Whether you’re taking your first steps in Portuguese or still debating if you should, this post is for you. While determination is crucial to master Portuguese in a swift and efficient way (and in fact any language), you’ll also need a clear study path to get there.
That’s why I’ve put together a list of tips on how to learn Portuguese fast. You’ll notice it takes a mix of different learning resources, willingness to dive into the culture, and focusing on your progress rather than minor mistakes (among a few other things) to step up your Portuguese game like a pro.
Is Portuguese hard to learn?
Not at all! In fact, for English speakers, it’s among the easiest languages to master, alongside Romance languages like Spanish, Italian, and French.
These languages require around 600 hours of dedication before you can brag about being fluent, which is roughly equivalent to four years if you study for about 3 hours every week.
German, for instance, which is closer in origin to English than Portuguese, takes approximately 750 hours, while Japanese and other East Asian languages demand an astonishing 2,200 hours’ worth of studying.
Also read: Is Portuguese hard to learn? Here’s the real answer.
Tips on how to learn Portuguese
1. Know where you want to get
What’s your goal in learning Portuguese? Being able to write an academic paper in Portuguese? Or is it mingling with locals on a Brazilian beach?
Any purpose for studying the language is awesome in itself, yet each will require a different approach and focus. If you need to use Portuguese in a business context, for example, you’ll need to channel your efforts into mastering the formal register.
Also read: Best Way to Learn Portuguese: 21 Effective Tips
2. Pick a few books to study with
While using books to learn Portuguese may sound old-fashioned for some of you, it’s no wonder they’re still around despite the internet: they work. Textbooks, grammar guides, storybooks, and dictionaries are generally more reliable and accurate than apps and similar tools.
Plus, to keep up with the times (and the fierce competition), most titles have either moved to e-book format or offer tons of matching content that you can access online. So my two cents is: take some time to read through the reviews and decide which books you want to invest in.
3. Set small milestones
This is also really important to help you keep track of your progress. A weekly goal, for instance, will keep you going and will work wonders for your level of language in the long run.
Among the things you might strive for, there’s ordering dinner in Portuguese, learning the lyrics to a new song, and managing to transcribe a short audio clip on your own.
4. Stick to one dialect
You should bear in mind that the differences between European and Brazilian Portuguese are far more consequential than those between British and American English, as they span pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary, usage, and sentence structure.
As a Brazilian, I reckon I have a hard time understanding the Portuguese speak — even on TV, where folks are supposed to have the clearest diction.
You’ll see the majority of learning resources focus on one variant of the language, and for good reason. You don’t want to build a vague accent and fail to be perfectly understood on either side of the Atlantic.
Also read: 13 Most Spoken Portuguese Dialects
5. Make sure the basics are taken care of
Before you can move on to all the past tenses Portuguese is notorious for having, you should be able to ask and reply to “how are you?” in a few different ways, for example.
I know this is probably the least exciting part about learning a language, but stuff like the alphabet, numbers, and subject pronouns come before everything else because they’re easier to memorize.
What’s more, mastering these kinds of words will give you the fantastic feeling that you’re making progress, which is fundamental to keeping you motivated.
6. Study with consistency
I can’t stress this enough: in order to learn Portuguese fast, you need to turn studying into a habit. Yet consistency is not about having a one-hour lesson every week: in fact, if you manage to study a little bit every day, you’ll make progress much faster.
And by “studying” I don’t necessarily mean grabbing a textbook and covering the conjugation of irregular verbs (though that’s of course a major part of the process). Listening to a podcast, watching a show with subtitles in Portuguese, or reading a poem count as well!
7. Download Portuguese learning apps
Portuguese learning apps are amazing because they’re affordable, convenient, engaging, and get more accurate by the day thanks to users’ contributions.
Some, like Mondly and Babbel, structure their lessons around quizzes, while others (e.g. Pimsleur) offer audio lessons that you can listen on the go. There’s also Lingopie that teaches Portuguese through TV shows and movies. There’s definitely an app out there that will fit you like a glove.
8. And don’t forget about translator apps
Now although translating shouldn’t be your go-to mode of taking in new words in Portuguese, translator apps are great for cross-checking and aiding in exchanges when you can’t engage in conversation just yet.
9. Don’t panic over silly mistakes
Granted, this is easier said than done; I know that from personal experience. The end goal when you’re serious about fluency is making as few mistakes as possible, but that will take years of dedication. Until then, you shouldn’t let minor errors put you off track.
If you persist long enough, trust me, you’ll have a better understanding of grammar and spelling than most native speakers do.
That’s because they’ll have learned the language naturally as they grew up, while you’ll have approached it through a more structured path that usually focuses on the formal register.
So hang on tight and make an effort to counter thoughts like “I can’t believe I’ve made this silly mistake again” with “I’ve learned a lot in the meantime, though!”.
