An Introduction to Portuguese – Answering 10 FAQs
Are you curious to know more about Portuguese? Have you questions you want to see answered? Look no further because here is your introductory guide to Portuguese. In this post, you will discover the answers to 10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Portuguese language:
- What is European Portuguese?
- Can European Portuguese speakers understand Brazilian Portuguese?
- Is European Portuguese hard to learn?
- Is European Portuguese on Duolingo?
- How to speak Portuguese from Portugal?
- How to pronounce European Portuguese?
- Where is Portuguese spoken?
- Why learn European Portuguese?
- What is the best way to learn European Portuguese?
- How long does it take to learn European Portuguese?
Explore Portuguese and look into what makes it such a significant language. Understand how you can learn it and get the best tips and tricks to acquire it faster while having a blast.
Answering 10 FAQs About European Portuguese
Do you want to take your knowledge of Portuguese from Portugal to the next level? Discover The Journey! This unique language course transports you to Portugal. It introduces its language, people, and culture. Try it now!
Here are 10 of the most common FAQs searched about Portuguese from Portugal. Let’s dive in!
What is European Portuguese?
European Portuguese is one of the main variants of the Portuguese language, along with its Brazilian counterpart. It is the official language of Portugal, spoken on both the mainland and the islands. You can also hear it spoken in native Portuguese communities spread across the globe.
The Roots of Portuguese
Originating from Latin and Galician, Portuguese became an officially recognized language in 1290. It spread throughout the globe during the Discoveries Era in the 15th and 16th centuries. It led to the rise of different variants of the tongue.
Portuguese is undergoing constant development. It adapts over time, introducing changes to its vocabulary and written and oral structures.
Can European Portuguese Speakers Understand Brazilian Portuguese?
Despite differences in speech and inflection, European Portuguese speakers can understand Brazilian Portuguese. Due to a lack of exposure, sometimes it is more challenging for Brazilians to understand the European variant.
In Portugal, the natives often have exposure to the Brazilian variant through TV shows and social media. Besides, many natives from Brazil live within the national territory. In recent years, nationals of both countries have set out to discuss the differences between the two variants.
What is The Difference Between European and Brazilian Portuguese?
Variations in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation distinguish both variants. For example, the Portuguese word for Bus would be Ônibus in Brazil and Autocarro
“Morro do Pão de Açúcar” by Rodrigo Soldon, licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 Deed
The European Portuguese grammar is also more complex, with more oral variety in verbal tenses and moods. There are discrepancies in formality levels and the use of second-person singular pronouns. Brazilians tend to use Você
Regarding diction, Portuguese from Portugal has more closed vowels with a subtler inflection. Brazilian Portuguese natives pronounce more open vowels. They are also more expressive when talking.
Is European Portuguese Hard to Learn?
According to the Language Difficulty Ranking, Portuguese is among the easiest languages to learn. Still, it has its challenges, as all other tongues do. You can read more about this topic in: Is it Hard to Learn Portuguese? – Busting the Myth.
If you know another Romance language, learning Portuguese will be easier. However, your success does not depend on your previous learning experience. With a little effort and determination, you can make it your second language, regardless of it. Consider two aspects of Portuguese that might prove challenging and why.
Pronunciation Challenges
Portuguese has many peculiar sounds. You will learn nasal sounds, Rs and Ss enunciated in distinct ways, and lots of SH sounds, sometimes indicated by the letters CH. Many of these sounds don’t exist in other languages like English.
Before they started learning Portuguese, many students related it to Slavic tongues. These resemblances are merely phonological, but they can prove confusing for beginners.
In writing, it also uses diacritics to accentuate the words and indicate their correct articulation. Knowing Portuguese pronunciation allows you to improve your listening comprehension. Besides, it helps you make yourself better understood by native students.
Grammar
Regardless of the language, complex grammar is one of the biggest concerns of most students. Unfortunately, traditional study methods focus on theoretical study. These approaches can make it more challenging to learn.
