Learning Portuguese from scratch. Review of apps for learning Portuguese Busuu - from native speakers

We've put together 6 apps that will help you avoid screwing up in an English pub. Or in French, or in Brazilian. In general, this is a selection for those who want to learn or improve a foreign language.

MEMRISE

The free app prompts you to register to get started. This can be done by simply syncing with your Facebook account. Next you need to choose the language you want to learn. There is Japanese, Italian, Portuguese and English, and even Russian. So it’s time to remember what you had in Russian at school over the year and, perhaps, choose a more familiar language instead of a foreign one.

We had eight, so we choose English from the list of proposed languages. The application immediately imposes the “400 words of TOEFL” course, but if you click on the button below, you can choose from a bunch of other courses. For example, go through the topic “50 Basic Roots for English”.

The course “400 words of TOEFL” offers to learn words. He offers them in such a way that it is almost impossible not to learn them. First you need to understand the meaning of the word that you are asked to learn, then guess the word by its meaning and the meaning by the word. It’s worth remembering the spelling of the word, because the next exercise is to type this word correctly. Do something wrong, and the application will remind you three more times that irrigation is irrigation.

There are no problems with the interface: it’s intuitive where to click and what to do next. The only drawback is the rather strange keyboard in the exercises, where you are asked to write the word just spoken by the application.

By the way, Memrise invites users to make memes: if you can’t remember a word, select a picture from Google Images and create a meme. Memrise also has a PC version that syncs with the app.

Firstly, Busuu is not one application that contains different languages, but a whole series. To learn English, you need to download “Learn English with Busuu”, so that German - well, you understand.

Secondly, to start using the application, you still need to download some add-ons. Judging by the time spent, they weigh no more than 1 KB. Well, then everything is simple: choose your level and start going through the exercises. All lessons are divided by topic (meeting friends, communication at work, clothes and shopping) and include vocabulary and dialogues.

The downside of the application is that not all lessons are available in the standard version. Sometimes (about 4 times in each lesson) you will come across a warning that this topic is only available to users with a premium account. If you ignore this warning, the application will immediately move on to another exercise for mere mortals.

The cool thing about the service is that you can help people who are learning Russian, and they, in turn, will help you with Portuguese. In other words: an Israeli is trying to compose a sentence in Russian, and you point out to him the incorrect ending of the third noun in the sentence. He may thank you by finding errors in every word you say in Hebrew.

Busuu also allows you to change your profile photo. You can play Lana Del Rey or Jeremy Clarkson.

Unlike previous apps, Duolingo only allows you to learn German and English (if you choose Russian as your base language). First you need to register or, again, synchronize with Facebook. Then set yourself a goal - easy, normal, severe or crazy. What you choose will determine how many and what kind of assignments Duolingo will offer you.

Each lesson in the application is practice of speaking, listening and translation. One of the advantages, perhaps, is that the translation works in both directions. That is, you first need to write a sentence in English, and after a couple of steps translate the English phrase into Russian. In addition, Duolingo suggests how else you can translate this sentence.

True, there were some downsides too. Firstly, the tasks here are not the most difficult. Perhaps this is why Duolingo has a 4.7 rating on the Play Market. Secondly, in tasks where you need to pronounce a phrase, your speech is not always adequately perceived. This is how you can lose self-confidence by pronouncing an apple “wrongly” 30 times. And you won’t learn much in transport, but for this there is a “not now” button. If you press it, you can skip the task and you won’t have to scare others with your “I um eh man.”

Oh yes, after each lesson you complete, Duolingo tells you what percentage of your language proficiency you now have and suggests adding it to your Linkedin profile. And if you doubt that you now know 10% of the language, then you can safely follow the link, download the test application and confirm to yourself and the whole world that yes, indeed 10%.

LINGUALEO

Photo: AppStore, karshhagan.com.

Mobile applications have become an integral part of modern life and have occupied a large niche in our consciousness. They have partially turned our life into a kind of game or quest. Learning foreign speech is no exception; now you can memorize popular phrases and words in a fun and interesting way. The minutes spent in queues or public transport will now become your learning assistants.

The editors of the YaNashla website have prepared for you a list of the most popular and in-demand applications for learning a foreign language in 2019 for smartphones with the Android and iOS operating systems. Most of this list is free to use.

It has long ceased to be a secret that communicating with a native speaker of a foreign dialect is the best way to learn. By joining the communication environment, you will make progress in this direction several times faster. This application makes it possible to find users who have the highest possible communication skills in the language you are studying. Make appointments with people who are nearby. Suitable for improving your level of foreign language proficiency, be it English, German, Chinese or French. Practicing teachers insist on live communication in the teaching methodology to deepen knowledge of spoken language. Communicate and learn the mentality of the people that your communication opponent represents.

