Learn Portuguese for beginners

Portuguese uses the Latin alphabet, so you can read and sound out words from day one.

Nasal vowels, as in ão and ões, are the sounds that most often catch English speakers out. Hear them, then say them aloud and check how close you were.

• Olá: hello
• Obrigado: thank you
• Onde fica o hotel?: where is the hotel

1. 1

   Listen first

   Hear the Portuguese sentence before you try it so your ear knows the target.

2. 2

   Say it out loud

   Say the sentence three times. Slow first, then natural speed.

3. 3

   Build it

   Rebuild the sentence from its words so the word order sticks.

4. 4

   Repeat tomorrow

   Start the next session with yesterday's sentences.

• Only reading and tapping, and never saying anything aloud.
• Memorising word lists with no sentences around them.
• Waiting until you feel ready to speak. You get ready by speaking.
• Studying for two hours once a week instead of fifteen minutes daily.
• Expecting fast results. Portuguese takes about 700 hours to reach working proficiency, but basic spoken Portuguese comes much sooner.

Go deeper with most common Portuguese words, and useful Portuguese phrases.