Learning Portuguese

What A1 European Portuguese Actually Looks Like (And Why It’s Worth Aiming For)

A person with curly hair and glasses is seated outdoors at a table, working on a laptop. They are writing in a notebook, with a smartphone and a coffee cup on the table. The background shows a blurry urban environment with people and buildings.

Most people learning European Portuguese aren’t really aiming for A1. They’re aiming for A2 — because that’s the level you need for citizenship and permanent residency, and it’s the one the exam (the CIPLE) actually tests for. That’s also why so many courses just bundle A1 and A2 together and march you straight through both. Which is fine. But it does mean A1 gets treated as a sort of half-finished thing you pass through on the way to somewhere more …

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 …

A word cloud in the shape of a cross features various Portuguese and Spanish words in different colors and sizes. The words include strong language and profanities such as "Caralho," "Paneleiro," "Filho da puta," and "Cona" on a light brown background.

Welcome to the colorful and occasionally rambunctious world of European Portuguese slang and those words your Portuguese grandma might gasp at! Let’s set the standard textbooks aside for a moment and look at how people in Portugal actually talk—the words that make locals chuckle, the idioms that are as Portuguese as a pastel de nata, and yes, a few that might earn you a disapproving tsk-tsk in the wrong company. This is the vocabulary you’ll actually hear—on the street, in …

A man in a plaid shirt sits in a library, reading a book and holding a pencil to his mouth. He is surrounded by shelves filled with books, with a tall stack of books beside him on the table. The atmosphere is studious and quiet.

While a lot of people aim for an A2 level of Portuguese, as this is the level needed to obtain Portuguese citizenship, aiming for a B1 or lower-intermediate is a lot more practical if you’re going to be spending a lot of time in Portugal. Ideally, you should use this as a stepping stone to work towards a B2 level of Portuguese. With a B1 level, you’ll be able to have slightly more complex conversations and understand a lot more …

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. …

A young woman with a ponytail, wearing a yellow shirt, is sitting at a desk writing in a notebook. A laptop with an open document, various stationary items, and a jar of colorful candies are placed on the desk. The room has a cozy and organized setup.

A B2 level of Portuguese is a fantastic level to aim for. It isn’t as daunting as the C1, which can often take years to achieve, but it’s something that some people will be able to achieve in less than a year. Having a B2 or upper-intermediate level of Portuguese will give you the skills and confidence to speak Portuguese at quite a confident level. You may still struggle with accents, certain vocabulary or phrases, and expressing yourself as comfortably …

A woman with glasses, wearing a grey sweater, is seated at a wooden table in a library. She is writing in a notebook, with several open books and a tablet beside her. Bookshelves filled with books are visible in the background.

Like reading, listening, and speaking Portuguese, writing is its own skill. It’s possible to excel in the other three areas, but be terrible at writing in Portuguese. Unless you live in a Portuguese-speaking country, and work in a Portuguese-speaking job, you may not actually do a lot of writing in Portuguese. In Portugal, for example, a lot of communication tends to be face-to-face or over the phone. You can send e-mails to companies, but whether they get answered or not …

A person with short hair and glasses is sitting at a round table with an open laptop, holding an open book in one hand and a notebook in the other. They appear to be studying or working, with additional books on the table. The view is from above.

What does it mean to be fluent in Portuguese? According to the CEFR level, it can be measured at C2 level, although ultimately C1 is going to get you very far. For those looking to work professionally in Portugal, particularly at a high level, C1 and C2 are the levels you’re ultimately going to have to aim for, with C2, essentially a native-level speaker. Now, obviously, that’s challenging to get to. It takes a lot of work, but it’s challenging …

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 …

A group of adults sit in a classroom, writing on notepads. The man in the foreground is focused on his work, while a diverse group of individuals behind him are also engaged in writing. The classroom has wooden desks and a neutral-colored wall.

At some point in your Portuguese-learning journey, you’ll need to actually sit the exam. Whether you’re doing this for Portuguese citizenship, residency, work, or personal satisfaction, the process is fairly straightforward once you know how it works. Most people take the A2 exam (CIPLE), but it’s not the only option — and it’s not always the best one for everyone. Below is a clear, step-by-step guide to booking a CAPLE exam, what to expect, and how to prepare. Decide Which …

What A1 European Portuguese Actually Looks Like (And Why It’s Worth Aiming For)

European Portuguese Resources for Kids

Portuguese Slang, Insults, & Swear Words (You Probably Don’t Need to Know)

Learning Portuguese to B1 (Lower-intermediate) Level

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Learning Portuguese to B2 (Upper-Intermediate) Level

How to Practice Writing in Portuguese

How to Learn Portuguese to C1 & C2 Level

10+ Best Apps For Learning European Portuguese

How to Book A CAPLE Language Exam (e.g. the A2)