and their Celpe-Bras results indicate their proficiency level.
Celpe-Bras is divided into two parts: a written section and an oral section. In total, the test takes 3 hours and 20 minutes to complete. During the exam, your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills will be evaluated. We’ll take an in-depth look at how exactly each section is organized later on.
A- Why Take the Test?
You might be wondering why taking the Portuguese proficiency test is important. Well, if you’re considering any of the following scenarios, the test might be for you:
Planning to enroll in a Brazilian university
Looking for a job in Brazil
Need to register in professional bodies, like the Medical Board
Need to otherwise prove your ability to communicate in Portuguese
Taking the test is an investment of time and money, so make sure it’s the right option for you, depending on your situation. If you’re only looking to find out your proficiency level, but don’t need to prove it to any institution, consider taking the Assessment Test by signing up for PortuguesePod101.com’s Premium PLUS program.
Want to study in Brazil? Then you need to take the Celpe-Bras test!
B- Celpe-Bras Registration
Celpe-Bras takes place two times every year: once in the first semester and another time in the second semester. There are currently more than 120 places in Brazil and abroad with permission to administer the test. When you’re ready to register, you can search for Celpe-Bras test centers on this page (in Portuguese).
Registration is done online, through the official website. Candidates need to create an account by giving their telephone number and email address. After that, they need to fill in all of the necessary information, as well as details about when and where the test will be taken.
They also ask some personal questions, which will be used in the oral section of the test. Finally, candidates have to upload a document to register successfully. After receiving a confirmation, all that’s left is to pay the registration fee.
Each place can charge its own fee, but there is a maximum value defined by the Brazilian Ministry of Education. The maximum fee for exams taken in Brazil is R$200 and for exams taken abroad it’s US$100.
After they get the payment confirmation, candidates receive a proof of registration, which should be kept in a safe place. Candidates need to present this document on the day of the exam and, later on, will need it to retrieve the test results. On the day of the test, candidates should also take a valid ID document with a picture.
C- Assessment and Score
Basically, what Celpe-Bras wants to evaluate is your capacity for understanding and adapting context, your vocabulary, and your logic in constructing sentences.
To get the certification, a candidate has to score at the intermediate level (or higher). The oral section and the written section are graded separately. If each section has a different mark, your final grade will be equal to the lowest score.
Your score will determine your proficiency level as follows:
Level
Grade
Description
No certification
0,00 to 1,99
Intermediate
2,00 to 2,75
Capable of comprehending, as well as producing, spoken and written text about limited themes, in known contexts and everyday situations. Mistakes are not severe enough to compromise communication.
Upper-intermediate
2,76 to 3,50
Same as the previous level, but mistakes in pronunciation and written text are less frequent.
Advanced
3,51 to 4,25
Capable of comprehending, as well as producing, spoken and written text in a fluent manner, about various themes in both known and unknown contexts. Some mistakes might be made when talking about unknown contexts, but not enough to compromise communication.
Highly advanced
4,26 to 5,00
Same as the previous level, but mistakes in pronunciation and written text are less frequent.
You can find more information about Celpe-Bras on the official website, in Portuguese.
2. What’s in the Celpe-Bras Exam?
Now that you know all the details about registering and grading, it’s time to learn what you’ll face when taking the Portuguese proficiency exam!
A- Written Section
This section has 4 tasks, and you might take up to 3 hours to complete it.
Task
Content
Abilities tested
Time
1
Video
Oral comprehension and writing abilities
30 minutes
2
Audio
Oral comprehension and writing abilities
3
Written text
Reading and writing abilities
2 hours and 30 minutes
4
Written text
Reading and writing abilities
Celpe-Bras is not a multiple-choice test, which means that you’ll have to answer the questions in essay form. The questions might ask you to give your personal opinion about the topics discussed, or to back up your answer with information taken directly from the content presented to you.
Remember that their objective in this section is to test two things: how well you can make sense of the information given to you, and how well you can explain your point of view in writing.
A few tips to keep in mind:
Before this section begins, you’ll be given some time to ask questions. Be sure to ask about anything that’s unclear to you at that point.
The audio and video components will be repeated, so don’t panic if it’s not crystal-clear at first. Take a deep breath and pay attention the second time it comes around!
Read the written text first. Then, after reading the prompt questions, go back to the text and underline whatever information you think is relevant. Taking notes at this point is also a good idea.
Take a few minutes to structure your answer. Think about what your main points will be before starting to write.
After you’re done, don’t be in a hurry to hand it in! Re-read all of your answers and make any necessary corrections.
Start practicing now: write your next journal entry in Portuguese.
