Back All VideosVideos

Tips & Tools For Learning European Portuguese

In this video, we cover some of our favourite apps, practical learning tips, and discuss some of the mindset challenges our members run into when trying to learn the language.

We also answer a question we hear over and over again: “How can I confirm the words I’m learning are used in Portugal and not just Brazil?”

And finally, we put an end to all the suspense and reveal exactly what we’ve been working on for the last few months! (Note that the initial launch will be limited to those on our email list, so make sure you’re on it if you want to be notified).

Update: The Learning Studio that we reference at the end of this video has launched! Find out more here.

Tips & Tools For Learning European Portuguese (Cover)

Download the Featured PDF for free below

  • Hidden
  • Hidden

    (Usually 1-2 emails per month.)
    By submitting this form, you agree with how your data is collected and stored according to our Privacy Policy. We respect your privacy and will never share your personal data.

    By submitting this form, you agree with how your data is collected and stored according to our Privacy Policy. We respect your privacy and will never share your personal data.

We hate spam and guarantee you 100% privacy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
DownloadDownload PDF
Right-click on the above button and choose "Save Link As" (or similar) to save the file to your computer.
Important:The file will be downloaded to the "Downloads" section of the app (accessible from the side menu)
Making a Reservation
Traveling in Portugal: Arrivals & Departures
Useful Vocabulary For Travel And Transportation
Asking For The Bill in Portuguese
How to Talk to a Waiter at a Portuguese Restaurant
How To Order In Portuguese At A Restaurant
Tips for Making Restaurant Reservations in Portugal
“With” In Portuguese – How To Use It Correctly
The 3 Most Important Portuguese Conjunctions
How to Say No in Portuguese

Comments

  • After looking for specifically European Portuguese sites and tools for years, this whole series is just fantastic – an answer to prayers. I feel like it’s Christmas in October!!

  • How busy you’ve been!

    I’m going to check out the apps I’m not familiar with – thanks so much for these.

    Here are my own favourite methods for getting some immersion in portuguese when I’m back in the UK:

    I watch RTP news in the morning and in the evening – I don’t understand much of the spoken language but I manage to pick up the occasional words. There is also a ticker which I can read.

    I try and watch one of the portuguese soaps ‘telenovelas’ as many of these have portuguese subtitles so you can listen and read portuguese at the same time. Although you mentioned it, I stopped watching english programmes with portuguese subtitles as I found my mind would follow the dialogue and ignore the subtitles.

    I have been using Memrise to increase my vocabulary and you can specify european portuguese courses. Many of these also follow some of the standard courses such as Português XXI. Some courses on Memrise are better than others, so I would be circumspect in which you choose.

    I have put my Facebook to Portuguese and also my Tom Tom Sat Nav – which are really useful to have nibbling away in your subconscious.

    Conjuga-me is in constant use when I’m doing course work and is a great resource.

    I have been using iTranslate and a translator (and dictionary) but it has a Brazilian bias which can be irritating at times. One of your suggestions may replace this.

    I’m surprised you didn’t mention any books or courses which are available. I am working through Português XXI with my tutor when I’m in Portugal, but supplement this with Gramática Ativa as I like the exercises. Although it may go against what you are trying to achieve, I do like using books together with internet content – they are not incompatible. In fact, some of the written material gives more detailed explanations of grammar which I like.

    I have a couple of grammar books which I refer to often, although as Joel says they are ‘não divertido’ – but you do need to understand at least some grammar. My favourites are:

    The Language Lover’s Guide to Learning Portuguese – Russell Walker and Rafael Tavares
    Portuguese – An Essential Grammar – Amélia P Hutchinson and Janet Lloyd

    Of course I use your podcasts as a premium member and try and go through at least one everyone – they are a great asset to my learning! In particular, your use of real vocabulary and expressions. The slow and fast pace.

    I hope this is useful to you.

  • I think youre just fab and i would like to say congratulations, i cannot wait to know more about your application that is coming soon. Well done guys, youre making learning so much fun.

  • Great job. Your greatest asset is your podcast at this point.
    There’s nothing that comes close to the quality of your podcast on the market right at the moment.
    Muito Obrigado!

