Embracing the Portuguese Language: A Journey Through Learning and Living in Portugal

Portugal, known for its stunning landscapes, rich culture, and warm hospitality, is also a place where the locals truly appreciate when newcomers try to speak their language. While it's true that many Portuguese people speak English, starting a conversation in Portuguese is seen as a sign of respect and genuine interest in their culture.

For us, practicing the language well before we made our move was an important step in making connections with the locals and helping us integrate into the culture in a fun and respectful way. Our early start helped provide us with a solid foundation, however the path to smoother communication was not as simple as one might think.

As we searched for a variety of learning methods, we found that there were not many options that taught European Portuguese.  With millions more people speaking Brazilian Portuguese throughout the world, this was the default offering on most platforms.  Note that there are many differences between Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese, especially pronunciation which makes finding the right platforms and tutors even more important for expats moving to Portugal.  

After a bit of research though, we discovered a couple of apps, podcasts, and online platforms that offered European Portuguese as an option. We even found a tutor a few streets over from our home in the US who taught European Portuguese!  We will touch on the resources we used in a bit but before we get into our learning process, let’s talk about what it’s like moving to Portugal and speaking with locals. 

The Common Pitfall: "Fala inglês?"

One of the first phrases many expats learn is "Fala inglês?" (Do you speak English?). While this can be a helpful icebreaker, relying solely on this phrase can limit the depth of connections you make with locals. Portuguese people are friendly and welcoming but showing that you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and speak their language, even if imperfectly, can make a world of difference.

Going Beyond Basics

Making an effort to go beyond basic phrases demonstrates a sincere effort to integrate and respect the local culture. Simple greetings like "Bom dia" (Good morning), "Obrigado/a" (Thank you), or "Como está?" (How are you?) can pave the way for more meaningful interactions. When locals see that you're trying, they often respond with warmth and patience, even if your Portuguese isn't perfect.

The Mutual Intimidation

It's important to remember that the language barrier works both ways. Many Portuguese people feel self-conscious about their English proficiency and might be just as nervous about speaking English as you are about speaking Portuguese. By initiating conversations in Portuguese, you not only show respect but also alleviate some of their fears. This mutual understanding creates a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere for both parties.

The Effort is Appreciated

From our experience, we’ve found that most Portuguese people are incredibly supportive when we try to speak their language. When we struggle with a word or phrase, they often switch to English to help us out, and they are more than willing to help us say a phrase correctly when we ask for help. This kind of interaction is not just about communication; it's about building connections and showing respect for their culture. We enjoy practicing our Portuguese at restaurants, boutique stores, and with random strangers as we walk through our neighborhood.  It’s a fantastic way to practice and a great way to get a free lesson. These interactions always put a smile on their face and seems to brighten their day so it’s a win/win.

Resources

When it comes to picking a platform for learning a new language the number of choices can make the initial process an overwhelming experience.  It’s important to not get discouraged. Start slow and try multiple methods over time and you will eventually gravitate to what works best for you.  Here are some of the resources and methods we used along our journey:

Apps:

Duolingo - Arguably one of the most popular language apps in the app store offering a fun and entertaining learning process. Great for most languages, but if European Portuguese is your goal, there are other options.

Memrise – This app (web based as well) offers hundreds of languages and since they offer European Portuguese, it quickly became our go to app for daily practice. Knowing that we were in for the long haul, we signed up for their lifetime plan which was an invaluable investment.  The app focuses on vocabulary, pronunciation, listening skills, learning with locals (videos), and common phrases. This is a great tool when coupled with a personal tutor.

• SPECIAL OFFER: We were contacted by Memrise recently to share our learning experience with them, and we were given permission to pass on a generous 50% off link to our readers for their lifetime membership.  Note that we do not get an affiliate commission from Memrise, but if you are interested in learning any language, you can access the 50% off coupon by clicking HERE.

Pimsleur – Like Memrise, Pimsleur is both app and web based.  Their process is a little different and focuses on learning through conversations.  The lessons are 25-30 minutes and begin with a brief conversation in the target language. An English-speaking instructor then presents the conversation (or the relevant new material after the first lesson) in English. The new material is then presented gradually within the context previous taught words and phrases. 

• SPECIAL OFFER: If you aren’t ready to jump on a 50% offer, we also have a partnership with Pimsleur, where our readers can get a free 7-day trial by accessing this LINK.

Practice Portuguese – Another app and web-based platform that teaches European Portuguese. The site charges $15 a month for unlimited access. We dabbled a little bit with this one but gravitated more toward Memrise, Pimsleur, and our in person tutor. With only so much time in a day, we had to narrow down our choices, but we hear that Practice Portuguese is an excellent program.

YouTube: - If you don’t mind sitting through ads, YouTube is a great resource with tons of free content for learning a new language. You can also find a wide variety of European Portuguese videos on YouTube. We found this method to be a bit more cumbersome for us but it is a platform that works well for several people.

Podcasts:

Portuguese Lab – Love this podcast, especially for long trips in the car and the focus is European Portuguese. It’s a free resource and great for honing listening skills which we have found to be the most difficult part of the conversation. Our experience typically goes like this. We start a conversation in Portuguese with a store owner or waiter etc., they respond in Portuguese (typically very fast) and we stare back at them with a deer in the headlights look.  Then they say “would you prefer to speak in English” We have a laugh, then we speak in broken Portuguese and learn a new phrase or two. Portuguese Lab has helped with the listening comprehension, and we are confident that with time and practice we will get better at both speaking and understanding.

Children’s Books – We have built up a small collection of children’s books in Portuguese.  The thought process here is, as kids, this is how we learned to read in English, so why wouldn’t this method be effective for learning a new language. We have found it helpful with vocabulary and sentence structure and when coupled with a live tutor we can work on pronunciation.  It’s a new method we haven’t fully employed yet, but it’s now part of our repertoire and feel it will help in the learning process.

And finally,

The Rewards of Language Learning

Living in Portugal has been a rewarding experience, and learning Portuguese has significantly enriched our time here. It's not just about the practical benefits, like ordering food or asking for directions, but about feeling more connected to the community. Through language, We’ve made deeper connections with locals, have a better understand of the culture, and truly feel at home in Portugal.

If you are interested in learning European Portuguese or any language for that matter, we hope the resources mentioned above can help you as much as they have helped us!

Obrigado, é tenha um bom dia!

-Life Beyond the Leap Crew