B- Oral Section
The oral section takes 20 minutes, and during this time, the candidate will have a conversation with the evaluator. Another evaluator is also present, taking notes, and will not participate in the conversation. The objective of this section is to test your oral comprehension and speaking abilities.
The first 5 minutes of this section will focus on the candidate’s personal information. Remember when we said you would have to complete some personal information when registering? They’ll use that to begin the conversation. That’s why it’s a good idea to give as much detail as possible when filling out the registration form.
After that, the following 15 minutes will focus on three topics to be discussed between you and the evaluator. He or she will use different visual props, like magazine covers, photos, and other images or messages. The evaluator will ask questions about how they make you feel, your opinion, or what the images are trying to communicate. They might also ask about a specific word used in it and its meaning.
Some tips to help you ace the oral section of Celpe-Bras:
Take a screenshot of the information you fill in when registering and print it out. This way, you can read it while preparing for the exam. This will give you an idea of the first questions they’ll ask you.
Remember that the evaluators are not there to make you fail! Most of the time, they’ll try to make you feel at ease, so the evaluation can flow more like a conversation.
Take your time to really listen to what’s being asked. Avoid being in your head all the time, thinking on how to answer even before they’re done asking.
Avoid using excess slang or colloquial language.
The oral section is like a conversation.
3. After the Test
Congratulations! After all the preparation and taking the test itself, all that’s left is the waiting part. It takes around two months for the results to become available. Results will be published online, and after that, you can ask for the certificate. Remember that you’ll need the proof of registration to do that, so keep it in a safe place!
It’s not possible to ask for a revision of the score. But you should know that the grading process takes the input of two separate evaluators, in both the written and oral sections. In case the grades are very different, a third evaluator is called in to assess it.
4. Tips on Preparing for Celpe-Bras
Now that you know how to successfully register for and take this Brazilian Portuguese proficiency test, it’s time to get down to business—in this case, to your studies. After all, preparation is the word of order when it comes to proficiency tests.
Here are our top tips for your Celpe-Bras preparation and to help you achieve the results you want!
A- Reading
Keep up with Brazilian Portuguese news. There are several channels and websites available. From a sports-only website to the most popular national newspaper, you can read about anything that interests you.
Read opinion articles and movie reviews from quality sources.
Reading blogs, magazines, and books will introduce you to different writing styles and expand your vocabulary.
Beware of using social media to prepare: normally, the language used in everyday comments and posts is not 100% correct.
B- Listening
Try to listen to Portuguese every day. Even if you don’t have much time, don’t go one day without Portuguese listening practice. PortuguesePod101 has a huge lesson library with many listening exercises you can use!
Watch TV shows or news to get used to normal conversation speed.
C- Speaking
Try to express your feelings and opinions out loud. Talk to Portuguese-speakers, asking and answering questions about different topics.
Record yourself and listen to your recording afterwards to catch where you can improve. This will also help you feel more comfortable with speaking Portuguese overall.
D- Writing
Start writing in Portuguese every day. You can write a journal entry, your to-do list, a message to a Portuguese-speaking friend…whatever it takes to get comfortable with it!
Ask native speakers to read your writing and give you feedback. If you don’t know anyone you could ask in person, reach out online.
In addition, you should definitely reserve some time to take the past editions of Celpe-Bras at home. Take them as if they were the real deal, in a quiet place and timing yourself.
You can also benefit from one-on-one tutoring through MyTeacher, an exclusive service by PortuguesePod101. You can get detailed reviews on your written answers, and improve your pronunciation and listening skills.
5. Learn More Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
Whether you were familiar with Celpe-Bras or had never heard about it before, we hope this guide gave you the information you need! When it comes time for you to get your Portuguese proficiency certification, you’ll be prepared to do amazingly well.
Do you think we forgot to cover something about Celpe-Bras? Or maybe you took the exam before and want to share your experience? Let us know in the comments!
Don’t forget to look for the past Celpe-Bras tests and practice with the real thing. Now is the perfect time to take your Portuguese studies up a notch. To help you along the way, there are lots of free Portuguese resources and a variety of vocabulary lists available on PortuguesePod101.com. Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities.
If you want to take your learning experience further, members of PortuguesePod101.com get access to the largest language lesson library in the world, with thousands of real lessons by real teachers. Perfect for anyone who wants to learn from anywhere, feel motivated, and be ready to speak Portuguese with confidence. Having a membership with us is especially useful if you’re planning to take a Portuguese proficiency test, as you can get quality feedback and training.