Advantages:

Quick learning with a native speaker;
Live communication.

Flaws:

You can end up with an inadequate interlocutor;
Sometimes you spend a long time looking for someone to start a lesson with.

The most popular application of all among Russian-speaking users. Want to learn new phrases in game mode? Then this is what you need!!! Everyone remembers how at school they had to spend a lot of time reading boring textbooks, cramming the material. The developers tried to make this process very exciting and interesting. Memorizing by watching videos or listening to songs has now become a reality. While learning, you play a game in which you need to feed the lion delicious meatballs. You get treats for the predator by completing tasks. Don't leave your lion cub hungry!

Advantages:

Pleasant and unobtrusive interface;
Learning as a game.

Flaws:

Sometimes it crashes for unknown reasons;
The video series is slow.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

The application that has conquered the whole world. More than one million users have chosen this addition to the gadget as a training program. The difference from the previous application is that here you can simultaneously memorize four foreign dialects: French, German, English and Spanish. It will teach you to perceive information auditorily, visually and correctly pronounce words. For positive results in your training, you receive bonus points, which will be available in the world rankings. The advanced training offered by the developers reduces the period of language acquisition by tens of times compared to courses at school or university.

Advantages:

Simultaneous learning of several languages;
Excellent voice acting of phrases.

Flaws:

Operating system: Android / iOS.

The most diligent assistant for learning new words and phrases. This program has about 200 languages from all over the world. The main specificity of this application is the effective method of multiple unobtrusive repetitions. It will remind you of the specified interval of words throughout the day. To make it easier to perceive information, data visualization is used using videos and interesting pictures (memes).

Advantages:

A huge number of languages;
Excellent visualization.

Flaws:

Operating system: Android / iOS.

The application imitates a long-known method for memorizing, which is based on writing a word and its translation on the back of a card. The same principle is taken as a basis here, but in addition to everything, they also offer to evaluate how difficult it was to remember this or that word. The construction of “reminders” will be developed based on your answers. The developers offer us ready-made cards or empty ones so that we can fill in the required words ourselves. The program has more than 80 million different words and dozens of foreign languages.

Advantages:

A learning method that is understandable to everyone;
Intelligent selection of memorization method.

Flaws:

Many features are only available after purchase;
Reminder closes other applications.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

The creators of this unique product base their study method on viewing various thematic presentations by speakers at conferences. Several dozen different topics at presentations make it possible to choose the most interesting for the user, and continue learning based on it. Technology or cinema, high matters or animal husbandry - all this is in this application. All this is designed mainly for users with an average level of language knowledge in order to improve their practical conversation.

Advantages:

Listening to live speech;
Suitable for various language levels.

Flaws:

Limited number of languages;
A very expensive premium account.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

Try learning English from the lyrics of your favorite songs. The Genius archive contains just over 1.5 million different songs. All texts are accompanied by clear comments for understanding some of the figures of speech inherent in a given language. The creators approached the study according to this scheme: read the text, learn, sing along! This technique can easily be done with any song that is currently playing on your gadget. The application synchronizes with external music services.

Advantages:

Exploring with your favorite hits;
It is not necessary to constantly sit in front of a gadget.

Flaws:

After each song you have to manually switch tracks;
Doesn't always sync with services.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

A program that allows you to learn 12 foreign languages simultaneously or one by one. It includes top languages and several very rare copies, such as Arabic, Japanese, Chinese. Proficiency skills are developed through easy-to-understand exercises. Courses at levels A1 for beginners and B2 for more advanced students will allow you to find a personal native speaker trainer. Each language comes with 150 topics and about 3 thousand words.

Advantages:

Opportunity to study rare dialects;
Personal coach.

Flaws:

Sometimes the levels in the exercises are confused;
Incomprehensible interface.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

"Puzzle English"

Would you like to learn your favorite language and watch your favorite TV series at the same time? With Puzzle English this is now a reality. While watching the series, subtitles appear on the screen in two languages simultaneously. If you suddenly come across an unfamiliar word, then with a simple click you can add it for repetition a little later. The series are selected on different topics and will satisfy any movie fan. The application list contains about 300 TV series of various categories. This type of study will be easier to understand and will teach you to understand a foreign language by ear in the shortest possible time.

Advantages:

Watch your favorite TV series;
Double subtitles.

Flaws:

The free version has low video quality;
Very strange topics.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

Mondly's daily lessons give you the freedom to keep your mind busy with lesson reminders. Here it's all organized automatically. 33 foreign languages with their exclusive representatives such as: Vietnamese, Hindi, Farsi will give you the opportunity to either start learning from scratch or improve your level of proficiency. According to the developers, after completing this course, your vocabulary will be replenished with at least 5 thousand new words, which you will learn to use in everyday life.

Advantages:

Clear daily reminders;
Very rare types of languages.

