Learn why you should learn Portuguese
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| Hi! |
| Welcome to Introduction to Portuguese. |
| My name is Alisha and I'm joined by... |
| Hi everyone. |
| I'm Ana Clara! |
| In this series, you'll learn everything you need to know to get started learning Portuguese. |
| That's right! |
| And we're here to help guide you through your journey. |
| In this lesson, you'll learn the reasons why you should start learning a new language, why you should learn Portuguese in particular, and how to get started. |
| Why learn a new language? |
| There are countless reasons, but perhaps the biggest one of all is that it could actually change your life! Learning a new language unlocks new pathways that are off limits to you now. |
| There are certain things that you simply cannot do without having the technical or cultural skills that come from learning a new language. |
| Like working or living in another country! |
| Knowing another language provides you with greater job opportunities. You have the freedom to move to another country halfway around the world and be able to earn a living, or even better yet, build a career from it – instead of just being stuck in one place. |
| Language allows you to visit or live in places that you may never even have considered going, simply because that wasn't a possibility for you. Knowing another language simply gives you more options to choose from. |
| And learning a new language also helps you to be more open-minded and see the world from a new perspective. |
| Language and culture go hand in hand. The world is a big place, and by broadening your understanding of other cultures, it allows you to be more empathetic and understanding of the many different ways that people live their lives. With language, you're able to see and experience more, which helps you to grow as a person. |
| Learning a new language also improves your memory. |
| Several studies have consistently shown that those who study another language have improved memory as opposed to those who didn't learn another language. Learning another language also keeps your brain healthy by significantly delaying the onset of Alzheimer's and dementia. This difference can be as much as 4 to 5 more years of quality life! |
| And those are just some of the reasons you should learn another language. The list just goes on and on. |
| Now you know the benefits of studying another language, but why should you learn Portuguese in particular? |
| Why learn Portuguese? |
| Have you ever heard of Capoeira? Havaianas Flip Flops? Musicians Tom Jobim and Caetano Veloso? Or the movie City of God? They are all part of Brazilian culture! |
| Brazilian popular culture is widely known for its richness and diversity. The country's mixed background resulted in a unique culture, famous for its music, such as Samba and Bossa Nova, and Telenovelas, a type of soap opera watched in more than 100 countries worldwide. |
| Not to mention the Brazilian football team and players, cheered and followed by the whole world, and the famous top models that are from Brazil! Learning Portuguese will allow you to take in all that Brazilian culture has to offer. |
| Also, did you know Portuguese is the 6th most spoken language in the world? |
| Over 260 million people speak Portuguese today, making it the fastest growing western language after English. Portuguese is spoken in 10 other countries besides Brazil. |
| Brazil is huge. Not only is it the largest country, it's also the largest economy of Latin America. Brazil has been the world's largest producer of coffee for the last 150 years. And it's big in other industries too, being the South American #1 in the automotive, oil, iron, and steel industries. |
| Knowing Portuguese opens up many business opportunities. And knowledge of the language, of Brazilian culture, their work ethic and business etiquette can go a very long way in the world of business. Oftentimes, it could even make or break an important business deal. Knowing Portuguese then will put you ahead of the pack. |
| For instance, Brazilians' more relaxed attitude and pace often lead to more lengthy business interactions. Rushing these interactions, pressing for final decisions, and avoiding small talk and socializing may be perceived as rude and even untrustworthy. This could definitely influence the making or breaking of a deal. |
| We should add that only 5% of Brazilian population speak English. So, either for business or leisure purposes, speaking at least some Portuguese will really make a difference. |
| And who hasn't heard of Brazilian beaches, Rio de Janeiro, or Carnaval? |
| The many traditional festivities, the tropical climate, and the people's hospitality make Brazil a fascinating tourist destination. The country's coastline measures 7,491km (4.655 miles), and comprised of more than 2000 beaches. |
| Brazil is also ranked as the country with the greatest biodiversity in the planet, being home to 60% of the Amazon Rainforest and the Pantanal, among other Unesco World Heritage Sites (19). |
| Ok, then, we've talked about why you should start learning a language, and why you should start learning Portuguese, but how should they get started Ana Clara? |
| How to get started. |
| Well, it's as simple as learning your first word in Portuguese and building up from there! |
| The good news, though, is that you already know some Portuguese! |
| “Shopping Center” ; “Notebook” ; “Feedback” |
| There are many English loanwords that are used in Portuguese today, but the reverse is also true. Many Portuguese words have found their way into English. |
| “Banana” ; “Guaraná” ; “Cobra” |
| Even without teaching you any Portuguese, there's a good chance that you'll recognize some Portuguese words. |
| Let's teach you something that you might not know, but which is very useful. |
| Obrigado |
| It means “thank you” in Portuguese. But note that I said "Obrigado" because I'm male. For females, that's |
| Obrigada |
| That's useful. Let's not worry about Portuguese gender rules for now. We'll explain more in future episodes. |
| Let's just practice this word a little. Listen and repeat after Ana Clara. |
| Obrigado / Obrigada |
| Now you try! |
| Obrigado / Obrigada |
| Your turn again! |
| Obrigado / Obrigada |
| Well done. Now you know how to say "thank you" in Portuguese! |
| We've covered a lot of things already, so why don't we wrap up the first lesson and recap on what we've learned. |
| In this lesson, you learned that studying another language has many benefits, such as providing new job and business opportunities. Learning Portuguese will help you experience more of Brazilian culture and the country, where there's plenty to do and see. And to say "thank you" in Portuguese, it's... |
| Obrigado / Obrigada |
| In the next lesson, we're going to demystify Portuguese pronunciation by taking a look at the sounds of Portuguese, so be sure to watch the next video. |
| See you in the next lesson. Bye! |
| Bye! |
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