Member Newsletter: Forum Announcement

June 5, 2019

You asked for it: By popular request, we’ve launched a Practice Portuguese Community Forum!

For years, we’ve been having fantastic conversations with members, directly via email. So now, it’s about time that the whole community can benefit from some of these nuggets that would otherwise be lost deep in the email archives.

In the forum, members can ask about anything related to Portugal and European Portuguese, as well as share tips with fellow learners. For example, there will be ongoing discussion about:

• European Portuguese grammar, expressions & vocabulary• Study tools & methods

• Portugal Travel tips

…and anything else that pops into mind!

You’re Already Signed In! 🔁

Since you’re already a member, you’ll be logged in automaticallyonce you’re signed into the main site.Just look for the “Discuss” link in the main menu:

The Whole Point of Language Learning: Community 🌱

Even if you enjoy learning on your own, the end goal is to interact with others – most obviously, with native Portuguese speakers*.

But have you considered that there’s also a huge community of European Portuguese learners out there just like you, going through a lot of the exact same experiences and challenges?

For example:

• When should you use “Tu vs. Você / o Senhor / a Senhora” (and the dozens of variations!) is a challenge that only a fellow learner can fully appreciate!
• “Ser vs. Estar” – The distinction seems obvious for a native speaker, but not all natives will be as stimulated and eager to deconstruct all the differences and exceptions like your fellow members!
• Need to prepare for the CIPLE exam, or something similar?
• Looking for European Portuguese textbooks, study tips, or TV shows?
• What about an official Practice Portuguese Music Playlist? (available on Spotify/Apple Music 🎵) – Thanks Molly! 👱‍♀️

And you’re in luck, because we have Practice Portuguese members of all age ranges, language levels and backgrounds, all with something unique to offer to the community.

* Of course, we’ve also got native Portuguese tutors in the forum ready to answer your questions and to make sure everything is explained as clearly and accurately as possible.

Stay Motivated in a Positive Environment 😎

Learning a new language isn’t easy. It’s often a very vulnerable, humbling experience.

Social media sites like Facebook do have some online communities for expats and travellers.

However, these groups often aren’t too focussed on language learning, and frankly, the conversation can often become judgemental, discouraging or even hostile.

The most rewarding part of growing Practice Portuguese is the ongoing interactions we have with our members.

Language learning truly brings out the most humble, enthusiastic people.

We’re excited to be able to carry that positive energy over into this new, welcoming group environment, where you can feel free to ask anything you want and trust that you’ll receive positive guidance and support.

If someone in the forum is beyond your current level of learning, they’ll certainly remember what it was like to be exactly in your shoes, so they will be able to lend a helping hand and help you cross the same bridges they did!

Connect Locally 📍

With members all over the world, there are probably other Practice Portuguese members in your city who would be excited to meet up for a coffee.

If you’ve got grand plans like moving to Portugal, it can be reassuring and motivating to have a teammate to help you throughout this transitional period.

Despite what some dedicated learners may believe, meeting other other foreigners won’t prevent you from integrating into Portuguese culture!

Instead, you can cheer each other on as you both work towards your common goal.

Get Started in 2 Minutes ⚡️

Again, just click “Discuss” in the menubar at the top of the homepage, or go to https://forum.practiceportuguese.com.

If you’re still skeptical or simply don’t yet have a question to ask, a great place to start would be to introduce yourself in The Caféand share your story about how and why you started learning European Portuguese.

(…If you’re curious to check out the hottest threads so far, you can browse the Top Topics section. Bookmark that page and return to it every day, so you don’t miss out as the community continues to grow!)