Flaws:

Operating system: Android / iOS.

"Rosetta Stone"

The first programs for studying foreign speech appeared in the early 90s of the twentieth century. Rosetta Stone was one of the founders of this trend. Currently one of the most popular applications in the industry. Three dozen foreign languages studied give you the opportunity to choose the most popular one. For the study, the method of perceiving information through video, audio playback or reading text was used. All tasks become more difficult with each new lesson. By using the microphone on your gadget, you can evaluate your pronunciation, and the application will give you tips on correct pronunciation.

Advantages:

Huge functionality;
Pronunciation assessment.

Flaws:

You cannot lower the difficulty level;
Sometimes the text does not match the voice acting.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

Some time ago, Easy ten was included in the top editors of Apple. Based on the fact that the average native speaker gets by with 3.5 thousand words in everyday life, the founders propose to study this material in fractions. Every day you will be asked to memorize about ten new words. A simple calculation shows that in a year you can completely master the basic knowledge base for communication. The training itself takes about 15 minutes a day. The choice is based on their popularity in the world. Paid services include a personal teacher and your own selection of word combinations.

Advantages:

Takes little time each day;
Interesting approach to learning.

Flaws:

Operating system: Android / iOS.

Studying just one language, English, gives everyone the opportunity to approach this issue more deeply and qualitatively. The developers did not scatter all their forces into several directions, but concentrated the maximum at one point. The end result was a very high quality product. Improvements in the level of perception and pronunciation can be achieved by watching films in the target language. User support is at a high level and is expressed in the form of a personal teacher who will suggest and select individual study methods. The biggest disadvantage of the application remains the paid basis.

Advantages:

Narrow specialization in study;
Does not distract attention with unnecessary content.

Flaws:

Most of the functionality is available after purchase.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

"Learn Japanese"

Like the previous application, Learn Japanese is focused on one language - Japanese. This program is suitable for both beginners in the field and advanced students. One big disadvantage is that the entire interface is written in English, and to study it you need to know at least its basics. The entire interface is written correctly and is intuitive for any user. Special techniques developed by the best linguists over the years are now in one place. The study of the syllabary alphabets of Hiragana and Katakana will take place in the form of shows and tests that will not let you get bored while learning this rather complex language. Audio accompaniment for the entire course of study will give you the opportunity to hone your pronunciation skills.

Advantages:

Pronunciation assessment;
In-depth study of one language.

Flaws:

English interface.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

The interface of this application is also written entirely in English and is suitable only for knowledgeable people. If this is not a particular problem for you, then go ahead! Taking up only 135 megabytes of space on your device, this program will become the best assistant in learning a foreign language. Compiled by top linguistic experts, it offers 14 languages to choose from. Each lesson is designed for 10-15 minutes of free time. After completing the course, the developers claim that the level of training will allow you to freely understand and express yourself in the language of your choice.

Advantages:

Occupies a small amount of memory on the device;
High level of teaching.

Flaws:

The entire interface is in English.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

The direction of study in this application is based on a correct and convenient structure. The material is collected by topic and created by many well-known university teachers. High-quality lessons create a foundation that is convenient and pleasant to work with. The only negative that immediately catches your eye is the monotony of the proposed study and, as a result, you quickly get bored. But there is still a feature for which it is worth downloading this application, and it is truly unique. Every time you log into the selected application, be it Facebook or a game, before logging in you are asked to complete a small task to repeat the material. Therefore, we set a limit on the most frequently opened applications and easily learn the language.

Advantages:

An interesting reminder method;
Excellent user support.

Flaws:

Gets bored quickly.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

"Google translate"

The most downloaded program in the world. Hundreds of millions of downloads in 2019 on Android and iOS - this is not a complete list of our celebrity’s achievements. Almost every smartphone owner on this planet has heard of it. We are, of course, talking about Google translate. This program can translate words or entire phrases and sentences. The filling for ease of use is simply great! Handwritten text can be translated into all speech directions in the world. Voice typing and voice recognition will make work easier and faster for the user. But the most interesting and unusual innovation is that now you can make a translation just by scanning the text and running it through the application. According to Google, the future has already arrived!

Advantages:

The most popular application;
There are no bugs.

Flaws:

The text scanner is not working correctly.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

The developers of the Easy ten application have begun to try a new direction in teaching foreign dialects. Upmind's new techniques and easy-to-use interface have won over many users. It is based on animating images that define words or phrases. But not everything is as smooth as it seems at first glance. Either the creators went the wrong way, or the base is still too raw, but some moments are honestly annoying. The automatic addition of images sometimes fails, and what you see does not match the word or phrase that is shown on the screen. It is hoped that with the help of feedback from people who downloaded it, the developers will begin to correct all the shortcomings in their work.

