What’s the best way to learn European Portuguese?
The best way to learn european portuguese is by listening to yourself. I know, it sounds really “cheesy” and a little transcendent to say this, but this is really the way to go not only with European Portuguese, but also with any other language.
Let me try to explain myself better. Every person is different, right? Some people like sugar in their coffee, some people don’t. Some people even don’t like coffee at all. Some people like to sleep on their side, some people prefer being on their back and that will be the best way they will sleep. Sure, they can “train” themselves to sleep in another way, but there is always one way that will make them sleep better.
Well, but you might be now thinking “What does coffee or sleeping have to do with the best way to learn European Portuguese??”. Well, I just mean that people are different, so I always tell my students that they have to listen to themselves and to what their preferences are. If it worked for them while learning other languages, it will probably work for them with European Portuguese too.
Let me give you some examples of the kind of students that I have come across with (and I do not prefer one kind or the other, I really think any of the ways you pursue to learn a language is good if it serves the purpose you want):
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF STUDENTS
#The traditional learners – These are the people that will have to sit down and get heads on on grammar and vocabulary and everything else that comes on a language book before they can start speaking the language.
It will take them generally more time to start speaking, but they will already understand you after a while, if you write them a note and they will be able to read European Portuguese in no time.
I like to call these people the “shy, perfectionist type”. I, myself have a bit of this in me, so this is in no way a criticism. It is just the way it is. We are all different.
Interested in European Portuguese books for studying? Check out my favorites here.
#The “backwards” learners – These students are normally more extrovert than the ones above, and they will like to learn the language “backwards” (therefore the name). What I mean by this is that they normally really prefer to learn as they go, not worrying much about learning the grammar and vocabulary before they start practising their speech.
They will make some mistakes, some will make a lot of mistakes, but they will still learn the language at their own pace and they will never stop speaking it when they need to. No mistake will make them stop.
It is kind of like when we are learning our first language, and it is actually getting pretty trendy to learn languages in this “less traditional” way. This kind of learning is especially good if you are living in Portugal or if you have a community in the area where you live of European Portuguese speakers.
#The mixed type learners – These learners will tend to have a little bit of the two type of learners above. Sure, they like to have some ground rules about grammar fixed in their heads, but they will also try and go out and speak the language, anyway they can.
I normally recommend this type of learning to students who live in a non-European Portuguese country, as they won’t have probably so much time and opportunity to practice only the speech part. On the other hand, I recommend that they have some grammar, vocabulary, listening and practicing speech classes, so that they can really apply it later when they have more opportunities to speak in a “real life” context.
Practice your Portuguese online on iTalki
So, as I said, these are, in my opinion, the three types of characters we can find in people who are trying to learn a language. As I previously said, there is no right or wrong kind of learner, you just have to do what you think suits you best.
However, I do have some tips I would like to give you if you are trying to learn this intriguing and fascinating language.
Check out the different types of students in this video:
TIPS TO LEARN EUROPEAN PORTUGUESE
#1 EUROPEAN PORTUGUESE PEOPLE SPEAK WITH THEIR MOUTHS PRETTY CLOSED
Ok, what do I mean by this? I just want to tell you that even if you are Learner type #1, you should make a little bit of an effort to start getting in contact with the language and to start practicing a little bit. I have many students that tell me that after following a grammar course online (which is normally Brazilian making it even worse since Brazilian Portuguese has a complete different accent) and they paid a visit to Portugal, they felt really frustrated because they couldn’t understand a word the people were saying.
We, the Portuguese, have a tendency to “eat” words, so the sooner you get in contact with the language by listening and speaking it, the better. Remember, even if you aren’t perfect, Portuguese people will appreciate that you are making the effort to speak the language. We are a small country, we feel really glad to see people appreciate our culture.
Get a glimpse of European Portuguese Words Pronunciation
#2 “REAL LIFE” SITUATIONS ARE THE BEST
Many studies (Genesee, 1987; Johnson & Swain, 1997; Swain & Lapkin, 1982, amongst others) have found throughout the years that if people are immersed in the language and the culture attached to it, they will learn it faster in general. Many of these studies are concentrated in immersion of learners of an L2 (the second language you are learning) in a classroom (students only heard and spoke in the target language in the classroom, i.e., if they were learning French they only were allowed to speak and listen French while in the classroom).
