Fado is a Portuguese musical style loved by people from all over the world! Learn more about its themes and possible origins.

Feliz Ano Novo! Find out how the Portuguese like to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

There’s a story behind Bolo Rei, a colourful cake that is always present at Christmas Eve dinner. Discover the meaning behind each component of this festive treat!

‘Tis the season… to spread misinformation about the origins of Christmas and Santa Claus! In this special holiday episode, Rui and Joel explore the food and other traditions of Christmas in Portugal, while featuring one of our latest Shorties, “a Consoada“. Boas festas a todos! 🎄

Christmas dinner is a sumptuous meal that brings the whole family to the table for socialization and celebration. Learn more about the treats and traditions of Christmas Eve in Portugal.

Portugal has several traditional folk dances, each expressing the soul of the people from different regions throughout the country.

Maria and José are a couple from Porto who traveled to Coimbra on a tour organized by the parish council. After a disappointing experience, will they be bold enough to complain to the mayor?

Maria do Maria is the most important work of the filmmaker Leitão de Barros and a fundamental point in the history of Portuguese cinema. Learn more about this classic silent film from the 1930s.

Tomar is the perfect destination for those who enjoy a charming getaway in a city full of history. Every 4 years, Tomar attracts thousands of people for a lively festivity that brings colours and happiness to the streets.

Daily routines: tedious for some, but essential for others. Embrace our customs by following along with a typical Portuguese daily routine.

Learn how to order a coffee in Portugal, a task more complex than it seems! There are several types available and the lingo can vary from city to city. Don’t miss out on Portugal’s coffee culture, an essential part of daily life!

Portugal is a very special country that brings so much unique value to the world. See why “quality over quantity” is an important notion in appreciating all that this country has to offer.

A life full of profound suffering was transformed into beautiful poetry. Meet Florbela Espanca, a successful Portuguese poet who died at only 36 years of age.

Welcome to Portugal! With its interesting history, lovely climate, and amazing blend of cultures, it’s no wonder that more and more foreigners are deciding to settle down here. Get lost in this country of smiles and breathtaking landscapes!

Fernando Pessoa, one of the greatest poets of the early 20th century, was a singular man with plural artistic identities. Learn more about one of the most important literary figures in Portuguese history.

The sardine is a very important fish for Portuguese people and is highly consumed during the Popular Saints’ Festivals. Learn more about the economic and social impact of the sardine and the tasty meals that can be prepared with it.

Have you ever wondered why people from Porto and Lisbon make fun of each other? It’s not just about the accent. Learn more about the origins of their nicknames and the history behind this rivalry.

Learn about the amazing gastronomy of Portugal and its most famous pastry: the Pastel de Nata. Discover how this Portuguese custard pie came to be, its ingredients, and its popularity not only with the locals, but tourists as well!

Just like its people, the Portuguese language is very courteous. Below are just some of the many ways to express basic, everyday courtesy in Portuguese:

Please

In Portuguese, please can be por favor please or se faz favor please. They’re both equally correct and used in the same situations. Example:

Poderia trazer-me água, por favor? Could you bring me some water, please?

We Portuguese tend to shorten words whenever we can. So don’t be confused if instead of se faz favor you hear ´faz favor in fast, informal speech.

Thank You

The Portuguese expression is: Obrigado Obliged

It’s said to be a leftover from an expression that went more or less like “I am obliged (obrigado) to return your favour”. In fact, the English expression “much obliged” has the exact same meaning and would also be an accurate translation of Muito obrigado Thank you very much

Because you are the one who feels obliged to return the favour, your thank you must

There are many ways to say goodbye in European Portuguese, depending on who you are talking to and how long it will be until you see them again.

This holiday season, a Practice Portuguese TV reporter takes to the streets to hear directly from Portuguese natives about their family Christmas traditions… until a particularly talkative woman steals the show!

Whether you’re just visiting or planning to live in Portugal, learning some food vocabulary is going to be pretty important! 😆

Let’s start with comer fora going out to eat…

Breakfast & Coffee

There are cafés cafés, coffee shops and pastelarias bakeries, which are often part of the same establishment, for snacks and light meals. This is where you’ll go for um pequeno-almoço a breakfast or um lanche a snack.

Perhaps you’ll ask for um café a coffee and the world-famous pastel de nata custard tart. Note: A pastel is usually a small tart or cake, which can be sweet, like the pastel de nata, or savoury, like the pastel de bacalhau codfish cake.

Unfortunately for those who like protein-rich breakfasts, it’s less common to find ovos eggs on the traditional Portuguese breakfast menu.

There are many different typical coffee beverages in Portugal. If you just order um café a coffee you will receive an espresso, unless you specify otherwise. Some of the most common options are

Rui Sénior is back with an important message for all those who enjoy eating snails! Learn more about the important cause he’s standing up for, and find out how you can help…

Today we learn about one of the most important symbols of Portuguese culture, found all over the walls and buildings throughout the country – azulejos (tiles). As always, we explore new vocabulary and grammar, and correct more of Joel’s “pronúncia de estrangeiro!”