The main difference from the initial Easy ten is that here you do not have to buy a premium account to take advantage of the basic functions. In this regard, there is a wider reach of the audience and most likely in the near future it will overtake the initial version in terms of the number of downloads.

Advantages:

Completely free application;
Interesting animation.

Flaws:

The image does not always match the caption.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

"Smigin travel"

The developers of this program pleased us with an unexpected idea. It provides help for connecting words and phrases for people who are going to travel to countries with an unfamiliar dialect. Various situations at the airport, cafe, hotel, in emergency cases are considered in this program. An indispensable thing for beginners who know the basics, but cannot write complete, meaningful sentences. Initially, the developers made it for travelers, but the set of phrases used here is suitable for studying ordinary conversational communication between people of different linguistic backgrounds. The biggest disadvantage is the limited functionality. In the free version, only a set of phrases with the theme “cafe” is available; for the rest you will have to pay a certain amount of money.

Advantages:

Makes the life of a traveler easier;
There is everything you need to communicate with a foreigner.

Flaws:

Limited free functionality.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

"Philp and Learn"

The simplest and most familiar idea for everyone is to display verbs on everyone’s favorite flash cards. Sorting by groups allows for precise sorting. Stop your choice on the desired quantity for more comfortable memorization. From 50 to 500 verbs per lesson. Once you are sure that you have completely memorized the material, you can send it to the “memory box”, which will sometimes itself remind you of the need to repeat the material. As in any dictionary, there are transcriptions of words and their translations. The downside of all studying is that you cannot choose the time and interval for repetition of the studied material. So you will have to remember to repeat the words yourself.

Advantages:

Adjusting the study load;
Form of the game.

Flaws:

The repetition time and frequency are not adjustable.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

One of the foundations of the Caucasian group of speech phrases are irregular verbs, which you just need to remember firmly. They use a memorization method based on visual content (pictures, gifs, small videos), audio clips and speech development. After studying a certain block of tasks, you will have to pass a short “exam”, based on the results of which you can gain access to the next level of knowledge. The limit on the number of irregular verbs is 200 of the most common ones. The application is designed for users with a level of proficiency in a foreign dialect. Advanced or lower.

Based on the above, we can draw some conclusions that there is practically no completely free content on the market. Paid programs provide advanced functionality and a solid knowledge base. Unfortunately, there are only a few who are balanced according to these parameters.

Advantages:

In-depth study of verbs;
Suitable for beginners.

Flaws:

Sometimes final classes are impossible to pass.

Operating system: Android / iOS.

Conclusion

To successfully and quickly study, you will need to put in maximum effort and attention. Most of the applications presented above provide the opportunity to make an individual choice of study method. The paid basis for increasing the functionality of applications is the main disadvantage of all the programs presented.

If you have your own experience in using these applications or any others, then we ask you to tell us about them in the comments to this article.

Learning a new foreign language seems like a daunting task for many. But nowadays there are a lot of applications for gadgets that simplify this activity. Some apps help expand your vocabulary, others help you learn grammar, and others help you improve your pronunciation. In any case, they are indispensable for independent study.

All Bai Courses offer you to get acquainted with the top mobile applications that, in two clicks, will turn any gadget into a fun tutorial on foreign languages.

Duolingo

For Russian-speaking users, Duolingo provides access to learning English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. The study program is built in the form of an achievement tree, i.e. In order to move to a new level, you need to score a certain number of points. You can earn them for correct answers in tasks: matching a word with a picture, translating a phrase from your native language to the language you are learning and vice versa. You can compare your achievements with the successes of other users and even share them on social networks.

Download the application for, for

Busuu

More than 70 million users have installed the app to learn Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Arabic, Polish, Chinese and Japanese. They all teach and learn at the same time. The program contains lessons of varying complexity. There are words with cards, reading, written assignments, and quizzes. For each completed exercise, the student is awarded points, so learning is even more interesting.

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is a language application with which you can easily learn more than a dozen foreign languages, from English to Japanese. At the very beginning, the application offers simple tasks to improve your vocabulary, and a little later displays idioms and phrases on the screen. In addition, the program will help you practice pronunciation and grammar. The application has its own methodology, which is mainly based on an associative series.

Babbel

Babbel is the perfect app for learning the basics of a foreign language. Currently, 14 languages are available to users: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Polish, Indonesian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian. By downloading the program to your smartphone, you get access to a huge number of lessons, where they first teach the simplest words and rules, and help you perceive foreign speech by ear. On average, one lesson lasts 15 minutes, which allows you to study at any time convenient for you. The only drawback of the application is that there is no interface in Russian, i.e. Studying is possible only with English or another foreign language. However, this is a plus, since you learn one language and at the same time consolidate your knowledge of the second.