This has been proven very successful in many cases and me and many other teachers I know, are mostly using this technique, so when we are giving language classes we try to speak in the target language as much as we can.
Then, if in the classroom (which is NOT a real-life context situation) this has been proven successful, imagine what it is like if you are really “obliged” to use the language in your everyday life. That’s what happens if you live in the foreign country of the language you want to learn for a while, or if you join communities that use your target language, in this case European Portuguese, as their main way of communicating.
This is ALWAYS the best option.
Of course, if you are the shy type, it might be that you won’t speak for the first times…but don’t demotivate yourself. Know that your brain is learning no matter what you might think. Besides it is a great way to improve its plasticity, so it will always be a win-win situation.
So “real-life” situations are the best, but if you can’t afford this because you have no European Portuguese community near you or because you can’t come to Portugal, just try to have conversations with people (maybe a teacher or someone you know that might know the language) and try to immerse yourself as much as you can in the language.
#3 MOTIVATE YOURSELF
Practice gratitude. Meditate. Eat healthy. Sleep plenty. This will already boost your motivation. But if you want to motivate yourself concerning the language learning do exactly that and write a diary on your progress.
Write post-its and stick them on your walls with new vocabulary you have learnt the day before and only take it down when you already know what it means (more about this and other techniques in a future post).
And remember… ALWAYS. BE. GRATEFUL.. because when we learn a language, we are opening our horizons, we are getting closer as human beings and there is nothing better than this.
Hope this helps you in your journey. No matter what, the journey is what is important 😉
If you have any questions, thoughts or you just want to say “hi” (in European Portuguese), just leave a comment below.
Thank you and see you soon!
Bejinhos,
Mia.
I have been busy trying to learn Portuguese via Duolingo and have written down a lot of their words and phrases but when I have put them into practice whilst visiting the Algarve I learnt that I have been learning Brazilian and not European Portuguese. I am almost 80 years old and would like some free lessons in European Portuguese to see how I cope before signing up for any courses. Thank you
Olá:)
Thank you for reaching out and congratulations on trying to learn a new language! 🙂
I understand your concerns and if you want, you can try out my 3-day crash course for free here: https://learn-portuguese.org/crash-course
This is free and you can get a bit of a glimpse on how my course is designed.
Bear in mind that in my paid course, I explain things in more detail and go step by step with you 🙂
You can also contact me anytime you need and I’ll answer you ASAP 🙂
Please let me know if I can further assist you in anything.:)
Beijinhos
Mia
Hi Mia,
I relate to the last one – the mixed type learner. I get bored with too much detail & need to experience learning in a real practical situation, but also need to know the proper grammatical ‘rules’. I live in Portugal, on the Silver Coast so can experience speaking Portuguese (limited at the moment!).
Thanks
Wendy
Olá Wendy!
Muito obrigada pelo teu comentário! Thank you for your comment.
If you are a mixed type of learner, that is perfect =) You can benefit from all the materials available.
My course could also be a good match for you. Just let me know if you want me to enrol you in my brand new 3-day European Portuguese Crash Course. It is totally for free 🙂
It just came out yesterday so i decided to let you know in case you missed it!
Muito obrigada and I hope you enjoy your time there on the Silver Coast 🙂
Beijinhos,
Mia.
I like all of the styles, from studying texts, to speaking in the market place. I have ordered some of the recommended texts.
Hey John!
That’s great =) It appears that you are a mixed-type learner! That opens a world of possibilities to you =)
Great that you bought some of the books. I hope you will find them useful. Don’t forget to check out my online course as well, as I think you will like it too =)
Let me know if I can help you in any way!
Beijinhos,
Mia.
Olá Mia,
I am definately #1 traditional learner all the way. I am an American and have lived in Portugal for about one year with my Portuguese wife. I am embarrassed to say that I do not speak well at all. I will probably start with your A2 course.
