James Cave

James Cave is the founder of Portugalist and the author of Moving to Portugal Made Simple, now in its second edition with more than 450 reviews on Amazon. He also wrote German Men Sit Down to Pee and Other Insights Into German Culture, a humorous guide to German culture, which has more than 650 ratings on Goodreads. Originally from Ireland, James Cave has lived in northern Portugal, Lisbon, and the Algarve, and has written about moving to Portugal since 2016. He is known for no-fluff guides to the D7, the Golden Visa, and the Digital Nomad Visa, along with citizenship and buying property in Portugal. Follow James Cave on Amazon, Goodreads, and LinkedIn, or at james-cave.com.

20+ Portuguese TV Shows (With Subtitles) That You Can Stream

A vintage LAVIS 812 television with a red frame, black screen, and control knobs on the right side. The TV has dials for UHF and VHF channels, volume, tone, and brightness. The set is placed on a wooden surface against a blurred background.

When I first wrote this article, there were very few European Portuguese TV shows with subtitles. There were a handful on RTP, but there was no easy way to find them — and there still isn’t. Which is strange, given how many people in Portugal presumably have hearing difficulties and would like to search for them. There were also no Portuguese TV shows with English subtitles, despite a growing expat population. Now, I’d like to say a lot has changed. …

An open book displays verb conjugation charts in Portuguese. The left page shows conjugations for the verb "fazer," and the right page shows conjugations for the verb "ferir." Both pages include various tenses and grammatical moods. Green leaves are visible in the background.

If you’re applying for Portuguese citizenship or permanent residency, you almost certainly need to prove you speak Portuguese at A2 level. For most people, that means sitting an exam called the CIPLE. Thankfully, there are several courses that cover it in depth. Liz Sharma’s Portuguese Pro even includes a mock A2 exam, which her team corrects. If you’re feeling uncertain about where to start, her free training is a good first step. Practice Portuguese has more European Portuguese audio than …

A smiling couple and their young son are looking at a laptop together. The woman is wearing a yellow top, and the man is in a blue denim shirt. The boy, who is seated, is focused on the screen. They appear to be enjoying their time together.

If you’re moving to Portugal with children, one of your biggest questions is probably: how do we help them learn Portuguese? It’s true that children often pick up languages faster than adults. But that does not mean you want to throw them straight into the deep end and hope for the best. Most parents would prefer to give their kids a gentler start, with time to hear the language, recognize common words, and build confidence before school or day-to-day life …

If you’re learning European Portuguese, you’ve probably already come across Mia Esmeriz’s YouTube channel—it’s packed with excellent videos on grammar, pronunciation, Portuguese culture, and her trips around the country. So it’s genuinely exciting that she has a full course that goes from A1 to C1. Most people will only want the A1 and A2 (the level needed for permanent residency and Portuguese citizenship), but those who are serious about integrating into Portugal will want to aim for at least B2, …

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.

20+ Portuguese TV Shows (With Subtitles) That You Can Stream

The A2 Portuguese Test (CIPLE): Courses and How to Pass

European Portuguese Resources for Kids

Mia Esmeriz Academy Review: A Course To Take You From Beginner to Fluency

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?