Memrise

Memrise is a multifunctional application for memorizing new words. The entire structure of the lessons is built on vocabulary and expanding your vocabulary. The database has a huge number of lessons and topics that you can choose at your discretion. The method of work is simple and clear: words are given, then their meanings, translation, and you are asked to remember them, make words from letters, and play with them. At the end of each lesson the percentage of correct answers is given. The application will help you learn vocabulary, but it is better to learn pronunciation and listening comprehension with other programs.

Available languages: English, Arabic, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Vietnamese, Welsh, Zulu.

Nemo

Nemo will help you expand your vocabulary and improve your pronunciation to perfection. For the second, the program has an accent correction function. To do this, you need to record yourself on a voice recorder and compare what is said with the speaker’s pronunciation. Convenient and practical. As for the dictionary, the application introduces new words every day, and so that you don’t forget them, it monitors your progress in the evening, offering to test your knowledge. The application does not require a constant Internet connection, which means it can be used anytime and anywhere.

The program gives access to more than 30 European and Asian languages.

Italki

Access to more than a hundred foreign languages, including the main European and Asian ones, is provided by the Italki application. This is live communication with native speakers from other countries who test your knowledge in real time. In this case, the verification can be either audio or written. You can independently assign lesson times and topics to your teacher, create a schedule and contact people. By the way, the application allows you not only to study, but also to teach. So anyone has the opportunity to try themselves as a teacher of their native language.

HelloTalk

More than 100 languages, or rather the ability to communicate with native speakers of more than 100 languages. There is no theory here, only practice and live communication. Your interlocutor-teacher instantly corrects your speech, grammar, pronunciation, syntax in real time. What’s nice is that the number of languages you can learn is not limited – choose your interlocutor and practice. This is a great option that will help you learn the language and find new friends around the world.

Easy Ten

The name of the application speaks for itself: every day the student will learn 10 new words. And that’s 70 per week! So in a month you can thoroughly improve one topic. And if you choose not 10, but 20 words, the process will speed up. To test knowledge and consolidate words, easy ten offers 4 types of tests involving different types of information perception. The application will be useful both for those who are just learning the basics, and for those who have already advanced enough, but want to enrich their vocabulary. The following languages are currently available to the user: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.

HiNative

Another service that allows you to learn a language through communication with native speakers. Choose an interlocutor, ask him questions and get a living language. Questions can be asked using pictures or words. This is a good auxiliary tool where you can get a quick answer to questions about the meaning of words and idioms.

By the way, the application will also be relevant for those who are going on a trip. You can contact people living in the country you need, ask questions about your upcoming trip, possible vacation options, entertainment, or surprises that may await you.

Description:

An application for those who want to learn Portuguese from scratch. You don't need to know anything at all about the Portuguese language to learn it. Application from the developer L-LINGO | VOCLAB will help you learn Portuguese within a year at a fairly passable level. The application contains various learning tools - recordings of native speakers, words and pictures. Thanks to mixed methods, you will easily remember new expressions and words that will be useful to you when visiting Portugal.

Some features of the program:
- more than a thousand different words and expressions supported by pictures;
- interesting tests;
- native speaker pronunciation;
- very simple interface;
- nice design.

Imagine, as soon as you see a pineapple in a supermarket, your brain will immediately select the correct translation, and all thanks to L-Lingo. In addition to learning the pronunciation of words, you will learn the correct spelling of words.
The free version is slightly limited in the amount of material, to remove the restrictions, purchase the paid version. You can download the application from our website.

Conclusion:

L-Lingo is a very famous developer of applications and programs for learning languages. More than one thousand people have already been able to learn a new language with the developments of this particular developer. The application is no different. Everything is done competently and practically, as in all programs for learning languages. A simple interface and ease of management, as well as a simply colossal base of material. All this will help you learn Portuguese in a fairly short time. On a 5-point scale, the application deserves the maximum score. Thank you for your attention.

Portuguese is a language that sounds like music. It's no surprise that Portugal and Brazil have such rich musical traditions. Fado and bossa nova, tropicalia and samba... Music is the best starting point for learning a language, and singing is a great way to improve your listening and pronunciation skills. Melodic and expressive intonations, almost plaintive vowels, something that is so well conveyed by songs of melancholy. Consider the fact that Portuguese has its own untranslatable word for the emotional state that describes bright sadness, nostalgia and melancholy - saudade. And this is a feature of the national character of the Portuguese. Portuguese is arguably the sexiest language of all the Romance languages - even more so than French and Italian.

Motivation to learn

Learning Portuguese opens the door to the cultures of four continents – Seja bem-vindo!

By learning Portuguese, you will have the opportunity to experience cultures that are unique and diverse, ancient and modern, traditional and innovative.

