Learn Portuguese for Brazil, Portugal and beyond
Portuguese is spoken on four continents, and it sounds quite different depending on where you land: open and musical in Brazil, compact and fast in Portugal. The grammar is the same, the vocabulary mostly shared — but you will want to practise the version you are going to use, out loud.
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What makes Portuguese worth it — and what makes it hard
A language of more than 200 million people
Portuguese is the official language of Brazil, Portugal, Angola, Mozambique and several other countries — one of the most spoken languages in the world and the most spoken in the Southern Hemisphere.
Brazil alone is a reason
Brazil is the largest country in South America, with a huge music, football and business culture. Very few Brazilians you meet day to day will switch to English for you.
Nasal sounds make the difference
Sounds like "ão" in "não" and "pão" have no English equivalent. Spanish speakers can read Portuguese easily but are often not understood until they practise these sounds.
A tutor you talk to, focused on what trips Portuguese learners up
In every language, your Bliss tutor explains in the language you already speak, has you say the Portuguese out loud, and corrects the sentence you just said. For Portuguese specifically:
Say which Portuguese you need
Tell your tutor whether you are preparing for Brazil or for Portugal, and ask about the differences whenever they come up — "você" or "tu", "banheiro" or "casa de banho".
Nasal vowels and word endings, corrected
When a nasal sound or a swallowed ending changes how you are understood, your tutor catches it on your sentence and has you say it again.
Explained in your own language
Beginners get explanations in their own language and short Portuguese phrases to repeat. Spanish speakers get the false friends pointed out as they happen.
Bliss recommends Alex for Portuguese: a calm, patient bilingual tutor. Any of the eight Bliss tutors can teach Portuguese if you would rather pick another face.
Portuguese phrases for your first week
Ten phrases, with notes where Brazil and Portugal differ. The respelling follows Brazilian pronunciation.
- Tudo bem? TOO-doo bayn How’s it going? The standard greeting in Brazil; the answer is also "Tudo bem!".
- Obrigado. / Obrigada. oh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah Thank you. It follows the speaker: men say "obrigado", women say "obrigada".
- Quanto custa? KWAHN-too KOOS-tah How much is it?
- A conta, por favor. ah KOHN-tah, poor fah-VOHR The check, please.
- Não entendi. nown en-ten-JEE I didn’t understand. In Brazil "di" often sounds like "jee".
- Pode repetir, por favor? POH-jee heh-peh-CHEER Could you repeat, please?
- Com licença. kohn lee-SEN-sah Excuse me (to get past).
- Onde fica o banheiro? OHN-jee FEE-kah oo bah-NYAY-roo Where is the bathroom? In Portugal: "a casa de banho".
- Estou aprendendo português. es-TOH ah-pren-DEN-doo por-too-GAYS I’m learning Portuguese. In Portugal: "Estou a aprender português."
- Beleza! beh-LEH-zah Cool! / Deal! Very Brazilian and very casual.
Learning Portuguese with Bliss: questions, answered
Does Bliss teach Brazilian or European Portuguese?
Tell your tutor which one you need. The grammar is shared; your tutor can point out where pronunciation, vocabulary and forms of address differ between Brazil and Portugal.
Is Portuguese easy if I already speak Spanish?
Reading, yes — the two languages share most of their vocabulary. Speaking and listening take more work because of nasal vowels and reduced endings, and some words look alike but mean different things.
How long does it take to learn Portuguese?
The US Foreign Service Institute places Portuguese in its easiest group for English speakers, at roughly 24 to 30 weeks of full-time study for professional proficiency.
Who teaches Portuguese in Bliss?
Bliss recommends Alex, a patient bilingual tutor, and you can switch to any of the other seven tutors whenever you want.
Learning more than one language?
Bliss teaches ten languages with the same tutors. Switch language whenever you want — no second app, no restart.
Start speaking Portuguese today
Download Bliss free on the App Store, pick Portuguese, and say your first sentence to Alex.