PortuguesePod101.com Blog

You have conquered the sometimes scary first steps of learning a new language. Your ears are used to the different rhythms of Portuguese, you can make all of those unique R sounds, and you can even write sentences about familiar topics in the language. Awesome! You’ve now reached the intermediate Portuguese level, and a whole new world is opening up! Being an intermediate learner in a foreign language comes with dores e delícias (“pain and joy”). On the one hand, you have already conquered many of the initial stumbling blocks and you can consume some Brazilian media with ease. But on the other hand, there is a real possibility of getting stuck and reaching a plateau in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and self-expression. Alongside a... Show more

Brazil is known for its natural resources and beauty. Animals and plants are something to behold if you’re visiting this country from any part of the world. Even though the Amazon rainforest is the most famous natural landscape in Brazil, the country is home to six more biomes—each with its own species!  To meet and interact with a whole new world of animals is an amazing experience. One second, we don’t even know a species exists. The next second, there it is: a completely unique being! Getting to know the names of animals in Portuguese could keep you busy for a long time...but it’s certainly a fun task, especially for animal lovers.  Our comprehensive list of animal names in Portuguese covers both native fauna and animals common... Show more

The biggest challenge for most language learners is actually speaking their target language. In order to have successful interactions with native speakers, one must have a solid working knowledge of the language in question. But luckily, we can also rely on subtle cues from body language, eye movement, and even the context to help us navigate our conversations with others. That is, unless we’re on a phone call.  When speaking on the phone, we no longer have this additional input to fall back on.  If the thought of having a telephone conversation in Portuguese makes you anxious, you’re not alone. This is a common fear among learners of the language! How can you expect to put together a coherent sentence on the phone with a... Show more

Are you learning Portuguese but feel that you’re missing the words you need to start participating in conversations? Studying a new language comes with its challenges, and one could easily become intimidated by the sheer number of words that exist.  Luckily, most Portuguese speakers get by on a daily basis with just around 1000 words. No need to devour a whole dictionary to start speaking the language; all you need to get started are some basic Portuguese words for beginners.  With only a few weeks of practice, you’ll have become familiar with around 200 words—enough to be considered a functional beginner. By the time you reach 1000, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a true conversationalist! Let’s start today by going over... Show more

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

Picking up a second language comes with several added benefits. To learn a new language is to acquire a powerful communication tool that will help you dig up new opportunities and get in touch with extraordinary worldviews you would otherwise never experience.  But considering the vast number of world languages you could choose from, why study Portuguese? After all, Portuguese is not a common choice among language learners and there are plenty of others that are higher in demand on a global scale.  Sure, eccentricity could be a driving force (we don’t judge anyone around here). But there are certainly more rewarding answers for why you should learn Portuguese. This language is often overlooked in a growingly multicultural world.... Show more

Grammar is generally not a favorite topic amongst Portuguese language learners. The sheer volume of topics, rules, and exceptions is enough to make anybody a bit overwhelmed. Verbs, in particular, make up an aspect of grammar that’s both super-important and quite complex. But don’t worry! We’re here to make it all a bit more digestible for you. In this article, we’ll break down Portuguese verb tenses into simpler terms to make the learning process a little smoother. We’ll begin with an overview of Portuguese verbs, conjugation, moods, and tenses. Then, we’ll look closer at each of the tenses, using examples to make the concepts more understandable. By learning the ropes of verb tenses, you’ll be taking a big step toward mastering... 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