Should you learn Portuguese?
You can find yourself outside of your comfort zone when first arriving in a new country. Being able to speak some of the local language will go a long way towards feeling at home in your new landing spot and ensure the fullest experience possible as a digital nomad. And, as many of you may know, you will not learn a new language just by living in a new country and being exposed to it. It takes some effort and guidance to pick a language up in a useful way.
Why learn the local language? Where to start? What options are available? And what to budget for?
Why take the trouble? Well, learning the local language helps you to:
enjoy better local experiences;
pick up words and better engage in daily situations;
understand the culture;
connect better with the people;
feel at ease;
exercise your brain, the more languages you know the easier it is to learn.
And, it is fun!
Why learn?
Communicate with Everyone! Easier to navigate the city. Understand and learn from the local culture.
As a digital nomad, your stay in Portugal may vary from a couple of weeks to perhaps a year or longer, and you may find yourself returning to Portugal, or even visiting another country where Portuguese is spoken. Did you know that Portuguese is the official language in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea Bissau, Macau, Mozambique, Portugal, & São Tomé and Príncipe? The pronunciation varies between each of these countries, yet mastering the foundational basics in European Portuguese will serve you well wherever you may go after your stay in Portugal. You never know what awaits you!
When to start learning Portuguese
If you know you are coming to Portugal and would like to be able to get by in Portuguese straight away, why not get started before you come and feel more at home from day one?
What to learn first?
Unlike more ‘popular’ Romance languages like French or Spanish, most people have not been exposed to any Portuguese. The first thing to do is learn a few of the most common words and phrases to get by with –
obrigado/a is thank you (o ending men say, a ending women say) this often is shrunk to ‘brigad’,
faz favor is please FASH faVOR
sim is yes – sounds like si, very similar to Spanish here, with the m being a soft nasal sound rather than a clear ‘m’,
não for no – NAURW – a strong nasal twang here 😊
com liçença is what you say when you want to get past someone, or go into someone’s house (literally with your permission, licence) pronunciation here is CO(ng) liSENsa
Then, it is a good idea to start and spend time listening.
3 different Ways to start listening to european portuguese
before you go
Being new to the sounds of European Portuguese, it will be difficult at first to pick out the words. This is the #1 difficulty learners have, so give yourself a head start. Below, a few ideas you can implement today.
Change the language to Portuguese, on your next Netflix movies, and the subtitles in your own language..
Play Portuguese songs during the day from i.e. this Spotify playlist with Portuguese songs, and maybe try to sing along!
Watch one of the specially selected videos our YouTube playlist for digital nomads: cooking videos, arts and crafts, cartoons, … (coming)
Start off passively listening to get tuned into the sounds. Then try some active listening, can you make out any of the words, can you sing along to parts of a song you like, can you repeat what they say, without having to know what it means just yet?
Aim to learn some of the following:
Everyday words you will find on signs and in shops , etc.
How to meet people and deal with everyday situations in Portuguese.
How to understand the sounds of the language so you can recognise the common words when spoken – Portuguese is a Latin language so if you know French, Spanish, Italian (and even English) you will find once you are ‘tuned in’ you will be able to recognise words you know (estação is station, universidade is university for example.)
How to pronounce Portuguese words well so people understand you. 😊
I don’t recommend getting stuck into the grammar from the start, as this can be very theoretical and you are much better off spending time tuning into the sounds of European Portuguese and building a solid base of vocabulary and phrases you can get using straight away. Our beginner courses will help you do just that.
Overcoming anxiety to speak Portuguese once you arrive
It is easy to experience stress or anxiety when trying to speak a different language, but don’t let this stop you from starting to interact as soon as you arrive. Try to speak as much as possible, you will find that the majority of people in Portugal (unlike in other countries) will truly appreciate your efforts to try to speak their language, and be very glad you have tried to say a few words in Portuguese. Our students have shared that as they try to speak Portuguese with aid of hands and feet, people often encourage them to continue. For example: “Don’t worry! I understand! You speak very good Portuguese!” Não se preocupe! Compreendo! Fala português muito bem!