You asked, so we provided—easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your electronic devices to write in Portuguese! We’ll also give you a few excellent tips on how to use this keyboard, as well as some online and app alternatives if you prefer not to set up a Portuguese keyboard.
1. Why it’s Important to Learn to Type in Portuguese
Learning a new language is made so much easier when you’re able to read and write/type it. This way, you will:
Get the most out of any dictionary and Portuguese language apps on your devices
Expand your ability to find Portuguese websites and use the various search engines
Be able to communicate much better online with your Portuguese teachers and friends, and look super cool in the process!
2. Setting up Your Computer and Mobile Devices for Portuguese
It takes only a few steps to set up any of your devices to read and type in Portuguese. It’s super-easy on your mobile phone and tablet, and a simple process on your computer.
On your computer, you’ll first activate the onscreen keyboard to work with. You’ll only be using your mouse or touchpad/pointer for this keyboard. Then, you’ll need to change the language setting to Portuguese, so all text will appear in Portuguese. You could also opt to use online keyboards instead. Read on for the links!
On your mobile devices, it’s even easier—you only have to change the keyboard. We also provide a few alternatives in the form of online keyboards and downloadable apps.
3. How to Activate an Onscreen Keyboard on Your Computer
1- Mac
1. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard.
2. Check the option “Show Keyboard & Character Viewers in Menu Bar.”
3. You’ll see a new icon on the right side of the main bar; click on it and select “Show Keyboard Viewer.”
2- Windows
1. Go to Start > Settings > Easy Access > Keyboard.
2. Turn on the option for “Onscreen Keyboard.”
3- Online Keyboards
If you don’t want to activate your computer’s onscreen keyboard, you also have the option to use online keyboards. Here are some good options:
Instead of an online keyboard, you could also choose to download a Google extension to your browser for a language input tool. The Google Input Tools extension allows users to use input tools in Chrome web pages, for example.
4. How to Change the Language Settings to Portuguese on Your Computer
Now that you’re all set to work with an onscreen keyboard on your computer, it’s time to download the Portuguese language pack for your operating system of choice:
Windows 8 (and higher)
Windows 7
Mac (OS X and higher)
1- Windows 8 (and higher)
Go to “Settings” > “Change PC Settings” > “Time & Language” > “Region & Language.”
Click on “Add a Language” and select “Português (Brasil).” This will add it to your list of languages. It will appear as Portuguese (Brazil) with the note “language pack available”.
Click on “Português (Brasil)” > “Opções” > “Baixar.” It’ll take a few minutes to download and install the language pack.
As a keyboard layout, you’ll only need the one marked as “Português (Brasil).” You can ignore other keyboard layouts.
2- Windows 7
1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Clock, Language, and Region.
2. On the “Region and Language” option, click on “Change Keyboards or Other Input Methods.”
3. On the “Keyboards and Languages” tab, click on “Change Keyboards” > “Add” > “Portuguese (Brazil).”
4. Expand the option of “Portuguese (Brazil)” and then expand the option “Keyboard.” Select the keyboard layout marked as “Portuguese (Brazil).” You can ignore other keyboard layouts. Click “OK” and then “Apply.”
3- Mac (OS X and higher)
If you can’t see the language listed, please make sure to select the right option from System Preferences > Language and Region
1. From the Apple Menu (top left corner of the screen) go to System Preferences > Keyboard.
2. Click the Input Sources tab and a list of available keyboards and input methods will appear.
3. Click on the plus button, select “Portuguese,” and add the “Brazilian” keyboard.
5. Activating the Portuguese Keyboard on Your Mobile Phone and Tablet
Texting and searching in Portuguese will greatly help you master the language! Adding a Portuguese keyboard on your mobile phone and/or tablet is super-easy.
You could also opt to download an app instead of adding a keyboard. Read on for our suggestions.
Below are the instructions for both iOS and Android mobile phones and tablets.
1- iOS
1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.
2. Tap “Keyboards” and then “Add New Keyboard.”
3. Select “Portuguese (Brazil)” from the list.
4. When typing, you can switch between languages by tapping and holding on the icon to reveal the keyboard language menu.
2- Android
1. Go to Settings > General Management > Language and Input > On-screen Keyboard (or “Virtual Keyboard” on some devices) > Samsung Keyboard.
2. Tap “Language and Types” or “ + Select Input Languages” depending on the device and then “MANAGE INPUT LANGUAGES” if available.
3. Select “Português (Brasil)” from the list.
4. When typing, you can switch between languages by swiping the space bar.
3- Applications for Mobile Phones
If you don’t want to add a keyboard on your mobile phone or tablet, these are a few good apps to consider:
Typing in Portuguese can be very challenging at first! Therefore, we added here a few useful tips to make it easier to use your Portuguese keyboard on mobile.