Obrigado
Olá Richard!
First of all, thank you for letting me know what kind of learner you feel you are. If you are a traditional learner, I am glad to tell you that you will also most definitely benefit from my course. I made it in a way that will be helpful for all types of learners =)
Most of all, don’t be embarrassed and do not feel bad..all of us have a different pace of learning, and a lot of factors come into play.
You have already taken the first step, by signing in to my email list and by checking out my course pages. If you want my advise, I would really start with the A1 course and build on to the A2, because even people who already have a little bit of knowledge of Portuguese tell me they really benefited from the A1 course, as I explain little details that had never been explained to them before. Just a thought and an advise =) If you think you will be alright just with the A2 course, that’s also ok, of course.
I will leave you both the course page of the A2 and the bundle A1+ A2, so you can decide which one if best suited for you:
A2 course – https://school.learn-portuguese.org/p/learn-european-portuguese-online-a2-course-for-beginners
A1 + A2 bundle (it comes with 15% discount) – https://school.learn-portuguese.org/p/learn-european-portuguese-online-a1-a2-course-bundle-for-beginners
Let me know if you need any help with anything! Good luck studying Portuguese =) Don’t forget to also have fun!
Beijinhos,
Mia
I think I am none of the definitions but a mixture of them all. I do know that I would like to get a grip on the verbs that tie sentences together.
Hi Russell!
Thank you for your message =)
Being a mix of all of them is quite good because then the possibilities are immense =)
Just keep working and you will succeed, I believe! You will be able to understand those verbs too 😉
I am here if you need help!
Beijinhos,
Mia.
Hi Mia,
I am very much a traditional learner (I actually quite enjoy the feeling of knowing that I correctly conjugated the verbs in a sentence!). I lived in Portugal for a number of years growing up (at an international school, unfortunately), and I’m looking to try to refresh my knowledge, as well as plug some gaps that were never filled in the first place.
Thanks, Andrew
Hey Andrew!
Being a traditional learner is ok, because you can really take advantage of all the great resources out there!
Also, I think you will enjoy my online course – you will get a 10% discount at the end of the 7 days emails – as I explain everything in detail and also in a way that the more traditional learner will follow and understand without problems! Send me another message if you want more infos on this!
And if you need any further help with anything, let me know! =)
Beijinhos,
Mia.
Boa Tarde Mia, tudo Bem? I hope to learn some português with your on line course.
I live in an English speaking country so I will be completely dependent on your online course.
Things might change as time goes on.
I see the point about classroom learning and real life immersion.
Therefore I class myself as a mixed learner of português because I will be restricted to the internet learning.
This is a great way to learn some português and prepare for a visit to Portugal.
I know there are a number of teaching schools in Porto, and Lisbon and in Faro.
My language learning journey should be very interesting and fun! That’s is what I hope for.
Tchau. Patrick
Olá! Tudo bem, obrigada! E tu?
I hope you learn Portuguese with my 7-day email too and at the end with my online course, if you decide to take the learning process more seriously.
I do have a surprise for you at the end of the 7 days, so stay tuned!
It is really cool that you are a mixed learner, you are like me! =)
Ah, you are visiting Portugal…where are you going?
Yes, there are a lot of schools throughout Portugal, but learning online also gives you great advantages and I wanted to help people all over the world to learn this beautiful language from the comfort of their homes =)
I really do hope you have fun while learning! That is the ultimate goal 😉
Beijinhos and feel free to write me again, should you have any further questions.
Mia.
Definitely the traditional one, secretly wishing I was the second type to make my life easier!
Hey Sofia!
Yes, I know your struggle. But, anyways, it is better to accept how we are and work with that! I am sure you will do fine =)
My course is also dedicated to people that are interested in learning following a traditional way, but with exercises that can stretch your experience a little bit and in a more flexible way 😀 I made it in a way that can benefit any kind of learner 😉
I hope you enjoy your journey learning this beautiful language!
Beijinhos
Mia
Hi Mia! I am a mixed kind of learner. Thank you for sharing your content, its pretty awesome! Looking forward to continue learning!!!
