No language would be complete without its unique quirks and imperfections—like all of those small, seemingly meaningless words and sounds you hear in conversations! Yes, we’re talking about filler words. They may be unnecessary, but they’re definitely present in everyday conversations and other forms of speech.  Portuguese filler words vary immensely between countries, so that even native speakers from Europe have difficulty understanding the Brazilian counterparts of their everyday fillers (and vice-versa). But after reading this handy guide, you’ll be able to understand and use filler words in Portuguese yourself! As you can probably imagine, filler words get a lot of hate. Some think they’re grammatical crutches used specially by... Show more

Everyone knows that love is the universal language... But still, learning the mother tongue of your beloved or potential love interest can do no harm when it comes to flirting or enhancing your communication.  Trust us: Saying "I love you," in Portuguese to a native speaker is the surest way to capture that person’s heart! After all, wouldn’t you like to see an attractive foreigner sweat a little bit to get your attention in your mother tongue?  But while there’s beauty in this simplicity, there are many steps and eventualities one must get through before reaching the "I love you" stage.  This collection of Portuguese love phrases will serve as a reference for all the basics you need to know for every step of a relationship.... Show more

Are you the type of person who has trouble saying no? Or, on the opposite side of the spectrum, is saying no your way of life? Regardless of your answer, learning how to deny something, answer negatively, or simply say no in Portuguese is a super-important step in your language-learning journey. After all, without the power of "no," mix-ups and miscommunication could happen. Thankfully, you won’t find negation in Portuguese particularly difficult, as it has many similarities to negation in English. After learning just a few negative words and sentences, you’ll be prepared to deny anything.  Don’t worry about sounding too negative after this article, though. We’ll look into ways to make a negative sentence sound polite, teach you the... Show more

Most aspiring language learners ask themselves this fundamental question at some point: How long does it take to learn Portuguese?  Building knowledge is very fulfilling and leads to expectations of improvement, so it’s only natural to wonder what kind of time commitment you’re looking at. However, the answer to this question is quite subjective!  For example, what’s your definition of "learning" in the first place?  No, we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel.  Everyone needs to master the same basic grammar concepts and learn the same essential vocabulary. There’s definitely a learning curve. But one of the biggest factors in how long it takes to learn Portuguese is the level of proficiency one wants to achieve.  For... Show more

There’s something very satisfying about using a proverb that perfectly fits the situation. These gems of popular wisdom are passed from generation to generation, sometimes suffering alterations and adaptations, but always remaining witty or wise. Portuguese proverbs are no exception, carrying much meaning in a few words. Proverbs are also a repository of local culture. Many times, a proverb only makes sense in one place or culture until explained, because it’s very closely tied to local traditions and mindsets. It’s also interesting to see how globalization, miscegenation, and cultural exchanges are reflected in proverbs. Studying Brazilian proverbs will help you understand a bit more about the country and its people, and also... Show more

All you need to know before landing in the Wonderful City for a good time So, you’re booking a trip to Rio de Janeiro. A lot has been said and sung about the city’s natural beauty and cultural diversity, but it’s impossible to grasp entirely the fascination behind its beaches, architecture, food, dances, and people. Rio de Janeiro is the famous postcard of Brazil, and there’s a reason for this. Actually, a lot of reasons! The city is a marvel unlike anything else in the world, hence the importance of getting the facts straight before packing up and enjoying a memorable trip. This is where our handy Rio de Janeiro travel guide comes in!  There are hundreds of attractions you could see in this vast city, but time is limited. To help... Show more

In this interconnected world, it’s no surprise that many English words have made their way into the Portuguese vocabulary. As we consume entertainment from other cultures and travel the globe, the constant exchanges result in new words and an ever-expanding language.  The term Porglish (or Portuglish) refers to the phenomenon of using both English and Portuguese words in a given sentence. Many of the common English words used in Portuguese entered the language via English speakers living in Portuguese-speaking countries (and vice-versa). Now, with the internet and the limitless opportunities to watch movies or listen to songs from anywhere in the world, the Porglish phenomenon has become more widespread.  For Portuguese-speaking... Show more

Music is a universal language. If it appeals to one person, it may appeal to others as well and lead to communication. Well, poetry isn’t that far off from music! And what is poetry but words that contain music within themselves to produce a more potent feeling?  Good poetry casts a net of fascination over those people who devote their time to understanding its meaning and the sounds it contains. In this vein, Portuguese quotes are similar to poetry. From expressing an individual verve to passing down popular knowledge, these artful words can serve as a gateway to communication and mutual understanding. What’s more, studying quotes in Portuguese can be useful to you as a language learner! Doing so will allow you to learn rich... Show more

When it comes to conducting business, knowing the everyday vocabulary might not be enough. There are plenty of situation-specific sentences, words, and greetings that you should become familiar with in order to create an amazing first impression and navigate professional relationships. So whether you’re keen on working in Brazil or you have a business trip lined up soon, it will be very helpful to master some Portuguese business phrases. Fortunately, things won’t get overly complicated in this article! You don’t have to worry about learning complex ways of addressing people or memorizing huge lists of vocabulary that you’ll rarely use. We’ll focus on introducing handy vocabulary for different situations and helping you understand some... Show more

Learning a new language is one of the best decisions a person can make. It widens one’s horizons, opens professional and social doors, and it even has health benefits! But we also know it comes with its challenges, so choosing the right language to learn is an important step. One of the questions you might be asking yourself right now is: "Is Portuguese hard to learn?" The answer is…it depends. I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but bear with me! It will all make sense really soon.  One factor that can affect whether Portuguese is hard for you or not is what languages you already know. Portuguese is one of the Romance languages, so if you know another Romance language, you have a huge advantage!  Another important... Show more