Start here: your first portuguese steps
First, choose your variety: Brazilian Portuguese (more common online, softer sounds) or European Portuguese (heard in Portugal, quicker rhythm). Both share the same basics. Decide what you’ll learn first so your ear adapts to one accent.
Focus week one on sounds and survival phrases. Learn greetings, polite words, numbers 1–20, and how to order or ask prices. Do short, daily sessions—10–20 minutes beats a single long study binge for any beginner.
- Set a tiny goal: 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
- Pick BR or EU portuguese and stick with it for now.
- Learn greetings, please/thank you, yes/no, and 1–20.
Sounds and spelling you’ll actually use
Portuguese vowels matter. A, E, O change with stress; nasal vowels (ã, õ) sound like air through the nose; the letter R varies (strong at word start in BR, softer in EU). Listen and repeat short clips online. Record yourself to compare.
Spelling helps you guess pronunciation: ç = “s”; nh ≈ “ny” (Espanha); lh ≈ “ly” (filho). Accents mark stress and quality (avó vs avô). Keep a simple cheat‑sheet pdf to review these rules in minutes before listening practice.
- ã/õ: irmã, pão (nasal sound).
- nh/lh: amanhã, trabalhar.
- ç: almoço, começamos.
- R: rua (strong in BR), por favor (softer in EU).
Core phrases and basics of grammar
Good news: word order is usually Subject–Verb–Object. Start with high‑frequency verbs: ser, estar, ter, ir, querer, gostar. Learn I/you/he/she (eu, você/tu, ele/ela). Gender and number matter (o/a; os/as), but get exposure first—correctness grows with use.
Memorize tiny sentence frames you can swap words into. Learn the polite forms early; they work in all contexts and make beginners sound confident.
- Olá! Tudo bem? / Oi! (Hi, how are you?)
- Por favor; obrigado/obrigada; de nada.
- Eu quero/preciso… (I want/need…)
- Quanto custa? (How much is it?)
- Onde fica…? (Where is…?)
- Eu não entendo. Você pode repetir, por favor?
A 20-minute beginner plan (free & online)
Consistency wins. Use free, online tools and a printable pdf word list to repeat the same essentials every day. Keep all materials easy to reach on your phone. Track streaks and celebrate tiny wins.
Tip: pair audio with text. If you can hear it and read it, you’ll remember faster. Keep one deck (Anki/Memrise), one short podcast, and one YouTube channel. Don’t add everything at once—add five new items max per day.
- Minutes 0–4: Listen to a short dialogue twice (slow, then normal).
- Minutes 4–8: Shadow 6–8 lines out loud; record yourself.
- Minutes 8–12: Flashcards (ser/estar, numbers, phrases).
- Minutes 12–16: Build 5 mini‑sentences with today’s words.
- Minutes 16–20: Review a one‑page pdf cheat sheet (sounds, accents).
Make it stick and stay motivated
Keep it enjoyable: music with lyrics videos, short reels with subtitles, cooking clips, or football highlights in portuguese. All exposure counts. Rotate activities but keep the same core phrases and verbs for several weeks.
Expect mistakes and keep going. Join a beginner WhatsApp/Discord group, swap 5‑minute voice notes, and schedule a weekly, low‑pressure chat. Small progress, many days in a row, beats hero sessions.
- Use micro‑habits: 2 lines out loud after breakfast.
- Create a “can say” list: update weekly (wins only).
- Repeat yesterday’s material before adding new.
- Plan one fun reward session each weekend.
FAQ
- How long to reach A2 if I study minutes per day?
- With 20–30 minutes daily, most beginners can reach A2 in about 4–6 months. Focus on high‑frequency verbs, daily listening, and short speaking practice. Keep a weekly review of your pdf notes to lock in the basics.
- Should I learn Brazilian or European Portuguese first?
- Pick the variety you’ll hear most (friends, travel, media) and stick with it for now. Your foundation transfers, and switching later is easier than you think. Pronunciation and some vocabulary differ, but the basics are shared.
- Is Portuguese hard for English beginners?
- It’s friendlier than it looks. Grammar patterns repeat, many words are familiar (animal, hospital, problema), and pronunciation becomes clear with listening. The main hurdles are nasal vowels and verb forms—solve them with daily, short, online practice.
- What free online and pdf resources should I start with?
- Use a free podcast with transcripts, a YouTube channel for pronunciation, and an Anki deck for verbs and phrases. Add a one‑page pdf cheat sheet (alphabet, accents, core verbs) to review for a few minutes before each session.
- Do I need grammar first or phrases?
- Blend both. Memorize a handful of phrases and one small grammar target per week (e.g., present of ser/estar). Build mini‑sentences daily so you learn rules through use. Keep it light and practical for a beginner.