1. When Gboard keyboard is activated on your mobile phone, also activate the language “Português (Brasil)” (QWERTY). Then, to use the accented letters, press the selected vowel for more than one second and the accented options will be shown (for example, á, à, ã, ó, ô, etc). Select the desired accented letter.
2. The same applies for the cedilla, diacritical mark (,) placed under the letter c; press “c” for more than one second and the accented option will be shown, “ç,” so you can select it.
7. How to Practice Typing Portuguese
As you probably know by now, learning Portuguese is all about practice, practice, and more practice! Strengthen your Portuguese typing skills by writing comments on any of our lesson pages, and our teacher will answer. If you’re a PortuguesePod101 Premium PLUS member, you can directly text our teacher via the My Teacher app—use your Portuguese keyboard to do this!
Learning a language on your own or without traditional classroom instruction may seem quite daunting at first. What if you run into questions? How do you stay motivated and on track to achieving goals?
Don’t worry, not only is it possible to learn Portuguese or any language without traditional classroom instruction: PortuguesePod101 has created the world’s most advanced and extensive online language learning system. Not only is PortuguesePod101 specifically designed to help you with learning a language on your own, it’s actually faster, more convenient, and less expensive than traditional classroom options!
Let’s look at some of the benefits of learning Portuguese or any language alone.
Also, don’t forget to download your free cheat sheet – How to Improve Your Language Skills too!
3 Reasons to Learn a Language Alone
1. Learn at Your Own Pace and On Your Schedule
In today’s fast-paced world, there just isn’t time for traditional classroom instruction. Between getting to class and studying on some professor or teacher’s schedule, traditional classroom learning is simply impossible to fit in. But when you learn Portuguese alone, you can study in bed if you like and whenever suits your schedule best, making it far easier to actually reach your goal of learning and mastering the language.
2. Learning a Language on Your Own Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Speaking in front of a class, pop quizzes, and tests are just a few of the stressors you will encounter when you learn a language in a traditional classroom setting. Specifically, these are external stressors that often derail most people’s dream of learning a new language. But when you learn Portuguese alone, there are no external stressors. Without the external stress and anxiety, it becomes much easier and more exciting to study Portuguese and reach your very own goals—all on your own!
3. Learning Portuguese Alone Helps Improve Cognitive Function and Overall Success
Learning a language on your own is indeed more challenging in some ways than being taught in a traditional classroom setting. In fact, while classroom instruction requires more rote memorization and following instructions, studying a language on your own requires more problem-solving and higher cognitive function to self-teach lessons and hit goals. So while it’s more challenging and requires higher levels of cognition, teaching yourself a language pays dividends throughout life by better preparing you for social/work opportunities that arise.
How to Learn a Language on Your Own with PortuguesePod101
1. Access to the World’s Largest Collection of Portuguese Audio & Video Lessons
The best way to learn a language on your own is to study from native speaking instructors. Ideally, you want audio and/or video lessons that teach vocabulary, grammar, and provide actual Portuguese conversations and dialogue to help you with pronunciation. PortuguesePod101 has hundreds of hours of HD audio and video lessons created by real Portuguese instructors and every lesson is presented by professional Portuguese actors for perfect pronunciation. Plus, all lessons can be accessed 24/7 via any mobile device with Internet access. And, if you download the PDF versions of each lesson, you can even study without Internet access once the lesson is stored on your device!
2. “Learning Paths” with Portuguese Courses Based Upon Your Exact Needs & Goals
Although PortuguesePod101 has more than thousands of video and audio lessons, you need not review each and every one to learn the language. In fact, PortuguesePod101 has developed a feature called “Learning Paths”. You simply tell us your goals and we will identify the best courses and study plan to help you reach them in the shortest time possible. So even though you are technically learning a language on your own, our team is always here to help and make sure you reach your goals FAST!
3. Advanced Learning Tools Reduce Learning Time and Boost Retention
When you have the right tools and Portuguese learning resources, it’s actually easy to teach yourself a language! In the past 10+ years, PortuguesePod101 has developed, tested, and refined more than 20 advanced learning tools to boost retention and reduce learning time, including:
Spaced Repetition Flashcards
Line-by-Line Dialogue Breakdown
Review Quizzes
Voice Recording Tools to Help Perfect Pronunciation
Armed with our growing collection of advanced learning tools, it’s truly a breeze to learn Portuguese alone and reach your goals!
