Learned Portuguese? Learn this next
Best language to learn after Portuguese
Portuguese opens the whole Iberian and Romance world, with Spanish coming almost for free.
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Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team
Spanish · lesson preview
Step 4¿Dónde está la estación?
Where is the station?
- Order
- Translate
- Listen
- Speak
Say it out loud. Green landed, yellow was close.
Start free5 languages to learn after Portuguese, ranked
1. Spanish
A lot carries overThe easiest next step. You can read it almost at once, and the pronunciation is simpler than Portuguese.
Closest to English for English speakers · about 700 hours
2. Italian
A lot carries overShares much of its vocabulary and verb patterns, with spelling that matches sound.
Closest to English for English speakers · about 700 hours
3. Galician
A lot carries overA close cousin of Portuguese, so reading it is nearly effortless.
Closest to English for English speakers · about 700 hours
4. Catalan
Some carries overSits between Spanish and French, and shares many words with Portuguese.
Closest to English for English speakers · about 700 hours
5. French
Some carries overShared Latin roots and nasal vowels, with trickier spelling.
Closest to English for English speakers · about 700 hours
“Carries over” is a guide to how much vocabulary, grammar and sound you will recognise, not a measurement. Hours are for a native English speaker starting from zero; your head start will shorten them.
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Other starting points
What is the best language to learn after Portuguese?
After Portuguese, the best language to learn next is Spanish. The easiest next step. You can read it almost at once, and the pronunciation is simpler than Portuguese. Italian is the next best choice.
Which language is easiest to learn after Portuguese?
Spanish is the easiest next step, with "a lot" carrying over. Based on difficulty bands for English speakers, it takes about 700 hours, and you start ahead because of Portuguese.
Should I master Portuguese before starting another language?
You do not need to master it. A comfortable conversational level (the point where you can hold a short chat without panic) is enough. Starting a similar language too early can blur the two together, so build a solid base first.
Can I learn Portuguese and Spanish at the same time?
You can, but similar languages are easy to mix up. Most learners do better getting Portuguese to a comfortable level and then adding Spanish, which will feel much faster than starting from scratch.
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