Learning Portuguese

Do You Need to Learn Portuguese to Live in Portugal?

Moving to a new country can be an exciting yet daunting experience, especially when there’s a language barrier. If you’re considering relocating to Portugal, you might be wondering if learning Portuguese is a necessity. In this article, we’ll explore the residency visa requirements and the day-to-day situations where knowing the language can make a difference. Residency Visa Requirements Good news! If you’re applying for visas such as the D7, Digital Nomad Visa, or the Golden Visa, you don’t need to …

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

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 forget about the standard Portuguese courses (and other great resources) for a second and take a look at the fun side of European Portuguese. In this article, we’ll dive into the expressions that make Portuguese locals chuckle, the idioms that are as Portuguese as pastel de nata, and yes, even those words that might earn you a disapproving …

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Review: “The Journey” from Portuguese With Carla

You may have come across Portuguese With Carla before. Carla runs a popular podcast, YouTube channel, and website where she teaches European Portuguese alongside her husband Marlon. Their latest innovation, The Journey, is an incredibly creative way of teaching European Portuguese – from beginner to advanced.  The Journey follows a story, which the trailer below gives a preview of. In it, the main character, Carla, receives a letter informing her of an inheritance left behind by her estranged father. What …

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How to Practice Writing in Portuguese

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 …

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Beyond The Basics: How to Learn Portuguese to A2 Level

A woman wearing headphones sits at a wooden table in front of a laptop. She is writing in a notebook with a pen. The background features large green plants and window blinds that let in natural light. Glasses and other items are placed on the table.

If you’re learning European Portuguese, a good milestone to aim for is the A2 level. This level, which is the second level in the CEFR scale, will give you enough Portuguese to navigate many basic day-to-day conversations and basically just get by. The B1 and B2 levels (or intermediate) will give you more skills to handle day-to-day conversations and really get by, but at the A2 level, also known as upper-beginner, you’ll have a good foundation on which to keep …

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Can You Learn European Portuguese with Duolingo?

Duolingo is one of the most popular language learning apps and so it isn’t surprising that many people download it when they decide to learn Portuguese. But after a while, some people end up realising that Duolingo teaches Brazilian Portuguese and not European Portuguese.  This might not seem like a big deal. After all, many people learn American English and get by in the UK just fine (and vice versa). Unfortunately, the differences between European and Brazilian Portuguese are a …

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Learning Portuguese to B1 (Lower-intermediate) Level

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 …

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