Olá Lil!
Me too, I am a mixed kind of learner! That is good, because there are a lot of resources available to help you learn the language! My course might also be good for you, if you want to think about it! =) You also have a lot of free resources here, on the Materials tab. I hope you really enjoy the content and I thank you for trusting in me! Also, if you need anything, do not hesitate to contact me!
Beijinhos,
Mia.
HI Mia,
I am very much a mixed learner. Being a language teacher myself (ESL and Spanish), I do love the grammar and finer points. However, I seem to be rather inclined to just throw myself into it as well. I visit the Czech Republic on a fairly regular basis and have even started to throw myself into the Czech language — which is REALLY different than any of the languages I currently speak!
I will be in Portugal next spring and am thrilled to work through your courses to help me prepare!! Thank you!!
Catherine
Hi Catherine!
Nice to know you are a mixed learner, like me =)
I hope that you are still enjoying the course and that your journey through Portuguese will be smooth and fun!
Let me know if you need any help along the way.
Beijinhos,
Mia
Ola Mia
I think I am a “traditional” learner, I seem to retain the information if I can see it written and write it myself. I do however enjoy just listening, but learn less that way.
Thank you for all the material you provide for free!! I am moving to Madeira next year, the Lord willing, and will sign up then to do your course to prepare for the test for obtaining Residence. Do you perhaps know of someone/a school, or do you perhaps do the test for students?
Hi Anna!
I can totally understand that you feel like a more “traditional” learner, as I think I am one too he he. However, I do enjoy the other experiences with languages too..like listening to music and watching videos, etc. In my course, you will have a little bit of everything =)
I hope you really enjoy it! And do not shy away from starting as soon as possible, even if you are just moving to Madeira next year (congratulations on that! I hope you enjoy your time in Portugal =)). In Madeira, I do not know of any school that does this test, but you might want to contact INSTITUTO CAMÕES and ask them because I guess they probably know this.
Let me know how it goes with the emails and the courses! Keep bringing your answers. I love to learn from my students =)
Muito obrigada e beijinhos,
Mia.
Hi Mia,
First of all your website is great and I have already tried some of the exercises you have posted. I am eager to learn Portuguese and be able to speak and understand others as I shall be relocating to Lisbon in the next 6 months. Currently I have some confusion with prepositions as there are no fixed rules and they keep changing depending on the context. But i’m sure with practice I shall get better over time.
After reading your post, I can tell you for sure that I am a mixed learner. I try different things for different topics. For example I have tried listening to Fado with subtitles on youtube. Could you be so kind as to recommend other similar ways of learning the language? I look forward to your teaching tips and hope to be speaking this beautiful language as soon as soon 🙂
Thank you and have a lovely day ahead.
Kind regards,
Desiree
Hey Desiree!
Thank you for your time to read through my blog and for writing the comment. That is really nice =)
I am glad you found out that you are “mixed learner”, as this gives you a better insight of what you need to achieve success.
About your question. Besides all the tips from this post, you can also try the following things:
Please also try to check RTP.pt as well and search for RTP online, as this will allow you to check some programs in Portuguese. Some of them have subtitles, so that can help maybe =) I have a series I really liked, and that it is in Portuguese, called “Conta-me como foi”, which I think you can also find on Youtube. It is about Portugal in the 60s and 70s. I hope you find it and like it!
Also, try listening to the radio – I like RFM and Rádio Comercial or M80 (you can listen to them online).
Reading books for children or young adults can also help.
There are many things you can try, the important thing is to just keep going 😉
Have a nice day and please let me know if I can assist you in any other way.
Beijinhos,
Mia.
Hi Mia,
How is your course structured to allow the student to listen and speak? It’s difficult to tell from the promo video how much speaking the student will be able to do during the course.
Best
Thomas
Hey Thomas!
I apologize for taking a bit long to answer, but I was on holidays and not always connected =)
My course is structured into different lectures, all of which explore all of the competences that students need to develop when learning a language – speaking, listening, comprehension, etc.
