In this day and age, there’s only one way to broaden your professional, cultural and academic horizons… Studying the most spoken languages!
Among the most beneficial lies Portuguese. With more than 200 million speakers spread throughout 10 different countries, becoming proficient in this Latindescendant has an amazing number of advantages. Just to give you a taste of its benefits, fluent Portuguese skills will give you the chance to study at world-renowned universities, like Universidad de São Paulo (USP), and work in billion-dollar energy companies, such as Petrobras.
Now, without a good idea of where to start, many students easily get lost and, eventually, give up. But, don't worry. There’s a way to prevent this. Just take a look at our list of the best Portuguese learning tools below and get ready to start your journey! Vamos!
As there are thousands of Portuguese learning resources out there, it’s becoming harder and harder to choose the best ones. Fortunately, you won’t have to stress about this either, we made sure to arrange the most useful tools in a single list!
What’s more, we also classified them into groups to cater to the needs of students with different learning methods. And if that wasn’t enough, we also decided to share the secret to attaining native-like proficiency faster than you ever imagined. So, without further ado, let’s begin!
With so many day-to-day responsibilities, it’s not easy to enroll in full-time courses. Most people have to work, study and do house chores the better part of the day. If that’s your case, we suggest looking at these Portuguese learning apps below. Not only will they allow you to study anywhere and at any time but also give you the chance to have a fun and engaging experience with their game-like features.
This app is particularly useful for students looking to learn conversational Portuguese! It features a variety of activities that rely on authentic pieces of discourse and native-speakers’ audio to help you get acquainted with the basics of the language. Its most interesting feature is that there are unique lessons and topics for each language.
Duolingo is by far the most well-known language learning app. The question is, does it really work? And the answer is yes! Boasting 25 levels (a.k.a. units), using Duolingo will give you a good foundation of the language as you’ll practice Portuguese vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and listening skills through mini games, such as flashcards about animals, foods and phrases.
Like the other two apps, MosaLingua is divided into different units, it hosts numerous games and real-life Portuguese audio clips. So, why is it on the list? Well, on the one hand, it focuses specifically on Brazilian Portuguese. And on the other hand, if you pay for the “premium” version, you’ll also be able to access a language level certification.
Using Primsleur is pretty much like listening to a Portuguese learning tape. And it is incredibly useful. Unlike all the other apps, with Primsleur, you won’t have to spend countless hours looking at your phone screen. Instead, you’ll rely completely on your voice as its audio-recognition software will correct your pronunciation whenever you fill in gaps from sentences or respond to prompts.
Having a dictionary and translator by your side is not an option when learning a language. It is a must! To put it in context, these tools have an incredible value, because they can give you a thorough explanation of what words mean, how to use them correctly in different contexts, how they are pronounced, their synonyms, antonyms, collocations, and depending on which of these options you choose, you’ll also find other useful features.
One of the most complete dictionaries on the web, Infopedia will give you access to the meaning of thousands of Portuguese words, plus some very interesting additional information as well, such as register, geographical variation, thematic area and translations to English
What makes Linguee special? Well, aside from boasting numerous entries, you’ll also find a very particular feature: It lets you search for words and expressions existing in other bilingual texts. As a result, Linguee gives you a good idea of how words are used in different contexts.
It is not the most complete dictionary and only offers basic translations. But, unlike the other two options, it works offline and includes some special characteristics, like verb conjugators and vocabulary quizzes.
If you’re more of a reader than an app user, you’re going to love this category. As far as textbooks go, these Portuguese learning books will give you a complete look into this amazing language. That is, some of them cover the basics, while others delve deeper, dealing with very advanced characteristics of Portuguese. Whichever the case, all of these books share one feature in common: They’ll teach you Portuguese in different ways, like completing stories as you read or through multiple choice activities.
This is the traditional kind of text. You’ll read, listen to audios and complete activities in a consistent and well-structured way to reach the next unit. There are four books for each level, beginner, lower/upper-intermediate and advanced.
But if you’re looking for something different, we highly recommend this other option. In a nutshell, it contains funny short stories to brighten your mood and test your reading comprehension skills.
With a focus on beginner and intermediate students, this book was tailor-made for students who are planning on taking international examinations. “Why?” you may ask. Well, in short, this book’s material is also found on International European Certifications.
Last but not least, this book offers something that all the others don’t. Aside from activities, stories and audio clips, you’ll also be able to choose which variety of Portuguese you want to learn!
But maybe you’re in need of an electrifying native-speaking instructor who can immerse yourself into Portuguese-speaking countries. If so, you should definitely check these YouTube Channels below. They offer a unique look into local culture, lifestyle and language. Rather than dull boring grammar exercises, you’ll get to watch highly engaging hosts giving mini-lessons on Portuguese, sharing fun facts and other information that you’ll definitely find interesting.