At Portuguese With Carla, we prefer to focus on interaction and fun. We understand that grammar reflects how natives speak. It is not a set of rules you must memorize and follow. Thus, The Journey emphasizes immersion. Its approach helps you naturally master these aspects of the language.
You can highlight these as the four more challenging elements of the Portuguese grammar:
- intricate patterns of verb conjugations
- gender and plurality
- reflexive verbs
- the subjunctive mood
Portuguese has three main verb groups, which include regular and irregular action words. It also counts four verb moods and three nominal forms. Other Romance tongues, like French, Italian, and Spanish, have similar grammatical structures. Explore The Ultimate List of Portuguese Verbs You Can Learn Today!
Is European Portuguese on Duolingo?
Duolingo is an app and social network for language learners worldwide. It is one of the first resources students look into when they consider learning a new language. Yet, it only teaches the Brazilian variant of Portuguese and not the European one.
As an alternative, you can choose one or more of many apps that teach Portuguese from Portugal. Still, apps are a support for more guided and structured study plans. Thus, you can enroll in a language school and take Portuguese lessons in private or group settings online or in person.
Another path you can take is choosing a language program like The Journey. As you progress, you should complement it with regular practice sessions, preferably with a native speaker.
How to Speak Portuguese From Portugal?
You can learn to talk in Portuguese, just like you would any other language – through listening, learning, and practicing. With this method, you will experience the language first-hand from the start. It will help you feel more comfortable in social situations, whether you are in casual or formal settings.
Learn Useful Phrases and Vocabulary
Exposure is at the heart of the most successful language-learning processes. Additionally, using what you learn as soon as possible is one of the best strategies to improve your language skills. You only need a few minutes to explore your first words in Portuguese.
You can direct your learning to a specific situation. For instance, travelers might learn these 17 Best European Portuguese Phrases to Know if You Are Visiting Portugal. On the other hand, beginning students might start with Basic Portuguese for Complete Beginners as their first lesson!
Simple expressions are must-knows. For example:
- Bom dia(Good morning)
- Comoestá (How are you?)
- Se faz favor(Please)
- Muito obrigadoor Obrigada(Thank you very much)
If you speak English, you can join The Journey and learn Portuguese naturally. This guided program helps you acquire the language instinctively. You will start making new friends in no time!
Learn European Portuguese the Instinctive Way!
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 several iterations, we think we’ve got it! 😉
At the base of it all is a sound conviction that languages are better learned instinctively, so the process needs to be engaging, varied, and enjoyable. Throughout, we used scientifically proven techniques to help you master pronunciation, phrase construction, oral understanding, grammar, and all the necessary bits to get you to fluency. And still, the whole thing is presented as an adventure. It’s a course like no other. Click the button below to see for yourself!
How to Pronounce European Portuguese?
Pronunciation is one of the trickiest aspects of language for adults. You shouldn’t expect to develop a perfect accent when you start communicating. Instead, focus on imitating the natives as much as possible. They will most likely understand what you say or help you improve.
Practice will help you master the basic sounds. More challenging ones might take a while, and some might seem impossible to replicate. However, remember that Portuguese people also speak in different accents. Besides, a little foreign accent won’t restrict your speaking abilities.
If you need some help with inflection in Portuguese, watch these videos:
- Tricky Sounds of European Portuguese
- How to pronounce the R in European Portuguese
- How To Pronounce and Read European Portuguese Like a Native!
- Do Portuguese pronounce the vowel/letter O at the end of words??
The more you expose your brain to the language, the better your listening comprehension and accent will be.
Where is Portuguese Spoken?
Portuguese is the 8th most spoken language in the world. Hence, you can expect to hear it pretty much anywhere. It is the official language in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, and East Timor.
Only a small about 5% of all Portuguese speakers live in Portugal. The majority is native to Brazil, the largest country in South America. But Portuguese-speaking people and communities are found in almost every country.