Since my course is 100% online, the way I explore speaking and listening is by repetition and with some specific exercises. For example, I read texts, ask students to try and answer them without reading the texts themselves and then they have to compare their answers with the answers I give. I also ask the students to try and make half conversations with me, after hearing me saying and repeating certain expressions, dialogs, etc. I have several different ways of exercising these competences, and at the end of each lecture I focus a lot on the pronunciation, because it is one of the most difficult things in Portuguese, according to my experience with my students.
I hope this answers your question!
Kind regards,
Mia.
I really appreciated your comment on Brazilian Portuguese. I use Duolingo because it’s free. I assumed that there were minor differences in pronunciation but I could learn the words and grammar first, and then learn the correct pronunciation later. It turns out that pronunciation is quite a bit different for many words and Brazilians don’t always use the same words.
My wife was born in the Azores, met her sister for the first time last September—they didn’t know about each other until last June. Fortunately, her sister is fluent in English so they were able to communicate but we both want to learn to speak her native language. It’s tough; I’m 63, she is 60 and neither of us ever learned a second language (all USA citizens should be taught other languages at an early age so we can be bilingual). Your site is a great resource, thank you.
Olá!
Thank you very much for your comment and interest in my website. I am glad you are enjoying the journey through Portuguese =)
I think it is better to learn the European Portuguese variant right from the beginning because then it might be very difficult to shift..
Feel free to explore my free resources, as well as my 100% online course, which may be something for you and your wife.
By the way, the Azores are amazing! But they do have one of the hardest accents to understand (even for me, from continental Portugal..but it depends where from the Azores she is)!
That being said..I really think that if you put work in, you will be able to learn Portuguese, do not give up, even if it is hard =)
I am leaving here the link to my course, take a look if you are interested: https://school.learn-portuguese.org/p/a1-a2-b1-b2-course-bundle
Have fun learning Portuguese!
Beijinhos,
Mia.
Ola Mia!
Eu Sou a Faysal I am from Pakistan soon I’ll be traveling to Portugal and wanted to learn the language but can not find any particular teachers with good and easy methods. After researching your website and youtube video I found you a great teacher who can let me learn a great deal so I am thinking of buying your A1 & A2 level online course.
Muito Obrigado for being out there for us with your great teaching experience.
I have never spoken of Portuguese before in my life but I learned these Portuguese words just watching your videos and website.
Olá Faysal!
I am so glad you like my website. Thank you so much for your feedback.
I try my best to bring the best content and to make it in a way that is nice for everybody.
If you have any questions about my course, feel free to ask. I have been getting a lot of positive feedback, so I guess you might enjoy it too. I hope so =)
You are welcome, no need to thank me. De nada 😉 I am glad I can help you!
Do not forget to have fun while learning Portuguese and to enjoy the journey.
Keep in touch!
Beijinhos,
Mia.
Hi Mia! I’m a big fan of your work, your video about funny word puns really made me laugh a lot!
No cagaste tudo! haha
I would really like to ask you about the “EUROPEAN PORTUGUESE PEOPLE SPEAK WITH THEIR MOUTHS PRETTY CLOSED” part…
I’m Irish and I live in Povoa de Varzim, and although I have a really high level in Portugese from Brazil, I find it very hard to have a fluid communication with locals here, I have no problem doing 99% of things, but I’m going to make Portugal my home and I have a burning desire to integrate and make more friends with locals but I feel a bit frustrated when chatting to someone in a bar and I’m kinda struggling to really understand.
I was wondering would you ever consider making a speaking course based on these “reductions” in spoken speech?
I am an online English teacher myself with online courses, one of my most successful courses teaches these reductions.
I mean when English natives speak quickly a simple phrase like ‘ what do you mean?” can sound like “whadyamean?”
or more complex structures like ” I would have done it ” can become ” I would’a done it ”
Do you think there is anyway to map out these spoken reductions for continental Portuguese?
Terry
Olá Terry!
Muito obrigada pelo teu comentário e pelo teu feedback.
Yes, I do understand your frustration about the European Portuguese pronunciation..believe me! We “eat” the vowels a lot…it is really frustrating for Portuguese learners.
