Ever dreamed of effortlessly chatting with locals in a Lisbon café, or confidently navigating life as an expat in the Algarve?
If you’re nodding your head, then learning European Portuguese is probably high on your to-do list. But let’s face it – tackling a new language can feel like climbing a linguistic Everest, especially when it’s not as widely taught as its Brazilian counterpart.
Enter Practice Portuguese, the online learning platform that’s revolutionizing the way people learn Portuguese as it’s spoken in Portugal.
Heads up! Portugalist readers don’t pay full price for Practice Portuguese. See here for details
What’s All the Fuss About?
Practice Portuguese isn’t just another language app – it’s the brainchild of Rui Coimbra and Joel Rendall, a dynamic duo (now married with a baby!) who recognized a glaring gap in the market for engaging, practical European Portuguese learning materials.
Starting as a humble audio podcast with transcripts, Practice Portuguese has blossomed into a comprehensive learning ecosystem. It’s now the go-to platform for European Portuguese learners, offering a smorgasbord of features that cater to various learning styles and levels (particularly A1-B2 levels).
P.S. If you’d like to learn more about the origins of Practice Portuguese, and the people behind it, take a read of this interview with co-founder Joel Rendall.
Features
Shorties
If Practice Portuguese were a gourmet meal, the ‘Shorties’ would be the star dish. These bite-sized audio podcasts are the platform’s crown jewel, serving up real-life Portuguese scenarios on a silver platter. Need to navigate clothes shopping in Porto? There’s a Shortie for that. Preparing for a job interview in Lisbon? Yep, they’ve got you covered.
Listening is one of the hardest skills to master, particularly when it comes to learning Portuguese from Portugal, so it’s great to have such a well-put together resource for one of the most challenging aspects of learning this language.
New episodes drop every week, each just a few minutes long – perfect for squeezing into your busy schedule. And with transcripts for every episode, you can read along as you listen, boosting both your listening and reading skills simultaneously.
There are different shorties aimed at different levels, from beginner (A1/A2) to advanced (which is roughly B2/C1 level). Beginners will probably find the content more useful as all levels will be useful to them (even if the really need to rely on the transcripts for the advanced levels) while advanced learners may find some of the earlier levels too easy, which means there won’t be as much material available for them.
The Learning Studio
If you’re a fan of Duolingo’s gamified approach, you’ll feel right at home in the Learning Studio. It’s packed with units covering a wide range of topics and difficulty levels. While beginners and intermediate learners will find a treasure trove of content here, advanced learners might find some early units a bit too easy. But hey, a little revision never hurt anyone, right?
Videos
Ever wished you could be a fly on the wall in a Portuguese home? The videos on Practice Portuguese are the next best thing. Featuring Rui’s family members, these clips offer a genuine glimpse into Portuguese culture. From celebrating Christmas to everyday conversations, you’ll get to hear real Portuguese as it’s spoken by real Portuguese people – with the added bonus of transcripts. It’s like having Portuguese subtitles for real life!
Verbs
Let’s be honest – verb conjugation is usually about as fun as watching paint dry. But Practice Portuguese somehow manages to make it… dare we say, almost enjoyable? Their verb section is a conjugation playground, complete with audio pronunciations for each form. It’s one of the few tools out there that lets you hear how European Portuguese verbs should sound. The only downside? We wish there were even more verbs to play with!
Smart Review
With both a website and a mobile app (available for both Android and iOS), Practice Portuguese fits into your life, not the other way around. The app’s ‘Smart Review’ feature is particularly nifty, allowing you to create custom audio playlists of words and phrases you want to learn. Portuguese practice while walking the dog? Don’t mind if I do!
Community Support
Learning a language can sometimes feel like a solitary journey, but not with Practice Portuguese. Their discussion forums are a bustling hub where you can ask questions, share your progress, and connect with fellow Portuguese learners. It’s like having a cheering squad for your language learning journey!
Costs
Practice Portuguese works on a monthly subscription model and normally costs €15 per month. You can cancel anytime, and there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee if you don’t like the product.
This might be a sticking point for some. Practice Portuguese doesn’t offer a free trial, which can make it hard to know if it’s right for you before committing. However, they do offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it out relatively risk-free.
No language product covers every aspect of language learning (speaking, listening, reading, writing, etc) and that’s definitely true of Practice Portuguese which is strongest on listening. As with most other products, you may need to combine it with other products and services – such as a teacher from Italki to practice speaking with – but, even so, it’s definitely still worth the subscription fee.
Verdict
Is Practice Portuguese worth your time and money? If you’re serious about learning European Portuguese, especially if you’re planning to live in Portugal, then it’s a resounding yes!
The platform shines brightest in developing listening skills, arguably one of the toughest aspects of learning Portuguese. Like most language learning programs, what it’s missing
is speaking practice, but you can supplement this with Italki or finding a language exchange partner.
So, if you’re ready to dive into the beautiful world of European Portuguese, why not give Practice Portuguese a shot? With their 30-day money-back guarantee, you’ve got nothing to lose and a whole new language to gain. Who knows – it might just be the tool that turns your Portuguese dreams into reality. Boa sorte e bom estudo! (Good luck and happy studying!)
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