LEARNING PORTUGUESE
You’ve probably realised by now European Portuguese is tough. The fast pace and the smooshing together of words makes it difficult, even more so if you’re currently monolingual.
I can’t give you the magic key to unlock the language for you. Especially as I’m behind where I’d like to be myself! The hard truth is, you're not going to pick it up by osmosis. You’re gonna have to put in the hard work. But I can help you get started, with a few tips and resources. Just remember we all learn differently, so what works for someone else may not work for you.
Starter Tips
Pronunciation
Make it your first priority. The sounds are vastly different here compared to the other romance languages, like Spanish. Even Brazilian portuguese is so different! Knowing the pronunciation will unlock your first hurdle in understanding and speaking what little you do know correctly and will go a lonnnng way to being understood.
Note: European portuguese is stress-timed, meaning the emphasis - or lack of - is on chosen syllables. Whereas Brasileiro and Spanish are syllable-timed, meaning they give each syllable equal stress. Hence the major difference.
Consistency
My stumbling block has been in the dipping in-and-out of the discipline it takes to learn a new language. Taking my foot off the pedal always sets me back and means I sometimes forget what I already learnt! I have realised even short daily practice makes a difference. Just trust me on this.
Start Speaking Early
Don’t wait to be perfect. Get the pronunciation right and dive in! Making mistakes is unavoidable, so accept that it will happen and do it any way! Yes English is widely spoken in Lisbon, but trying in Portuguese is always welcomed no matter how badly you do it. Talk to your elderly neighbours and go to tascas and local restaurants where english is limited and therefore forces your hand.
Consume Portuguese Content
Get immersive - Watch local TV. Listen to Portuguese music (and I don’t mean fado). Follow Portuguese creators on instagram & you tube. You can even change your phone settings to Portuguese! I also like to read kids books - the pics and text together make it easier to understand, and I have friends who watch kids television in portuguese.
If you go to to the Culture section and check out my pages on Portuguese content, you’ll have a great place to start. After all, learning is easier when it’s fun.
Apps
Most language teachers will tell you the apps don’t work but I know it’s the first thing you’re gonna go hunting for anyway. You will need to be mindful of which portuguese the apps have. Brazilian is far more common, and some - like old mate Duolingo - don’t do European Portuguese at all! I know far too many people who’ve spent countless hours with the green owl thinking it would be useful in some way, but every single person has discovered it was a waste of time. Babbel also does not offer European Portuguese.
That said, here are a few that I can recommend.
Drops
My absolute favourite. It’s vocabulary focused, which won’t help with conjugations or grammatical structures, but it truly has increased my general word knowledge. I like that I can choose subjects myself (e.g, food shopping), instead of only accessing the language in a specific order deemed by the app, which tends to be the norm. You can also dismiss words you already know, so you don’t have to waste time with obrigado 300 times.
Memrise
This is a flashcard repetition based app that includes full phrases as well as individual words. There is another one called Anki that true polyglots prefer, but I find this much more user friendly. Those used to Duolingo usually find this app the best replacement. Also the videos of Portuguese spoken by real Portuguese citizens instead of a robot or AI is the real benefit here. Training your ear to hear to discern the real portuguese accent really works.
Lyrics Training
This app is rather genius. You listen to music in your chosen language and guess the missing lyrics. It really hones your listening skills. I found it daunting when I went in knowing zero portuguese, but going back to it once I had a little understanding really let this app work its magic!
Language Teachers & Schools
As your Lisbon Bestie, I have a policy of only recommending things that have been personally tried and I can stand behind in so I obviously can’t list all the schools here (infact, I’m leaving one off the list as they wasn’t the right choice for me).
Talk The Streets
Liz, apart from just being downright likeable, has THE best approach - learning the real stuff required for effective communication. Sounds obvious but most language learning is bogged down in text-book style stuff, half of which you won’t use in your everyday life. Liz will equip you with the skills and grammar needed to understand - and be understood - as quickly and effectively as possible.
Lusa Language School
Centrally located, Lusa offers a range of in-person class types, from immersion to part-time, group to personal. I found the part-time option quite good when I first arrived as I had other things to focus on while setting up my new life, so the half day (+homework) suited me. Full disclosure - my class was 9 people and we had wildly varying degrees of success. Remember, not everything works for everyone. (Bonus - I’m still really good friends with 3 of my classmates!)
EduSetPT
This one was not tried by me but by a close friend who had great results. If all the things you definitely know fly right out of your head as soon as you sit for a formal exam, then this is for you. Done online with a class of around eight, this is great for those who want their language credits without that final test. It’s popular with those wanting to start Portuguese before they’ve arrived.
You Tube Channels
Talk The Streets
Again, Liz is your girl. Her videos are an absolute goldmine of learning. From pronunciation to phrases her subjects are really useful to help you navigate your life here. She also has more advice and strategies than I could possibly fit on this page.
Pro tip: watch one each morning while having your morning coffee.
Portuguese With Carla
For minimal chat and straightforward lessons I like Carla’s basic lessons. She covers topics one would generally find in a classical classroom setting, like using the verb ficar.
Books
These books are for language learning. For a list of history and fiction books about Lisbon, go here.
The Language Lover’s guide to learning Portuguese, By Russell Walker & Rafael Tavares
I bought this on a whim and it’s been really useful. Lots of explanation written in plain English and lots of exercises for you to practice. This detailed grammar book is worth every penny.
Poems by Amalia Rodgriues, Translation by Jamie Rising
This book is truly delightful. It’s a comprehensive collection of poetry from Portugal's most famous and beloved fadista (fado singer), with the original Portuguese on the left page and the English translation on the right. This side-by-side layout is such a fabulous way to learn the true beauty of the Portuguese language.
Children’s Books
Simple, direct language with illustrations to match the words make childrens books a great way to start your reading skills. Any will do, though I particularly like books by Susana Amorim, as they have a deeper, positive meaning.
Television
Free to air TV is a treasure trove of immersive language content. Cooking shows that give instructions, game shows that help you learn numbers, news that has the ticker banner to read and match what you’re hearing. I go into more depth here .
You can also reverse-engineer it by turning on one of the more familiar channels, like TLC, and get portuguese subtitles for English-spoken shows.
If you have any other resources you’ve found useful, please contact us and let us know!