Portugal is a small country, but its official language covers almost the entire world. Currently, due to the expansionist activities of the Portuguese during colonial times, it represents the Latin American region, the Pacific coast, and some parts of Africa.

In which countries do they speak Portuguese? The Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa (Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries) has nine member countries: Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe. In which country is Portuguese the official language, other than those listed? In Macau, a special administrative region of China and a former Portuguese colony. Thanks to historical ties, Portuguese is widely spoken in Sri Lanka, Goa, and India.

The largest number of native speakers, of course, is in Brazil, where more than 207 million people live, the vast majority of whom speak Portuguese as their native language. Brazil is an exotic, romantic, incredibly diverse country with one of the richest and most exciting cultures. Having experienced European, African and Asian influences throughout its history, it presents an amazing panorama that stretches from samba to capoeira, from Festa Junina in the north to churrasco and mate in the south.

People interested in exploring the Latin American and African diasporas will be able to travel throughout Brazil, studying the texts and culture of people of African descent in Brazil and Africans who speak Portuguese. Considering that the language is less studied than some other European languages, despite its global importance, foreigners who speak Portuguese will definitely stand out from the crowd. This language will allow students of environmental and biological sciences to actively participate in trips and projects taking place in the Amazon rainforest.

The culture of Portugal is also distinguished by its diversity, which has experienced the influence of many peoples and civilizations throughout history. The unique combination contributed to unique architecture, a rich musical heritage, and of course, amazing cuisine.

Brazil and Portugal are just the tip of the iceberg! The history and culture of each Portuguese-speaking region, not only Latin America, is equally intriguing and worthy of exploration.

Learning Portuguese will help improve your overall job prospects. Thus, Brazil's economy has experienced ups and downs, but the fact remains that it is the eighth largest economy in the world. Brazil is a major player in international business, so speaking Portuguese gives you an advantage in the business world. The largest of Latin American countries, it has experienced rapid development in recent years and is attracting expats now more than ever.

These are not only emigrants, but also buyers of secondary homes and real estate investors. People are drawn to the beautiful white sand beaches and warm tropical weather. They buy beach properties and invest in profitable projects before construction, enjoying a relaxed lifestyle. Although Brazil today is not as cheap a country as it was a few years ago, the cost of living is still low in most localities.

Features of self-study of Portuguese

The best way you can choose to learn Portuguese for beginners is to listen to yourself. This may sound a little transcendental, but it really works with any new language. Some prefer traditional methods, which means learning grammar, memorizing vocabulary before they start or are able to speak Portuguese. They usually need more time to develop their speaking skills, but it is worth it. Very soon, a student who chooses the classical way to learn Portuguese understands a lot, including works of literature.

It is easier for another category of students to learn the language in the “reverse order”, that is, learn as you go and practice speaking without paying too much attention to this or that grammatical rule. Of course, they make mistakes (and correct them), but they will never forget the language and will always be able to speak it when necessary. This is similar to how we learn our native language as children. In fact, recently this “non-traditional” method has become very fashionable for learning foreign languages. True, it is ideal if a person lives among native speakers.

Is it difficult for a beginner to learn from scratch?

To a large extent, language comprehension, when you achieve real results, comes down to the motivation and perseverance of the student. This is what decides whether you will eventually be able to speak Portuguese fluently or give up at the learning stage. Portuguese is a Romance language that belongs to the Indo-European language family. Similarities can be found with other Romance languages - English, French, Italian and, of course, Spanish.

The most difficult aspect you face when learning Portuguese is pronunciation and understanding what native speakers are saying. This is especially true in European Portuguese, where speakers tend to swallow vowels and have difficulty distinguishing syllables. Portuguese also has nasal vowels. Additionally, some letters mean different sounds depending on the context. Let's learn the Portuguese alphabet! Basically, every language has its own tricks and there is definitely no reason to stop!

Which species is more complex - European or Brazilian?

Standard Portuguese is based on the Lisbon dialect. The differences in dialects within Portugal are small, but Brazilian Portuguese can differ from European Portuguese; This applies to intonation, pronunciation, and grammar and vocabulary are no exception. For example, such a feature is that objective pronouns in Brazilian Portuguese occur before the verb, as in Spanish, but in standard Portuguese they come after the verbs. Despite differences in phonology, grammar and vocabulary, Portuguese is often mutually intelligible with Spanish.

It is believed that the Brazilian dialect is easier to learn. It is a lighter, more informal version of classic Portuguese. In addition, many resources for learning Portuguese are based specifically on the Brazilian version. But, as a rule, people, after taking an online course on the Brazilian version of grammar, having visited Portugal, are very upset that they cannot understand a word of what people say.