About the course..that is a really good idea and I am thinking of doing something like that! I just have to make a good compilation of all the most used reductions in Portuguese.
Here in Porto, especially, we tend to have lots of them. For example, something like “Viva o Porto” becomes “Bibó Porto” (that means something like “long live Porto” or “hooray Porto” ah ah…). Also, we switch the “v’s” for the “b’s”…so it makes everything more complicated.
But don’t worry, these things are not only happening to you. Many of my students go through the same. I hope I can help you get to the other side =)
Stay tuned for new courses and keep in touch!
Beijinhos,
Mia.
Hi Mia! I am married to a man of Portuguese origin and we are planning our first trip to his native country soon. I am thinking of buying your A1 and A2 courses online. Will it give me a chance to have access to “all” your other materials here, including the section on culture? And how often do you update that information?
P.S. I find your website fascinating, and I especially love your information on culture!
Hi Irina!
Welcome to my page and thank you for your questions and contact!
I am glad you are thinking of buying my courses. I have been having good feedback so I guess you will enjoy it.
The other materials I have online are totally free and you can check them and download them whenever and wherever you want and need. So whether you buy the courses or not, these materials are always fully available. I am also constantly updating the materials, more a less every week I add something new. In the culture part I should be adding something too soon, but some of my blog posts are also about culture, so make sure to check them out.
That being said, in my course I do cover many of the materials that I have for free in my website, only with more detail and explanations. The course consists of videos where I explain many different things about the language – pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary. I have a lot of listening and reading comprehension, lots of exercises and also quizzes to test your knowledge. This course also allows you to download it and watch it however you want and as many times as you wish. You can go back to listen to it again, to consolidate concepts and make sure you understand the topics given. Besides, I am also available to answer any questions you might have! At the end of the courses you should have a basic level of Portuguese that will allow you to understand basic concepts and conversations (level A1 and A2).
I hope that this answers your questions and I hope that if you decide to purchase the courses, that you enjoy your journey 😀
Most of all, do not forget to have fun while learning!
Thank you very much!
Beijinhos,
Mia.
Hello Mia,
really pleased that someone Portuguese has decided to help us. Been living in Olhão for many years and happily converse with the locals in my basic Portuguese, but as a child of Porto I expect you to smile at my predicament ! Algarvian Portuguese, espesially the Olhanense version, is a little different and for business purposes I want to become slightly more polite so looking forward to exploring you work.
Abracos; Rory.
Ahah! Hey Rory, nice to hear from you. I am glad you are enjoying my website and that I might be able to help you out. I know Algarvian Portuguese is not exactly usual, but I really enjoy all and every accent there is in Portugal. It just makes the country and language richer. But true, sometimes for work you might want to know a bit more “careful” Portuguese (we say Português cuidado – therefore “careful” Portuguese). I am looking forward to seeing you around more often. I will be adding more materials and blog posts quite often, so please do come and visit.
Thank you very much for your nice comment and see you around!
Beijinhos,
Mia
Hello Mia
Wonderful website. I have always been interested in learning different languages but time did not allow me or may be I was afraid of failing. I know 4 languages and may be someday I will add a fifth one too as your website draws me to learn this language. When I read about the types of learners, I think I fall into the traditional learner lol though I don’t like calling myself one. I am shy to speak in a language before I know the grammar and the pronunciation well. Thank you for sharing.
Cheers
Ramandeep
There is nothing to be ashamed of for being a “traditional” kind of learner. I consider myself as being one too…at least in certain things! As long as it works for you, that is what matters!
Please come back more often so that you can check the new posts and material I will be adding.
Thank you so much for your kind comment.
Mia
Ola Mia
I just came across your website and i’m finding it really interesting!!
Your blog is really good to clarify and summarise important things like pronunciation and useful sentences. I also enjoyed both this section – ‘best way to learn Portuguese’ – and the section on European vs. Brazilian Portuguese.
Thank you for your very clear and succinct website. It’s making learning E. Portuguese much easier!
Saudinha 🙂
Jo
Hi Mia, thank you again for this website.