10. Hire a native tutor
Hardly anything is more effective than learning Portuguese online with native tutors. They will introduce you to their own culture and give you the real deal in terms of usage, pronunciation, and slangs.
On top of that, native tutors will develop a tailored method for your specific learning needs. You can hire trustworthy Portuguese teachers charging as little as $5/hour on platforms like italki and Preply, which also let you find tutors based on the accent, teaching style, and even personality.
11. Create your own wordlist
That’s like building your personal Portuguese dictionary — how cool is that?
You don’t have to write down every single word and expression you weren’t familiar with before, but do make a note of essential ones and those you sense you might have a hard time remembering later on.
There’s no formula here, like anywhere else when you’re learning a foreign language as a matter of fact.
12. Play language games
Online, you’ll find awesome tools like Ba Ba Dum, which help you expand your vocabulary in an engaging way, and Lexis Rex for some good ole’ crosswords.
Alternatively, apps like Drops use a gamified interface to teach you Portuguese. And you can always use all-time favorites like Scrabble to learn the language while having fun with your friends.
Overall, games activate your memory as much as more serious activities and will have you learn Portuguese fast without even feeling you’re studying.
13. Listen to podcasts
Portuguese podcasts are wonderful because they’re fit for our restless routines. You can listen to them on your way to work or as you clean the house, so they’re simply precious for learners who can’t stop for lesson time.
On top of that, there are podcasts for every level of language and on basically any topic of your liking, from politics to rocket science and from pop culture to history.
And since many of them are hosted by native speakers, you’ll get to hone your pronunciation and usage skills as well. Win-win!
14. Take your time
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Learning a new language to the point where you feel comfortable speaking it usually takes several years. Just accept this fact and enjoy the ride! I promise looking back will feel extremely rewarding every time.
15. Make it about the culture
Please don’t mind my bias, but I’m positive the only reason why Portuguese-speaking culture hasn’t taken over the planet is the fact that the language itself is still a bit obscure worldwide.
Because honestly the music is unique, the food is to die for, the literature is lively yet thought-provoking, and the visual arts (including cinema) are world-class.
If you dive into that universe, you won’t want to come back. Even better, it’ll help you connect to the language on a deeper, emotional level — which is why focusing on the culture should help you enormously when it comes to learning Portuguese.
You’ll find great content in Portuguese on all streaming platforms worth the name. Also, check out Letras to sing along to your favorite songs.
16. Change your phone settings to Portuguese
This shouldn’t only remind you of studying the language on the reg; it’ll make it easier for you to start thinking in Portuguese as well, which is key to achieving fluency.
17. Learn odd expressions and jokes
Although I’ll get it if you struggle to see the point here, this is another element that adds to all the fun of learning Portuguese.
Whenever you’re talking to a native speaker and use phrases like tirar o cavalinho da chuva (which literally means “to get your little horse out of the rain”) you’re guaranteed to make a new friend.
And remember that being able to joke in a foreign language is one of the best signs you’re bridging the gap between intermediate and advanced.
18. Rely on multiple learning tools
This will be a logical consequence if you follow the bulk of the tips on our list. Yet since this is paramount to mastering the language, it’s worth highlighting you should be using different types of Portuguese learning resources.
No learning tool is complete or error-free, so a set of books, apps, podcasts, and less obvious resources will complement one another. Plus, you’ll be less likely to feel brain fried if you do that.
19. Follow a recipe in Portuguese
You don’t have to cook a traditional dish; after all, you’ll find recipes for classics like brownies and carbonara in Portuguese too.
But of course, cooking all-time favorites like pão de queijo (aka Brazilian cheese bread) or caldo verde (a Portuguese soup made with potatoes and collard greens) will give it a most special touch.
One of my favorite sources for those kinds of recipes is Panelinha, which also features videos for the more popular ones.
20. Plan a trip to a Portuguese-speaking country
While I know this isn’t the easiest thing to do because of issues like budget and time, I believe one of the main goals when you learn a foreign language is being able to interact with locals. And eventually you can perhaps pass off as one!
When you do that on their home turf, you raise the bar and consequently the reward. Chances are many folks there won’t speak English, let alone your native language. So you’ll be forced to let go of your shyness and put your Portuguese to the test.
Even if you’re not fluent yet, that will definitely keep you striving to get there. It’ll show you how your skills are more advanced than you thought and prove it’s possible to achieve fluency in case you need that confidence booster.
Final thoughts
Learning any language is a delightful challenge, from the initial struggle as you work your way around the basics to the thrill of your first breakthroughs.
Then you take the effort to bridge the gap between beginner and intermediate, and finally you realize you can talk to a native speaker about almost any topic (which is always a magical feeling).
It works just like that with Portuguese, but you need to know how to learn Portuguese in order to master the language quickly.
Hopefully the tips I’ve covered here have given a clear picture of everything you can do to speed up your path to fluency. Let me know in the comments what else you’d add to the list!