By subscribing to this channel, you’ll learn Portuguese in engaging ways! That is, in addition to mini lessons on vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, you’ll also find interviews with native speakers and language learning classes through music.
Are you learning Portuguese for specific purposes? This is the podcast you’re looking for. It is dedicated to teaching Portuguese language related to certain professions and subjects, like math, biology or history. And if you’re more of a Portuguese culture nerd, this channel also features sections such as “Brazilian movie week”.
Porta dos Fundos: But maybe you’re interested in testing your listening skills by watching native speakers chat and interact. If so, you might as well subscribe to this channel. With 17 million subscribers and a vast library of highly entertaining comedy sketches in Portuguese, Porta dos Fundos will certainly be able to help you improve your listening abilities.
Have you ever heard of the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover”? Well, it definitely applies to this channel. A bit more serious than the others but equally informative, Portuguese Lab’s teaching method is pretty straightforward. You’ll either watch and listen to short stories or grammar lessons through minimalist slideshows. And what it lacks in content variety, it more than compensates for in complete Portuguese lessons.
Mastering a foreign language requires training a variety of skills. One of these is listening. And the best way to improve it is by hearing native speakers talking casually, giving classes or doing both things. To achieve this, we highly recommend using podcasts. They are a great source of native-speaking input, and you can listen to them while strolling in the park, sunbathing, cooking and doing any other task.
Another option to mastering this beautiful language is reading blogs rather than books. And a we know that students have many individual learning differences, we made sure to pick sites and blogs whose entries suit a variety of studying methods. In other words, we included the most diverse set of Portuguese learning sites on our list! You’ll find everything you need to know about them below.
Yes, it is true that examinations can put students under pressure. But that’s not why we added them to the list. Proficiency tests can be very beneficial as well. For instance, if you take any of these exams, you’ll be able to study more, learn faster and measure your skill level. In addition, passing these exams will give you the chance to get national and internationally-recognized language level certification.
Social media sites are well known for hosting funny content and connecting millions of people around the world. But what about language learning? Well, believe it or not, the utility of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok goes far beyond simply watching trending news, influencers or ridiculous videos. In fact, there are many social media users that use bite-sized lessons, funny sketches, memes and trending challenges to teach languages for FREE. And in the case of Portuguese, we highly recommend following, commenting on and interacting with the next profiles:
But if you’re looking for something completely different, we advise checking the next set of tools. Rather than teaching how to speak Portuguese through traditional activities or games, these resources will allow you to learn this language naturally. Why? Because they’re not language learning tools strictly speaking. Instead, they’re things we do every day, which include a fair amount of real-life Portuguese language. Therefore, they will allow you to learn this language, complement the other tools and completely immerse yourself into the Portuguese world
Nothing will get you closer to Portuguese culture and language than talking to native speakers. On the one hand, you’ll learn how Portuguese sounds in real life, what kind of slang native speakers use and what can you improve upon. On the other hand, you’ll find out how locals interact, their social cues and customs.
If you can't get in touch with native speakers, you can watch TV or streaming shows as well. It doesn't matter if it's a drama series, a comedy sketch or a news channel. As long as you use them for practice, you’ll be able to enhance your Portuguese abilities. For instance, as your watch these shows, you can take note of high-frequency words and repeat them.
Last but not least, if you want to get better at word, sound and syntactical combinations, you need to read a lot and pay attention to how language is used in various contexts. For this reason, we highly suggest reading books or comics, which can be both entertaining and linguistically educational.
We know what you’re thinking. Now that you have a very detailed and neatly organized set of tools, you’re ready to begin your Portuguese learning journey.
But before you rewire your brain into this language, you should take a look at this list of tips. With their help, you’ll be able to profit greater from any of the tools you choose.
It’s time we reveal the secret to gaining native-like speaking skills faster. At this point, you might feel you have everything you need to start your Portuguese learning journey (apps, books, podcasts and even social media sites). Yet, you’re forgetting about something rather important.
While these tools will give you a reasonable knowledge of Portuguese, there’s only one thing that will allow you to reach fluency faster: a native-speaking tutor. Aside from teaching you the foundations of the language, they will also keep track of your progress, motivate you to keep learning and give you a real taste of what real Portuguese sounds like.
We know this very well because Language Trainers specializes in pairing students with the most proficient teachers in your location or online. What’s best, we allow you to enjoy their lessons in the comfort of your home or your office. And if you can’t study in any of these places, you will be able to ask for online lessons through Skype, Zoom or Meet.
Just send us a quick inquiry, and we’ll get in touch with you. Our teachers are ready to join your Portuguese journey. Vejo você em breve!