Key differences between Brazilian and European Portuguese:

The difference is in pronunciation - Brazilians pronounce their vowels longer and wider. The pronunciation of some consonants is also different, especially [s] at the end of a word. In Brazilian [s] is pronounced like , in European - .
Brazilian Portuguese is considered phonetically more pleasant due to its open vowels; the accents have a strong rhythm, making them easier to learn and understand.
Some words are spelled differently. For example, the word "receção" in European language; in Brazilian you can hear [p] and, accordingly, the spelling is “recepção”.
Brazilians are more creative with their language; They turned some nouns into verbs. The Portuguese phrase of congratulations "dar os parabéns" in the Brazilian version is a verb - "parabenizar".
The Brazilian version can be distinguished by adapted words from American English that ignore the Latin root. In European words, words with Latin roots retain their original spelling.
European Portuguese is more formal. In Brazilian, the word "voê" is used for "you" in an informal setting; in European, "tu" is used in the same context. In Portugal, "você" is considered rude and thus the second person pronoun is removed in less casual situations and a third person singular verb is used instead.
When describing actions, Brazilians use “estou fazendo” - “I do”, Portuguese use the infinitive form “estou a fazer”, “I am busy”.

In general, European Portuguese is more resistant to change and the acquisition of foreign words.

Countries tend to follow linguistic developments in the mother country's language, with a slight delay due to geographic distance. But Portuguese has been the official language in Brazil since 1758, while colonization began in the 16th century. Over time, changes in the language occurred due to increased contact with European and Asian immigrants. In other countries that experienced former colonial rule, they speak Portuguese, which is more similar to the European variety. Many of these countries are in Africa and have little external contact with other cultures that could influence the language compared to Brazil. In addition, they gained independence much later and at an early stage of their development had the most direct contacts with Portugal.

The question of which Portuguese language to choose for beginners - European or Brazilian - is a very personal decision that depends on your environment and interests. This is what will directly influence the chosen dialect. For example, for those who strive for the opportunity to read works of classical literature, European Portuguese would be the best choice. Or, if you plan to work at the UN, then you must study the continental version, since its activities are based in Europe. On the other hand, if the prospect is to work for a North American enterprise that has economic and sales branches in Brazil, then the Brazilian dialect is best suited.

Differences between Portuguese and Spanish

After the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, Vulgar Latin replaced almost all local languages. In areas along the Atlantic coast it developed into what is called Galician-Portuguese. Later, when Spain included Galicia and during the period of independent development of Portugal, it split into independent branches - Galician and Portuguese.

Portuguese and Spanish belong to a branch of Romance languages called Western Iberian. It includes many variants and dialects, which are understandable to a certain extent to all speakers within it. Examples are Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, dialects of Spanish spoken in the Americas, and Andalusian Spanish. However, Portuguese and Spanish, although closely related languages, differ in many details of their phonology, grammar and vocabulary. The most obvious differences are in pronunciation. Mutual understanding is generally more important in written language than in spoken language.

The definite article is used more often in Portuguese than in Spanish. Example, vou ao Brasil (Port.) and voy a Brasil (Spanish); o – definite article.
Hasta (before) and hacia (in) - in Spanish. In Portuguese the preposition “in” is até.
The preposition of direction "a" (b) in Spanish is found after verbs. The most common example is "ir a". For example, you can say ir a la playa - go to the beach, ir a la escuela - go to school, ir a casa - go home. For Portuguese speakers, it is strange to use an expression with an "a" in the middle: Vou sair agora (Portuguese), Voy a salir ahora (Spanish) - I'm leaving now.
Possessive pronouns: Portuguese tend to say a casa dela, Spanish - su casa; a sua casa in Portuguese would probably be interpreted as a formal second person option.
Muy or mucho? In Portuguese, muito (very) is the only word. In Spanish, muy is used before adverbs and adjectives, and mucho is used before a noun or after a verb.
Similar composition of words, comparison: any language faces such a problem. For example, in Portuguese vagabundo is a bum, while in Spanish it is a person who lives on the street, homeless (morador de rua in Portuguese). Or brincar - play in Portuguese, jump - in Spanish.

Portuguese	Translation into Russian	Spanish	Russian-Spanish translation
Abono	allowance	Abono	fertilizer
Aceite	Adoption	Aceite	olive oil
Acordar	wake up	Acordar	agree
Acreditar	believe	Acreditar	accredit
Apelido	nickname	Apellido	surname
Balcão	counter	Balcon	balcony
Barata	cockroach	Barato	cheap
Borrar	to smear (borrar borrado – to remove what has been erased)	Borrar	delete
Borracha	rubber	Borracha	drunk
Botequim	tavern	Botiquin	First aid kit
Cena	scene	Cena	dinner
Cola	glue	Cola	tail
Embaraçada	embarrassed	Embarazada	pregnant
Engraçado	funny	Engrasado	Oiled
Esquisito	strange	Exquisito	refined
Fechar	close	Fechar	date
Ganância	greed	Ganancia	profit
Oi	Hello	Hoy	Today
Largo	wide	Largo	for a long time
Latido	bark	Latido	beat
Ligar	turn on	Ligar	tie
Logro	fraud	Logro	achievement
Mala	suitcase	Mala	cheekbone
Ninho	nest	Niño	Child, little boy
Oficina	seminar	Oficina	Office
Osso	bone	Oso	carry
Polvo	octopus	Polvo	powder
Prender	hold	Prender	arrest/turn on
Rato	mouse	Rato	while
Risco	risk	Risco	cliff
Salada	salad	Salada	salt
Solo	Earth	Solo	only
Taça	cup, glass of wine	Tasa	speed
Tirar	take	Tirar	throw