Why Learn European Portuguese?
Learning Portuguese brings you many advantages. There are at least eight reasons why you should consider learning Portuguese:
- It is a fast-growing language
- Learning Portuguese can improve your mental and emotional health
- You can make Portuguese-speaking friends everywhere
- You will expand your job market opportunities
- English speakers benefit from many common aspects
- Studying Portuguese will boost your communication skills
- Portuguese from Portugal is a bridge to other Romance languages
- You will enjoy visiting Portugal all the more
What is the Best Way to Learn European Portuguese?
There are many effective ways to learn a language. Each student is different and has distinct goals, abilities, and difficulties. These elements and the amount of time and effort you can dedicate to your target language will ultimately dictate the best way to learn.
Still, recent studies showed that the traditional teaching approaches don’t meet student needs. Instead, they emphasize exposure and immersion as essential for language-learning success. Hence, you must prepare to try various tools and approaches and evaluate what works for you.
For example, most students benefit from adapting their media consumption habits to fit the new language. Finding a partner to practice with and interacting in online language communities are also advantageous strategies.
How do I Start Learning Portuguese?
You can start learning Portuguese with our 30-day free course. This program includes daily tasks that will expose you to the language and motivate you to start speaking it. It could be listening to an audio clip, watching a video, or completing an exercise.
You also don’t have to worry about choosing your next lesson, as it is already lined up for you in the plan. Learn more in our video: Learn Portuguese in 30 Days (Complete plan for FREE).
Then, there are a few resources you can use to continue learning and boost your progress. Consider these two.
- Immersion Programs
Choose a learning program that enables you to immerse yourself in your target language. It will help develop your skills more instinctively, with less effort and more engagement. Many students who learned Portuguese highlighted how crucial exposure was for them to progress.
For example, The Journey is a course based on an original feature film. In each chapter, you start with some exposure, then learn specific aspects of the language and put them into practice. This sequence helps your brain retain information. It also rules out boring theoretical explanations and memorization. - Group vs. Private Classes
Practicing is essential for learning a language, preferably with other human beings. You can opt to enroll in group classes or hire a private tutor. One will provide you with the companionship and interaction you need to continue motivated. The other will deliver tailored guidance and a more goal-focused learning approach.
How Long Does It Take to Learn European Portuguese?
The time it takes to learn a new language depends on various factors. It varies according to the time you have available to study, your methods, and the tools you use. An engaging approach that allows you to have fun while learning helps you progress faster.
Likewise, growth also depends on whether you have studied any other language before you decided to take on Portuguese. It will rely on how motivated you feel and how often you practice, even if only for short periods.
Many students can start simple conversations within a few weeks of learning. The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) points to 24 weeks or 600 hours to reach General Professional Proficiency in Portuguese.
Can You Learn Portuguese by Yourself?
Using the right tools, you can acquire the Portuguese language by yourself. For instance, check out the article: Start Learning European Portuguese – Free 30-Day Plan. Also, watch our YouTube video: Learn Portuguese in 30 Days (Complete plan for FREE).
Still, having proper support and guidance will make it easier for you to learn and feel confident interacting with the natives. You can connect with fellow language learners, find a native tutor to practice with or engage with online learning communities.
An Introduction to Portuguese From Portugal – Answering Your Queries
Developing a broader view of widely spoken languages helps you understand the people they represent. Whether you want to learn a Romance language or are more interested in History and culture, Portuguese has you covered.
In this post, you found your introduction to Portuguese. You have looked into its origins and discovered the best techniques and resources you can use to study it. If you didn’t find your question answered above, comment it below! We will be happy to reply to all your queries and help you learn more about our beautiful language.
How do you feel about exploring the Portuguese language? Follow our social media channels (YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram)! Besides, don’t forget to share this post with your friend who loves languages and your family member who will travel to Portugal for the summer.
