Say it in Portuguese: Quero aprender português
The most natural way to say “I want to learn Portuguese” is: Quero aprender português. You can also say: Eu quero aprender português (adding eu for emphasis). For a more polite tone: Gostaria de aprender português.
Pronunciation helper (Brazilian-style): Quero (KEH-roh), aprender (ah-prehn-DER), português (por-too-GUEHZ). European Portuguese sounds a bit tighter, but the phrase is the same.
Useful follow-ups for beginners: Sou iniciante (I’m a beginner). Falo um pouco (I speak a little). Pode falar mais devagar, por favor? (Can you speak more slowly, please?)
- Quero aprender português.
- Eu quero aprender português.
- Gostaria de aprender português.
- Sou iniciante.
- Pode falar mais devagar, por favor?
The basics for beginners: greetings and clarity
Start with simple greetings and survival phrases you’ll use every day. Aim to understand the meaning and say them clearly. Don’t worry about perfection; focus on being understood.
Pronunciation tips: final “s” often sounds like “sh” in Brazilian Portuguese (português → guehz). Nasal sounds (ão, õe, êm) are common; relax your mouth and let air flow through the nose slightly. Stress usually falls on the second-to-last syllable unless there’s an accent mark.
- Oi/Olá — Hi/Hello
- Tudo bem? — How are you? (casual)
- Sim / Não — Yes / No
- Por favor — Please; Obrigado/Obrigada — Thank you (m/f)
- Desculpa — Sorry; Com licença — Excuse me
- Não entendo — I don’t understand
- Pode repetir? — Can you repeat?
- Mais devagar, por favor — More slowly, please
Learn in minutes: a tiny daily routine
Consistency beats intensity. Do 10–15 minutes daily. Keep it free and online so you can start now. Use short, clear Portuguese and repeat the same micro-tasks. If you like paper, make a one-page PDF cheat sheet with your top 20 phrases and review it every day.
Tip: time your practice. When the minutes end, stop, even if you want more. This keeps motivation high for beginners.
- 3 min: Review your PDF phrase sheet (read aloud).
- 4 min: Listen to a slow Portuguese clip (same clip all week).
- 3 min: Shadow 5–7 lines (speak with the audio).
- 3 min: Say your mini-intro: “Quero aprender português. Sou iniciante…”
- 2 min: Quick vocab: numbers 1–10, days, or food words.
Grammar basics you’ll actually use
Word order is mostly Subject–Verb–Object: Eu estudo português. To make it negative, add não before the verb: Eu não estudo.
Articles and gender: o (the, m.), a (the, f.), os (m. pl.), as (f. pl.). Many words ending in -o are masculine; -a often feminine (with exceptions).
Core verbs in the present (I/you/we forms are enough for a beginner):
Falar (to speak): Eu falo; Você/Ele/Ela fala; Nós falamos; Vocês/Eles falam.
Ser (to be, permanent): Eu sou, Você é. Estar (to be, temporary): Eu estou, Você está. Use ser for identity/origin (Eu sou do Brasil); estar for states/locations (Estou cansado; Estou em casa).
Useful pattern: Quero + infinitive. Quero aprender. Quero falar. Quero praticar. This covers a lot of real-life needs without complicated grammar.
- SVO order: Eu falo português.
- Negation: Eu não falo.
- Articles: o livro, a casa, os livros, as casas.
- Ser vs. estar: identity vs. state/location.
- Pattern: Quero + infinitive (Quero praticar hoje).
Free online tools and simple resources
You can learn a lot for free. Mix one video source, one audio source, and one reference. Keep all resources beginner-friendly and slow. Save key phrases to a personal PDF you can print or keep on your phone.
Search ideas: “Portuguese for beginners slow,” “Brazilian Portuguese podcast beginner,” “European Portuguese beginners dialogues,” “frequency list Portuguese PDF.”
- Slow YouTube lessons in Portuguese (use subtitles).
- Beginner podcasts with transcripts (shadow 1 episode per week).
- Online dictionaries with audio examples.
- A spaced-repetition app for 10–20 words per week.
- A one-page PDF with your top phrases and verb forms.
FAQ
- How do I say “I want to learn Portuguese” in Portuguese?
- Say: Quero aprender português. More formal: Gostaria de aprender português. Add: Sou iniciante (I’m a beginner).
- Brazilian vs. European Portuguese: which should I learn first?
- Choose the variety you’ll hear most. Both share the same basics. Pronunciation and some vocabulary differ, but your foundation will transfer.
- How many minutes should a beginner study per day?
- Start with 10–15 minutes daily. Short, focused sessions beat long, rare ones. Repeat the same small tasks so progress feels easy.
- Can I learn Portuguese online for free?
- Yes. Use slow YouTube lessons, beginner podcasts, and free dictionaries. Make a custom PDF cheat sheet to review anywhere.
- Should I focus on grammar or speaking first?
- Do both lightly. Learn the basics (negation, articles, ser/estar) while speaking simple lines daily: Quero aprender; Eu sou…; Eu moro em…