Basic Portuguese for complete beginners – your first lesson!

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This video is basic Portuguese for English speakers! Discover how knowing a few words and phrases can enhance your travel experience and make Portuguese natives more keen to help you. You will dive deeper into the local culture and improve your language skills. After learning these Portuguese language basics, visiting Portugal will never be the same!

Learn the top 20 essential European Portuguese words and the top 20 basic phrases for beginners in this video lesson. Plus, stay tuned for an exciting announcement at the end of the video! Don’t forget to like and subscribe if you enjoy the lesson. Start your European Portuguese learning journey today!

Let us know in the comments if there are any other useful words or expressions you’d like to learn.

Your First 10 Words and Expressions in European Portuguese

To learn European Portuguese, start by exploring the most common words and expressions. Whether you want to make Portuguese your new language or not, these terms are crucial.

1. Olá (Hello)
2. Bom dia (Good morning)
3. Boa tarde (Good afternoon)
4. Boa noite (Good night or Good evening)
5. Sim (Yes)
6. Não (No)
7. Por favor (Please)
8. Obrigado/a (Thank you)
9. Desculpe (Sorry or Excuse me)
10. Onde fica/é (Where is…?)

Find more Portuguese vocabulary in the video below!

5 Basic Portuguese Phrases to Boost Your Language Skills

These simple phrases are perfect for you to start learning Portuguese. Use them to connect with the locals and discover more of the Portuguese culture and language. Using the local language, even if just for greeting people, will make a huge difference in your trip.

1. Desculpe, não falo Português. (Sorry, I don’t speak Portuguese.)
2. Prazer em conhecê-lo. (Nice to meet you.)
3. Olá. Fala Inglês? (Hello, do you speak English?)
4. Com licença, onde é a casa de banho? (Excuse me, where is the bathroom?)
5. Pode falar mais devagar, por favor? (Can you speak slower, please?)

Similarly to what happens in most countries, the locals appreciate it when you try to speak Portuguese. Try not to start conversations in any other languages. Besides, say Obrigado/a, not Gracias (Spanish for Thank you). Find ten more essential Portuguese phrases in the video below!

The Difference Between European and Brazilian Portuguese

Brazilian and European Portuguese are the two main variants of this beautiful language. Even complete beginners can distinguish between the two. Thus, you will undoubtedly come across these differences as you learn Portuguese.

In some cases, you will see slight differences. For example, the sentence Fala Inglês? would become Você fala Inglês? in Brazilian Portuguese. In other cases, you will see more pronounced differences, using not only distinct words but also grammatical structure.

Here are five examples of travel phrases you’ll use in real life. Check out the sentence in European Portuguese, followed by the Brazilian Portuguese equivalent, and, finally, the English translation.

• (PT-PT) Não tem de quê – (PT-BR) Não há de quê (You’re welcome)
• (PT-PT) De nada – (PT-BR) Por nada (You’re welcome)
• (PT-PT) Até logo – (PT-BR) Até mais (See you later)
• (PT-PT) Como se chama? – (PT-BR) Qual é o seu nome? (What’s your name?)
• (PT-PT) De onde vem? – (PT-BR) De onde você é? (Where are you from?)

Ready to become fluent in European Portuguese?

For the last decade, we’ve been working on putting together the best possible European Portuguese course. After much research, feedback from our students, and a number of iterations, we think we’ve got it! 😉

As a base, we used scientifically proven techniques to help with master pronunciation, phrase construction, oral understanding, grammar, and all the necessary bits to get you to fluency. At the same time, having learned foreign languages ourselves, we know the process needs to be engaging, varied, and enjoyable. The whole thing is presented as an adventure. It’s a course like no other, trust us!

Learn more about The Journey and start your free trial here.