The Portuguese Language: How to Learn It + Useful Phrases

This article was written by Ania Szostek — a Polish philologist and cultural studies graduate who has been living in Portugal for over 10 years. She is the author of a series of travel guides to Portugal published by PASCAL.

The Quirks of the Portuguese Language

Let’s be honest — Portuguese is not the easiest language to learn. But for anyone willing to put in the effort and stay consistent, nothing is impossible. And it’s absolutely worth it: Portuguese is spoken by around 250 million people worldwide, making it the seventh most widely spoken language in the world. It’s used in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Cape Verde.

There are two official norms: European/Continental and Brazilian, which differ clearly in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. The European norm — used in Portugal — is the more “hissing” and hushed version, while Brazilian Portuguese is melodic and easier on the ear. Before you start learning, it’s worth deciding which version you want to focus on and sticking to it consistently.

Personally, I always recommend learning the European norm. Why? Because Portuguese was born in Portugal, and evolved elsewhere. If you learn the European version, you’ll find it much easier to understand Brazilian Portuguese or the Portuguese spoken in Angola. It doesn’t work as well the other way around — a Brazilian will struggle significantly with a Portuguese person’s pronunciation due to all the hushing sounds.

If you already speak Spanish or Italian, you’ll have an easier time. Many words are very similar, and grammatical structures and phrases repeat. The real difficulty starts with listening comprehension. Portuguese is phonetically very hissing (a bit like Polish), nasal, and on top of that, Portuguese speakers love to take shortcuts and clip word endings. For example, when answering a call from a friend, instead of the full correct form “Estou?” (pronounced: schtou) they’ll just say “tou?”

European Portuguese vs Brazilian Portuguese — What’s the Difference?

Before you start learning, you need to make one important decision: which version of the language you want to study. This isn’t a minor detail — European and Brazilian Portuguese differ enough that native speakers from both countries sometimes struggle to understand each other.

Pronunciation — the biggest difference

Pronunciation is what makes these two versions sound like completely different languages.

European Portuguese is hissing, nasal, and “swallows” vowels. Portuguese people speak quickly, shorten words, and reduce endings to a minimum. Example: the word “fazer” (to do) in a Portuguese person’s mouth sounds almost like “fzer”. For a beginner, this can come as quite a surprise — even if you know the words, listening comprehension is a whole different story.

Brazilian Portuguese is melodic, open, and much easier to understand for someone just starting out. Vowels are clearly pronounced, the pace of speech is more relaxed, and the accent is more sing-song. This is why many people learning “for fun” or through apps encounter the Brazilian version first — it’s simply more pleasant to the ear.

Vocabulary — same words, different meanings

Vocabulary differences are real and can lead to amusing misunderstandings. A few examples:

Word	Portuguese	Brazilian Portugese
Bus	Autocarro	ônibus
Train	Comboio	trem
Fridge	Figorifico	Geladeira
Smartphone	telemóvel	celular

Grammar — small but noticeable differences

Grammar is very similar in both versions, but differs in a few areas. The most noticeable is the use of the pronoun “você” (you, formal and informal). In Brazil, “você” is used universally in everyday conversation. In Portugal, “tu” is more common in informal situations, while “você” sounds slightly more formal or distancing.

Which version should you choose?

If you live or plan to live in Portugal — learn European Portuguese. There’s no point learning Brazilian only to have to reprogram everything later. Portuguese people will appreciate that you speak “like them” rather than “like a Brazilian.”

If you’re learning for yourself, planning a trip to Brazil, or simply want to start with easier pronunciation — Brazilian will be more approachable at the beginning.

The good news is that once you reach a communicative level in one version, understanding the other comes much more naturally. It’s not starting from scratch — it’s more like switching to a different accent and learning a handful of new words.

How to Reach a Communicative Level in Portuguese?

First, you need to accept that learning a language is not a deadline. You won’t learn it in a year. Learning is an ongoing process, an adventure and a journey in which you reach new milestones along the way. I started my own Portuguese journey in 2007. Even though I’ve been living in Portugal for 10 years and speak the language fluently, there’s always a new word or phrase to discover — and I love that about it.

You need to practise, practise, and practise some more — and most importantly, don’t get discouraged. Anyone who moves to Portugal has an incredible advantage: Portuguese words are everywhere you look, and you’re surrounded by native speakers at every turn.

Thinking about making the move? Read our guide on what you need to know before moving to Lisbon →

Lessons Are the Foundation — What Else Can You Do?

1. Listen to people around you — on the street, in shops, in cafés — to pick up basic phrases as they’re actually used in everyday life and colloquial speech. For me, in the early days it was a mild shock when every supermarket cashier rapidly fired off “quer saco?” (do you want a bag?) and “quer contribuinte na fatura?” (do you want your NIF on the receipt?). I’d watch how other customers responded and that’s how I learned everyday phrases. Dialogues in textbooks are often outdated or disconnected from reality — so pay attention to the world around you.
2. Spend a moment in shops looking at product names and labels — it’s like a picture book, only better. At the vegetable stand, one person says to another “leva feijão” and the other reaches for the beans. Three in one: you see the word “feijão” written on the sign, you hear its pronunciation, and you hear it used in a sentence (take the beans).
3. Immerse yourself in the language as much as possible, whether in your free time or while working: listen to the radio, to music, watch Portuguese TV (I recommend rtp.pt/play). It doesn’t matter if you understand almost nothing at first — what matters is that the pronunciation and accent (so different from Polish) start to sink in. Over time, you’ll understand more and more.
4. Follow Portuguese pages and profiles on social media. Interested in photography? Start following Portuguese photographers on Instagram or Facebook. Love cooking? Watch Portuguese cooking vlogs on YouTube. Into travel? Follow Portuguese travel bloggers and vloggers.
5. Talk to people and don’t be afraid or embarrassed. Portuguese people are genuinely pleased when they hear foreigners learning their language. If they switch to English, it’s not to offend you — it’s because they think it’ll make things easier, or because they want to show off their English skills (yes, really!). In neighbouring Spain, English is much harder to come by, which makes Portugal a surprisingly welcoming place to practise.
6. Start with Portuguese language lessons. You can find a teacher on platforms like italki.