5 TIPS to practise speaking and listening
once you arrive
Find a local café to have your daily morning coffee, you will quickly find yourself exchanging a few words while enjoying your café.
Plan a Portuguese meal with new friends and go to the market together to buy the ingredients.
Find a local meet-up group of interest.
See if the local Creative Mornings team is looking for volunteers.
And last but not least, sign up for online language classes and meet other students to practice speaking with at the same level as you!
“The online class feels like meeting up with friends not like a classroom, it is a very relaxed way of learning and when I reflect back over the last few months I realise just how much I have learned in a short time!”
Stella (Portuguese Language Lessons student, level 1b, beginner)
Getting started: let’s look the different learning options
Automated learning with language apps
Positive results are reported by people who use the apps as a way for extra practice, alongside taking language classes. The right language app supports building up vocabulary, and is great for studying on-the-go or fitting in a 5 minute review session whenever there is a free moment. Apps offer a 'safe environment' to make mistakes, and can be used to gain confidence. (Also see “Overcoming anxiety to speak” below). Common downloaded apps are Memrise, Busuu and Duolingo (note: Duolingo offers only Brazilian Portuguese, very different from what is spoken in Portugal). A quick search will show you a variety of articles with pros and cons for each. We are very happy with the Quizlet app.
Self-study, group classes or private lessons
Over the years we have helped hundreds of students feel at home with the Portuguese language. From the first lesson on, you learn useful words and phrases to apply in your daily life while in Portugal.
We offer several options for you to learn, choose the format that fits you best:
Opt for the 100% Self-Study and set the pace of learning yourself: every Monday you receive the learning kit for that week with worksheets, videos and more. We supplement your learning with the automated Quizlet app and put together specific study sets and games tailored to the week’s lessons.
Add teacher instruction and meet weekly for 1 hour in the Online Classroom. Receive the weekly learning materials and Quizlet study sets in advance to prepare the lesson in advance, in your own time. In the online classroom, you will practice, review, get feedback on and ask questions on what you studied. Online group lessons run regularly at various levels. You can be assured to join a group of fellow students at your same level.
Students looking for a fully flexible learning experience opt to register for 1:1 or 1:2 Private Lessons with one of our experienced teachers.
“The teaching method of this course is excellent, as it offers many ways to learn. For me this has been the best way so far. I learn while listening being in gym and practice to read and write later”.
- Suvi (Portuguese Language Lessons student, level 1a, beginner)
Add-on options to practice Portuguese:
Weekly Chat groups: discuss a new topic every week in small break out groups.
Masterclasses: we are currently running Pronunciation Masterclasses.
Intermediate and more advanced learners can join the monthly Book club, where each month we read a different short book and meet weekly to discuss.
Immersion courses are the most intensive and require a stronger commitment. Our European Portuguese immersion courses vary from a weekend (or weekend series) to a full week. Courses are held in authentic Portuguese locations and accommodation is included in the price. We are looking to start these back up, to be notified of the next immersion course, sign up for your newsletter.
How to get started and register for the online courses?
Take the self assessment test. Even if you are new to Portuguese you may speak other languages which may point to a different level to start at. You can be sure to join an online classroom environment with other students at the same level as you.
Register for an orientation session on the same page. Whether you chose to enroll in self-study, group class or private lessons, this session is to confirm your level, help you select the right course, make sure you understand all study components of your course and are set up and ready to start learning. Register for your course of preference with your discount code.
Start learning!
How much to budget for?
We strive to make learning affordable for everyone and this is reflected in our price structure. The online courses range from €20.00 per month for self-study, €30 per month for online classes to €20 per hour for 1:1 private lessons. Discounts apply when registering for the full 3 month module.
“The combination of videos, Quizlet app, worksheets and class time is a more comprehensive approach that just relying on one tactic to learn Portuguese. Level 1a is an excellent introduction to learning European Portuguese!”
-Mark (Portuguese Language Lessons student, level 1b, beginner)