Conclusion
Learning a language on your own is not only possible, it’s actually easier and more beneficial for you than traditional classroom instruction. In fact, when you learn Portuguese on your own you can study at your own pace, eliminate stress, and actually increase cognitive function.
PortuguesePod101 is the world’s most advanced online language learning system and a great resource to help you teach yourself a new language. With the world’s largest collection of HD audio and video lessons, more than 20 advanced learning tools, and customized “Learning Paths”, PortuguesePod101 makes learning a new language easier, more convenient, and less expensive than traditional classroom instruction.
And the best part is: With PortuguesePod101, you can study in bed, your car, or wherever you have a few spare minutes of time. Create your Free Lifetime Account now and get a FREE ebook to help “kickstart” your dream of learning a language on your own below!
Yes, even beginners can quickly learn conversational Portuguese well enough to carry on real conversations with native speakers. Of course, beginners won’t be able to carry a conversation the same way they could in their native language. But, just knowing a few tips like which questions to ask to keep a conversation going are all you need to speak and interact with real native speakers! But before we get to specific suggestions, let’s first take a closer look at how having real Portuguese conversations is so vital to your mastery of the language.
Learning to Carry a Conversation is Vital to Mastery of Any Language
Communicating with other people is the very point of language and conversation is almost second nature in our native tongue. For beginners or anyone learning a new language, conversations aren’t easy at all and even simple Portuguese greetings can be intimidating and awkward.
Avoid Awkward Silences: Nothing kills a conversation faster than long periods of awkward silence, so you need practice and specific strategies to avoid them.
Improve the Flow of Conversation to Make a Better Impression: When you know what to say to keep a conversation going, communication becomes much easier and you make a better impression on your listener.
Master the Language Faster: Nothing will help you learn to speak Portuguese faster and truly master the language than having real conversations with native speakers. Conversations quickly expose you to slang, cultural expressions, and vocabulary that force you to absorb and assimilate information faster than any educational setting—and that’s a great thing!
But how can you possibly have real conversations with real Portuguese people if you are just starting out?
3 Conversation Strategies for Beginners
1. Ask Questions to Keep a Conversation Going
For beginners and even more advanced speakers, the key is to learn to ask questions to keep a conversation going. Of course, they can’t be just random questions or else you may confuse the listener. But, by memorizing a few key questions and the appropriate time to use them, you can easily carry a conversation with minimal vocabulary or experience. And remember, the more Portuguese conversations you have, the quicker you will learn and master the language!
2. Learn Core Vocabulary Terms as Quickly as Possible
You don’t need to memorize 10,000’s of words to learn conversational Portuguese. In fact, with just a couple hundred Portuguese words you could have a very basic Portuguese conversation. And by learning maybe 1,000-2,000 words, you could carry a conversation with a native speaker about current events, ordering in restaurants, and even getting directions.
3. Study Videos or Audio Lessons that You Can Play and Replay Again and Again
If you want to know how to carry a conversation in Portuguese, then you need exposure to native speakers—and the more the better. Ideally, studying video or audio lessons is ideal because they provide contextualized learning in your native language and you can play them again and again until mastery.
PortuguesePod101 Makes it Easier and More Convenient Than Ever to Learn Conversational Portuguese
For more than 10 years, PortuguesePod101 has been helping students learn to speak Portuguese by creating the world’s most advanced online language learning system. Here are just a few of the specific features that will help you learn conversational Portuguese fast using our proven system:
The Largest Collection of HD Video & Audio Lessons from Real Portuguese Instructors:PortuguesePod101 instructors have created hundreds of video and audio lessons that you can play again and again. And the best part is: They don’t just teach you Portuguese vocabulary and grammar, they are designed to help you learn to speak Portuguese and teach you practical everyday topics like shopping, ordering, etc!
Pronunciation Tools: Use this feature to record and compare yourself with native speakers to quickly improve your pronunciation and fluency!
2000 Common Portuguese Words: Also known as our Core List, these 2,000 words are all you need to learn to speak fluently and carry a conversation with a native speaker!
In all, more than 20 advanced learning tools help you quickly build vocabulary and learn how to carry a conversation with native speakers—starting with your very first lesson.
Conclusion
Although it may seem intimidating for a beginner, the truth is that it is very easy to learn conversational Portuguese. By learning a few core vocabulary terms and which questions to ask to keep a conversation going, just a little practice and exposure to real Portuguese conversations or lessons is all it really takes. PortuguesePod101 has created the world’s largest online collection of video and audio lessons by real instructors plus loads of advanced tools to help you learn to speak Portuguese and carry a conversation quickly.
Act now and we’ll also include a list of the most commonly used questions to keep a conversation going so you can literally get started immediately!
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