Apps for Learning Portuguese — Which Ones Are Worth It?

The app stores are full of language learning tools. The problem is that most of them are designed with Brazilian Portuguese in mind — the European version is far less commonly covered. Here are the ones actually worth having on your phone.

Duolingo — a good start, but not enough

Duolingo is usually the first app beginners reach for — and reasonably so. It’s free, gamified, and teaches basic vocabulary in an enjoyable way. The catch? Duolingo teaches Brazilian Portuguese, not European. If you’re learning with Portugal in mind, you’ll need to correct pronunciation and some vocabulary separately.

Use Duolingo as a supplement — for reinforcing vocabulary and building a daily learning habit. Don’t treat it as your main source.

Anki — the best tool for vocabulary

Anki is an app based on a spaced repetition system. It looks unimpressive, but it works better than almost anything else when it comes to memorising vocabulary. You can download ready-made card decks for European Portuguese created by other users, or build your own with examples from everyday life.

Anki is free on Android and desktop, and costs a one-time fee of around $25 on iOS — well worth it.

italki — lessons with a real teacher

If you could only install one app and invest in one thing — make it italki. It’s a platform that connects students with teachers and native speakers from around the world. You can choose a certified teacher for regular lessons, or a “language partner” for informal conversation practice at a much lower rate.

One important tip when choosing a teacher: make sure they’re from Portugal (or Mozambique, Angola, or Cape Verde), not Brazil — if European Portuguese is your goal.

Pimsleur — learning through listening

Pimsleur is an audio-based course that teaches language primarily through listening and repetition — no reading, no vocabulary cramming. It’s ideal for people who spend a lot of time in the car, on walks, or working out. Pimsleur offers European Portuguese, which already sets it apart from most apps.

It’s a paid subscription, but the quality of recordings and pronunciation is high.

RTP Play — Portuguese TV for free

Technically not a language learning app, but in practice one of the best tools available to you. RTP Play is the official streaming platform of Portuguese public television — available for free, with subtitles on many programmes.

Watch the news, series, and documentaries in Portuguese. At the beginning you won’t understand almost anything — and that’s completely normal. The goal is to get your ear used to the rhythm, pronunciation, and natural pace of speech. Over time, you’ll start picking up more and more.

Find the app at: rtp.pt/play

How to combine these tools in practice

Rather than installing everything at once and quitting after a week, it’s better to build a simple system:

• Daily — 10–15 minutes of Anki (vocabulary)
• 2–3 times a week — an italki lesson or a Pimsleur session
• In the background — RTP Play, Portuguese podcasts or music while cooking, exercising, or commuting

Consistency beats intensity. Half an hour a day for a year will get you further than an intensive weekend course every few months.

Useful Everyday Phrases in Portuguese

desculpa — sorry / excuse me (when apologising)

com licença — excuse me (when trying to get past someone or asking someone to move)

não entendo — I don’t understand

pode repetir? — could you repeat that?

Onde é/fica…? — Where is…?

Como chegar a….? — How do I get to…?

Estou perdido/perdida — I’m lost

Queres combinar alguma coisa? — Do you want to make plans / do something?

Vamos beber copos — Let’s go for a drink

Saúde! — Cheers!

Multibanco — ATM / card payment terminal

Tem multibanco? Posso pagar com multibanco/com cartão? — Is there a card machine? Can I pay by card?

Quer mais alguma coisa? (said by shop assistant or waiter) — Would you like anything else?

É tudo, obrigado/obrigada. — That’s everything, thank you.

Que seca! — How boring! / What a drag!

Que parvo / Que bimbo — What an idiot / What a numpty

FAQ

Is Portuguese hard to learn? Portuguese is moderately difficult for English speakers. Grammar shares similarities with other Romance languages, but pronunciation — especially the European version — is hissing and nasal, which is the biggest challenge. With regular practice, a communicative level is achievable in around 18–24 months.

Does knowing Spanish make learning Portuguese easier? Definitely yes. Vocabulary and grammatical structures are very similar. The biggest difficulty comes with listening comprehension — Portuguese pronunciation is completely different from Spanish and requires separate training.

What’s the difference between European and Brazilian Portuguese? They differ in pronunciation, vocabulary, and partly in grammar. European Portuguese is more hissing and “swallows” endings; Brazilian is melodic and easier for beginners to understand. It’s worth choosing one version at the start of your learning journey and sticking to it.

Can you get by in Portugal speaking English? In Lisbon, Porto, and tourist areas — yes, without any problem. The further you get from big cities, the harder it becomes. Older generations often speak French rather than English. Basic phrases in Portuguese will always be warmly appreciated.

Where should you start learning Portuguese? Best to start with lessons from a teacher (e.g. through italki) combined with daily exposure to the language — radio, TV, music. Apps like Duolingo are a good supplement but aren’t sufficient as your only learning method.

How long does it take to reach a communicative level in Portuguese? With regular study (30–45 minutes a day), a communicative level is achievable in around 12–18 months. People living in Portugal with daily exposure to the language learn significantly faster.

Do Portuguese people appreciate it when you try to speak their language? Yes! Portuguese people react very positively to attempts at speaking their language. They sometimes switch to English themselves — not to discourage you, but because they want to make the conversation easier or simply show off their English skills.