It has me excited to think, that with your help, I might, after four-and -a -half years, breakdown the barriers that I have set up for myself.
I shall keep you appraised of my progress.
Thanks again,
Tom.
Hey Tom!
Thank you so much for your comment! I hope that you do find my blog posts/ pages and materials useful to you! I will also give a review soon with some pages I believe might help you learning the language faster, besides my own, of course! Just keep in touch ::D
Lots of success!
Mia
Hi, Mia!
I’m enjoying your website and learning about Portuguese. My former in-laws lived on the coast of Massachusetts near a Portuguese community. To hear the women there speak sounded like music to me. I’m amazed at your brilliance for languages. I don’t have that gift and I’m actually very self-conscious and reserved when it comes to speaking.
Gary
Hi Gary!
Thank you for your nice comment. I am glad you are enjoying my website and learning about Portuguese. I try my best to keep people interested in this beautiful language and I appreciate it that you enjoy my writing. Some people do say that Portuguese sounds like music, so I can imagine you have felt this way (although some other people have also told me it sounds really rough aha). About you being self-conscious, don’t worry. You are not alone. Just think that it doesn’t matter if you are perfect at a language. What matters is that you are able to communicate your message and people will be glad if they see you are making an effort to speak their native language. At least that´s my experience.
Please do keep coming back to see my updates. Who knows? Maybe you will be interested in learning after a while. I will be sure to try and help you achieve that =)
Thank you again so much and lots of success to you,
Mia
I’m your typical backwards learner when it comes to languages. Learn best speaking with others. The grammar I work on later, and as I’m a stickler for grammar, If I don’t get it learning the traditional way, I abandon that for other media, such as watching television with subtitles, and listening to audio books while reading.
Thanks for sharing, very fascinating!
I’m your typical backwards learner when it comes to languages. Learn best speaking with others. The grammar I work on later, and as I’m a stickler for grammar, If I don’t get it learning the traditional way, I abandon that for other media, such as watching television with subtitles, and listening to audio books while reading.
Thanks for sharing, very fascinating!
Hi Jacquie! Thank you so much for your comment. Being a “backwards learning” is actually a very common trait in people. Nowadays, it is becoming more and more common for people to approach learning in this kind of way. I find it quite interesting, to be hones,t since it resembles the way we learn our first language much more (as we learn by listening and imitating sounds that others make until we eventually speak ourselves)!
Once again, thank you for your comment and I hope you will come back to my webpage now and then! Lots of success and beijinhos,
Mia.
Hi Mia,
I am just wondering why there are two similar words for kisses:
beijinhos and beijos
Dee (from Australia)
Hey Dee!
Thank you for your question.
Beijos is the actual word, which means “kisses”. “Beijinhos” is the diminutive of “Beijos”. We use diminutives adding a “inho/inha” to the end of words. We do this to give it a cuter or sweeter connotation, in the case of “beijinhos”. Sometimes it can also give other types of connotations. Just to give you an example, if you add a “inho” to the word “homem”, you will end up with “homenzinho” (in this case you also add the letter “z” before, due to pronunciation issues), and you will be imprinting a bit of a negative connotation to the word.
To sum up, normally these diminutive particles are used to make words sound cuter or nicer, like in the case of “beijinhos”. However, sometimes they can have other functions.
I hope this helps!
Beijinhos,
Mia.
Hi Mia,
great work with your website. I think a lot of people trying to learn European Portuguese, but there is just not a lot of good material out there (most is Brazilian Portuguese). I am curious about your work and would be happy if you keep me updated about new material and courses.
Best regards,
Dominik
Hi Dominik! Thank you so much for your comment! I really appreciate it that you took time to come and visit my webpage. I am really excited about letting people know all the beautiful things my language has to offer.
Thank you again!
Mia
Olá! Estou pronta para começar as aulas online. Vamos começar…
Olá!
Então, podes ver o meu curso online aqui:
https://learn-portuguese.org/european-portuguese-online-course-2
I now have A1, A2 and a bundle of A1+ A2 with 15% off 😀
I hope you enjoy it!
Beijinhos,
Mia.