Portuguese and Spanish - Similarities: The lexical similarity between Spanish and Portuguese is almost 90%. Similar to 9 out of 10 words in both languages, but this does not mean that they are necessarily mutually intelligible to native speakers due to additional differences in pronunciation and syntax. Yes, it's easy to read and translate things written in both languages, even if you only speak one of them. But it is much more difficult to understand native speakers in a live conversation without a professional translator nearby.

Ways of learning

How to learn Portuguese if you are still practically zero? How long will it take to learn Portuguese? This is one of the first questions anyone interested in learning a language asks, and unfortunately, there is no easy answer. This is a complex process that is individual for each person depending on various factors. If you already speak a foreign language or were raised in a bilingual environment, you will have an easier time picking up Portuguese. It is easier for bilinguals to learn a third language, as linguistic research shows.

In any case, Portuguese is very well structured, having many loanwords from other European languages, which are known as cognates. Perhaps they will make learning much easier and faster. Teaching methods play an important role in how quickly learning progresses. If language acquisition is limited to classroom instruction only, then it will probably take a little longer. But if you make Portuguese a part of your everyday life, including reading, listening to audio books and radio, extend it to watching movies and TV series, traveling to Portugal or Brazil, and of course, all those modern technologies for learning languages that the Internet offers, then significantly reduce the time.

Courses or language groups

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages uses the Guided Learning Hours framework to estimate the amount of total class time required to achieve level B2. For every hour of instructional time, students are expected to spend two hours of independent study time. In total, this is from 1000 to 1200 hours.

One 3-hour Portuguese lesson per week for the 8 weeks of the course, plus weekly homework (1 hour), plus independent practice of any type (2 hours). 3 courses per year. You will need 25 to 30 courses. With 3 courses per year, it takes from 8.3 to 10 years to reach the average level.
One year of studying Portuguese in a language group (4 hours per week + 2 hours of homework + 2 hours of independent practice X 12 weeks X 2 semesters). From 5-6.25 years to intermediate level.
Specialized self-study (1 hour per day). Approximately 3 years to achieve an intermediate level of Portuguese.
General active diving (8 hours per day). Approximately 3 months to reach average level.

Although this calculation does not take into account many factors, it is still not a very accurate way to determine how long it will take you to learn intermediate level Portuguese.

Portuguese language tutor

To truly learn a language, you need to place equal emphasis on vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, speaking and listening, which is something many online programs fail to do. The main goal of any person learning a language is to speak it fluently. Therefore, it makes sense to find a tutor, for example, on, make friends on social networks who know Portuguese, talk to yourself - most importantly, do not sit silently at the computer! The tutor will create a lesson plan for you that does not take into account relativity or spontaneity, it will be easier to adapt each lesson to your wishes or needs. At any time, you can interrupt the teacher and ask him to explain what you don’t understand.

Do it yourself at home using a tutorial

Regardless of which method you ultimately use, perhaps it will be the classic “paper” version, namely a tutorial or textbook, motivation, diligence and regularity are necessary conditions. There is no magic program, website, teacher or strategy that will magically make you speak Portuguese fluently in just a few weeks or even months.

Portuguese without accent. Beginning course, Alexander Yarushkin

The rise of technology has changed the way people learn and access education. This is especially true for languages, where the explosion of mobile applications and interactive software has provided choice for a range of people who previously did not have access to education in foreign languages.

But all languages are in a constant state of transformation, with new references to pop culture and idioms. And even with the literally thousands of language learning resources that may exist on the Internet, nothing beats having a real person to make sure you learn how to say "cool" correctly and avoid awkward, albeit technically correct, phrases.

Study online

Bab.la: free online dictionary, verb conjugation
Portuguese alphabet (pronunciation)
(Brazilian Portuguese)
Glossika uses the "multiple sentence method" combined with a spaced repetition system
Forvo - an online dictionary that will help you find out how to pronounce any Portuguese word
Reverso – online dictionary for words, phrases, idiomatic expressions
WR Wordreference – all words in this dictionary contain a discussion thread about their meanings