How to Learn European Portuguese
(free and paid resources)
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Learning European Portuguese
Let’s face it, learning a new language, especially as an adult, can be really hard. And finding the right resources that specifically help you learn European Portuguese can be even harder. Why? Because the majority of Portuguese speakers (by population) are actually Brazilians! But Brazilian Portuguese is very different than European Portuguese. The pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary can differ quite a lot, actually. If you want to sound like a native when living in or visiting Portugal, make sure you make time to learn European Portuguese, also known as Continental Portuguese, Portuguese of Portugal, and sometimes even Portuguese Portuguese.
There are options for all types of learners, and as a student myself, I’m dabbling in several different types of resources to vary my exposure to vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. There are free apps, subscription programs, audiobooks and audio lessons, YouTube channels, tutors, and more.
Ready to Learn European Portuguese?
What is the best way to start learning European Portuguese? By finding a way that is fun and you’ll stick with. Below are some of the resources I’ve been using to gradually increase my understanding of European Portuguese. Find one (or more) that works for you!
Anita has been teaching Portuguese for over 17 years and began teaching offering online courses over two years ago. Her self-paced courses are fun, engaging, and take the guessing out of what to do when.
She offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced mastercourses, or go all in with a bundle of all three!
Learn European Portuguese with
Portuguese with Anita
Mia Esmeriz has been teaching European Portuguese for over a decade and has a range of resources from which to choose. She’s on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and offers a range of online courses. In addition to her free basics course, she offers everything from a 1-week crash course to an all-in-one fluency-in-six-months course. Take a look at the course options by clicking the link below.
Learn European Portuguese with
Mia Esmeriz Academy
One of the most popular online platforms, people rave about Joel Rendall and Rui Coimbra’s website, subscription learning program, and Youtube videos. Joel is originally from Canada, now living in Portugal, and Rui is a Portuguese native. They are fun to watch and wonderful at teaching tips and tricks for fast learning and proper pronunciation. Sign up for their “Learning Studio” by clicking the link below.
Learn European Portuguese with
Practice Portuguese
This resource has tons to offer. There are free lessons, one-on-one tutoring, a membership service called “Carla’s Babies”, a Youtube channel, and a new program that launched recently, which I’ve signed up for, called “The Journey”. They shot a full-length Portuguese feature film, and as you watch scenes in the film, they break them down and teach you Portuguese along the way.
Learn European Portuguese with
The Journey
by Portuguese With Carla
Learn European Portuguese with
Drops
I started with Duolingo, which I very much enjoyed. The game-like app was fun to play and made me want to keep going. Unfortunately, it teaches Brazilian Portuguese. So when I found Drops, which offers European Portuguese, I picked up my phone again and got back to learning!
Learn European Portuguese with
Tobo
Another app that is great at building vocabulary is Tobo. It has built-in flashcards and interactive games that make learning fun. Make sure you choose the European Portuguese option and you’ll be on your way to learning the most common 3500 words in no time.
Learn European Portuguese with
Pimsleur
When I lived in Germany, I used Pimsleur audio lessons to learn German and loved it. My husband is not an audio learner, but I found it very useful and was having German conversations within the first couple weeks of starting.
Buy lessons directly from their site, or you can buy small bundles of lessons through an Audible account.
Learn European Portuguese with
Earworms
Another audio option is Earworms. I found it on Audible, where you can buy bundles of lessons. You can also buy through their website. It has music in the background, which some may find annoying, but it kind of takes me back to my clubbing days. 😂
Learn European Portuguese with
Quizlet
One of the lovely members of AFIP compiled a deck of (virtual) flashcards of ~300 of the most important words and phrases to know for conversation, which was based on this site. Great for beginners to work on their conversational skills.
Learn European Portuguese with
italki
People love this platform because it gives you the opportunity to speak to and learn from native speakers in 1-on-1 online lessons. You can learn online or through their app.
Lessons can be personalized based on your interests, skill level, and learning pace so that you can learn from real-life conversations and real-life scenarios that apply to you.
A popular option, they have many free resources, including their Youtube channel. They also have the Academy, which is a paid program. They have many positive reviews and great visuals.
Learn European Portuguese with
Portuguese Lab
Learn European Portuguese with
EuroPortuguese LA
If you like flashcards, you’ll like these Youtube video lessons. See the words, hear the words, say the words. Et voilà.
Other options for learning European Portuguese include enrolling in a language school or program (either online or in-person in Portugal). Personally, I’m going to give it a go on my own until I’m in Portugal. Hopefully, I will be competent enough by then to order a coffee on my own without flubbing it up too much. And of course, I’ll attempt to have as many conversations in Portuguese as I can. If I still feel I need professional training, I may enroll in something more formal.
Helpful Books to learn european portuguese
First Thousand Words in Portuguese
Part dictionary, part kids’ book—this book has come in handy many times!
Portuguese English Bilingual Visual Dictionary
With more than 10,000 fully illustrated terms labeled in both Portuguese and English and comprehensive two-way indexes, this book offers a really nice visual vocabulary boost.
Point It
I never want to be that foreigner who has to point to things, but sometimes you need to point to things. 🤷
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