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My Top 7 European Portuguese Courses (Tested & Reviewed) — Plus 3 More Worth Knowing About

A person with long hair, wearing headphones and a light blue shirt, sits at a desk and uses a laptop. The desk is cluttered with notebooks, highlighters, and pens. A bookshelf with various books and folders is in the background.

The first time I came to Portugal as an adult and said I wanted to learn European Portuguese, someone handed me a textbook with a CD. It was dry, grammar-first, and boring. Plus, my laptop didn’t even have a CD player at that point, so it was already feeling very dated. I’d learned French, Spanish and German before that, and every one of them had so many more resources than European Portuguese. That’s changed. There are far more resources now, …

A person is holding a smartphone in their right hand, displaying the home screen with various app icons. Their left hand is holding a white cup of coffee with foam on top. The items are on a wooden table, and the person is wearing a watch on their left wrist.

Can you learn European Portuguese with an app? Not really, at least not by itself. But language learning apps can still be incredibly useful when you’re on public transport, want to revise some vocabulary, or just have 5-10 minutes to spare. And, if you choose the right combination of apps, they can make a big difference. The following are some of the best apps for learning Portuguese as it’s spoken in Portugal rather than Brazilian Portuguese (which Duolingo teaches). Some …

Almost every week, someone emails me to say they’ve been grinding away on Duolingo and just found out it teaches Brazilian Portuguese, not European Portuguese. I’ve genuinely lost count of how many times this has happened. I don’t think most people realize the two can differ enough to matter. And, they do matter. It’s not quite the gap between American and British English, where you’ll be understood everywhere and nobody blinks. It’s not even the difference between learning Spanish in …

Podcasts are one of my favorite tools for learning Portuguese, especially if you have regular pockets of dead time to fill — a commute, a dog walk, the gym. They pair well with an actual Portuguese course, feeding you new vocabulary and, just as importantly, repeating the stuff you’ve already half-learned until it finally sticks. But let me be honest about something first, because most “best podcasts” lists won’t tell you this. The dream is that you’ll sit down and …

A language learning app lesson screen shows a man looking frustrated and holding his head. It asks users to translate "Ah! I'm starting to get mad." to Portuguese. Four audio options are available, and a "Next" button is seen in the bottom right.

If you’re learning European Portuguese, Practice Portuguese is one of the few tools I would genuinely recommend to almost everyone. I first came across Practice Portuguese back in 2012, when I was living in Lisbon for the first time. Back then it was more of a podcast, but I signed up and thought it was genuinely impressive even then. What started as an audio podcast has grown into a full learning platform: a website and mobile app (iOS and Android), …

A wide, sandy beach under a clear blue sky with gentle waves breaking onshore. In the background, there’s a rocky hill with numerous buildings perched on top, and more buildings spread along the coastline, giving a picturesque coastal town view.

Imagine waking up to the sound of Atlantic waves, strolling along golden sandy beaches, and immersing yourself in authentic Portuguese culture. This is the essence of life on Portugal’s Silver Coast, or Costa de Prata. Stretching roughly 150 kilometres (93 miles) north from Lisbon, this picturesque region offers a captivating blend of natural beauty, rich history, and modern amenities. The Silver Coast is home to a diverse array of towns and cities, each with its own unique character. From the …

Portuguese music won’t teach you the language on its own. Lyrics are too poetic for that. But it’s the most fun you’ll have practicing, it’s great for the rhythm of European Portuguese, and it helps to know the songs your Portuguese friends know. Here are the singers worth starting with, three songs from each, and the method I’d use to turn any song into a lesson.

19 Downsides of Living in Portugal: What Relocation Firms Won’t Tell You

A person wearing black-rimmed glasses looks upwards, with a contemplative expression. Above their head, "CONS." and "PROS." are written, separated by a vertical and horizontal line, suggesting a comparison chart. The background is grey and plain.

Portugal’s biggest downsides aren’t the cold ocean or the pickpockets on the 28 tram. They’re an immigration system that can leave you waiting years for a residence card, laws that change while you’re halfway through them, houses that are colder inside than out, local wages that don’t match local rents, and how long it takes to make real friends here. Nineteen downsides in total. Eleven are serious enough that I’ve watched people leave over them. Eight are the daily irritations …

An older man sits on a couch, using a laptop with a phone to his ear, while a woman stands nearby packing a suitcase. The room is bright, with light-colored furniture and a clock on the wall behind them.

Almost everyone moving to Portugal on a residency visa ends up needing two kinds of insurance: It isn’t just the D7 and the Digital Nomad Visa. The D1, D2, D3, study, and family reunification visas all ask for it too. What most people do, and what I’d do: buy a travel policy that covers whatever your consulate or VFS office asks for and that can be canceled early. Then take out Portuguese health insurance shortly before your AIMA appointment, or …

A practical 14-step walkthrough for first-time foreign buyers. From your first market research to keys in the door: what to do, in what order, and where to be careful. Can foreigners buy property in Portugal? Yes. There are no nationality or residency restrictions on buying property in Portugal. You’ll need a NIF (Portuguese tax number) and, in practice, a Portuguese bank account. Since 2026, non-residents pay a flat 7.5% IMT on homes, so budget more than the old 6–8% rule …

My Top 7 European Portuguese Courses (Tested & Reviewed) — Plus 3 More Worth Knowing About

10+ Best Apps For Learning European Portuguese

Learning European Portuguese? Skip Duolingo

10+ Great Podcasts For Learning Portuguese

Practice Portuguese Review: Is It Worth It?

Living on Portugal’s Silver Coast: The Honest Alternative to the Algarve

Can Music Help You Learn European Portuguese?

19 Downsides of Living in Portugal: What Relocation Firms Won’t Tell You

Travel vs. Health: What Insurance Do You Need for Your Portugal Visa (D7, D8, Etc)?

Buying Property in Portugal: A 14 Step Guide For 2026