  • We lived in Portugal for 9 months (that is when I first discovered Practice Portuguese), and next week will be back in Porto and Vila Real for a short stay. These lessons have come at the perfect time to help me refresh my language skills, and prepare to immerse myself again. I consider my subscription to Practice Portuguese to be an excellent investment!

  • Muito obrigada por todos estes materiais muito úteis. Estou ansioso por “Practice Portuguese’s Learning Studio”. 🙂

  • Bom dia!
    For “verb conjugations” I use http://www.coniuno.com/index.html. It also includes a trainer and lots of information. As a dictionary I prefer http://en.pons.com/translate (or http://pt.pons.com/tradução). It tells if a translation is PT or BR! And you can also listen to the words!!! So if they look the same in the both versions you can hear the difference!
    Above all, I’m so glad that I found your website, because trying to learn EU-PT and finding enough material is a hard way…. It’s so often mixed up (even in expensives course materials).
    Another recomandation is http://pef.pt/sitepef/feed/podcast/?podcast_series=efemerides. But attention: it’s very fast, but I like it for training “dates”
    Conclusion: this podcast is TOP!
    Muito obrigada!

  • Parabens – mais um excelente video com informação que esta façil de seguir. OK I know I got a couple of things wrong and I’m going to check what, but congrats on another good video and I’m looking forward to the app 🙂

  • Thanks guys – love your work! I’m trying to learn Português in isolation from my home in Tasmania so it’s great to tune in regularly to your resources. I’m very much looking forward to the new learning tool for beginners. Parabens!!

  • All three videos have been great. I’m really looking forward to trying the Learning Studio. I use memrise at the moment which I find very helpful but it’s always good to have more learning tools to try. Well done 🙂

  • Thank you soooo much. I am a total beginner but have been visiting my friends in Cascais for the past 4 years, and plan to move to Lisbon within the next year or so. This series of videos have been very helpful.

  • Hi, guys , I really wanted to thank you for those great episodes and videos. They are really saving me as I’m studying Portuguese at college and it’s really getting hard and depressing since I can’t find any EU Portuguese material on the internet . So Muito Obrigada. And if you allow me , I want to ask you to make your great app for free since I’m only a student and don’t make much money . And thanks again guys .

  • Love you guys! For the content and fun.I study portuguese by myself because I have many portuguese friends in Poland. I was searching a lot for a good app and I found Fun Easy Learn 6000 words in portuguese. Many apps has only little vocabulary but here are 3 levels and really helps.
    Thanks for your great and helpful job.

  • This website is awesome! It is definitely everything I was looking for but have not found! I also use Pimsleur. They have a European Portuguese course. It starts witht the basics and progresses. But what I like is you listen and repeat what the speakers are saying. Then on some of the harder words they break down the pronunciation. Between Pimsleur and this website I have learned a lot! I look forward to learning a lot more with you guys! Muito obrigado!

  • Guys you are doing a great job! Love your site and the video! Would be nice to have some podcasts, or videos or just a section for Russian speaking 🙂 Have many Russian friends who want to learn Portuguese but their English is quite bad 🙂

  • Guys – can you please be a bit more specific about the app – there are many called Portuguese Dictionary in the Android app store.

    Could you post a link to the specific app, list the app author, maybe show the app thumbnail picture in the app store ?

    Would appreciate it greatly !

    • The app they mentioned is called Portuguese Dictionary +, developed by iThinkdiff. The icon is green with the letters A and ã inside a book icon. I was able to find it by searching Portuguese dictionary ithinkdiff. This video is 5 years old, so there may be other good options now. It looks like this one has a free and paid version now — the free one has pop up ads.

      If you’re looking for translation, I would recommend DeepL Translate, or using the Translator tool in our own app, which is powered by DeepL. (As of today, our app is still in beta testing, but email us for details if you’re interested in using it.)

  • Molly –

    Thank you so much for that information –

    I see a few apps by that author with the icon as you describe, but for my Android device and OS version unfortunately I can only get Arabic, Hindi, and a few other languages – not Portuguese.

    No worries, I will look for some other alternatives.

    Damon

    • Ah I’m sorry about that! So strange. I’m able to get the Portuguese one on my iPhone in the U.S. I wonder if certain versions are only available in certain countries? Let us know if you find any good ones!

Any questions? Post a comment below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The subject is used only for admin purposes and won't be displayed in your comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.