Moving from the US to Portugal is an adventure filled with excitement, anticipation, and a healthy dose of overwhelm. As an American making the move, you’re likely juggling a million things: visas, housing, packing, and more. Amidst all the logistics, there’s one step that stands out as incredibly rewarding and truly helps you feel at home faster: learning Portugal Portuguese.
It’s not just about practicalities; it’s about connecting with a new culture, understanding your surroundings, and truly immersing yourself in the Portuguese way of life. And trust me, it can be a lot of fun! This guide will share the best way to learn Portugal Portuguese and make your transition smoother.
7 Fun and Effective Ways to Learn European Portuguese in Your Daily Life
You don’t need to lock yourself in a classroom all day to learn Portuguese. In fact, some of the most effective methods involve weaving the language into your everyday activities. Here are seven fun and effective ways to boost your European Portuguese skills, whether you’re already in Portugal or still planning your move:
1. Read Signs Out Loud While Walking Around Town
If you’re already in Portugal, this is an easy one that you can practice without much effort! Reading Portuguese signs out loud helps internalize key vocabulary you’ll use daily. Whether it’s an ad for a cell phone company, a menu outside a restaurant, or directional signs leading you to the nearest praia (beach), say it out loud.
When you encounter a word you don’t know, using the translation app, DeepL will help you learn vocab on the go. This simple habit helps you build your vocabulary and refine your pronunciation just by walking around. Afterall, immersion is one of the best ways to learn Portugal Portuguese.
A quick note: This tip is most effective if you’ve had at least some beginner’s Portuguese lessons. Knowing how to pronounce basic sounds will make a huge difference in your progress and confidence.
2. Watch Portuguese TV with Subtitles
One of the most enjoyable ways to learn a new language is through entertainment. Most streaming platforms offer shows with Portuguese audio and/or subtitles. If you’re completely new to Portuguese, start by watching shows in English with European Portuguese subtitles (and be sure it’s European/Portugal Portuguese, not Brazilian!). This helps improve your reading comprehension and vocabulary skills as you prepare for moving from the US to Portugal.
Once you have a little exposure, switch to Portuguese audio with Portuguese subtitles. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your listening skills improve! To make it even more accessible, begin with shows you’re already familiar with or those with simpler vocabulary, like children’s shows or sitcoms. Some of my favorites that are usually available in Portuguese include:
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (animated): Portuguese audio and subtitles.
- Bluey: Portuguese audio and subtitles.
- The Office: Portuguese subtitles only.
- Gloria: A Netflix original series specifically in European Portuguese.
You can also download the RTP Play app for free to stream a wide variety of Portuguese shows and movies, offering even more immersive opportunities.
3. Listen in on Café Conversations
Café culture is a quintessential part of life here, and it’s something that often takes Americans a little while to fully embrace after moving from the US to Portugal. It’s not just about the coffee; it’s about the atmosphere, the community, and the relaxed pace. And guess what? It’s also one of the best way to learn Portugal Portuguese!
Find a cozy café, order an espresso, and simply enjoy the atmosphere while people-watching. By actively listening to locals speak Portuguese, you’ll start to discern the cadence of their speech, pick up on common slang words or phrases, and get a feel for the natural rhythm of the language. Plus, you get to enjoy some tasty treats while you’re at it!
4. Integrate Portuguese into Your Favorite Hobbies
Taking up a new hobby or continuing an existing one after moving abroad to Portugal is beneficial in so many ways. It helps you develop a community, meet new people, and do something you truly enjoy – all while picking up some Portuguese along the way!
Attend Lectures in Portuguese
When we first moved to Lagos, my husband, Mike, and I attended lectures hosted by the science museum. Since most scientific names are rooted in Latin, we could often understand the general topic even with our limited Portuguese at the time. Listening to someone speak about a subject we were already familiar with significantly expanded our oral comprehension of Portugal Portuguese.
Experience Live Music in Portugal
Another one of our favorite hobbies is attending live music. We even worked with JamBase as press for many concerts, which meant we were often attending events hosted solely in Portuguese. This immersive experience helped us meet people from all over, with different accents, and gain valuable insights into work-related phrases.
Now that we’ve planted our roots, attending local fitness classes has been one of the most fun ways to learn Portugal Portuguese. Even though trainers often teach in both English and Portuguese, I specifically requested only Portuguese when we’re the sole English speakers. Through our CrossFit classes at Lagos em Forma (highly recommend for drop-ins!), we’ve learned Portuguese related to our bodies, inspirational phrases, and more.
And, of course, our absolute favorite activity in Portugal might just be eating! Ordering food at a restaurant is an excellent way to practice Portuguese, even if you’re just starting out. I highly encourage you to get out there and order only in Portuguese – it’s a delicious way to learn (more on this side of things in an upcoming blog).
5. Talk to Your Neighbors—Even if It’s Just “Bom Dia!”
One of the reasons people love living in Portugal is because it’s community-focused, so getting to know your neighbors is likely inevitable. In our case, we had a fast immersion into Portuguese thanks to our dogs, Ziggy and Ditto. The first neighborhood we lived in after moving from the US to Portugal was made up mostly of elderly Portuguese women who absolutely adored our pups.
Every day, we’d get questions about them like:
- “Eles são irmãos?” (Are they brothers?)
- “Quantos anos têm?” (How old are they?)
- “Eles são amigáveis?” (Are they friendly?)
- “De onde eles são? Estados Unidos? Portugal?” (Where are they from? US? Portugal?)
- “Que lindos!” (How beautiful/cute!)
- “Beijinhos. Beijinhos.” (Kisses. Kisses.)
- “São meninas ou meninos?” (Are they girls or boys?)
When I say we couldn’t leave our house without speaking Portuguese with our neighbors, I’m not exaggerating. Ziggy and Ditto became our built-in friend magnets, helping us learn a ton of Portuguese, especially when it came to talking about dogs.
Even if you don’t have your own furry ambassadors, a simple “Bom Dia” (good morning) with your neighbors opens the door to learning the basics of conversational Portuguese. You never know who you’ll meet and what you’ll learn!
6. Use Short Daily Journaling or Voice Notes in Portuguese
Journaling and recording yourself is a great way to practice Portuguese in privacy, even for beginners. Dedicate just 5-10 minutes each day to writing a few sentences in Portuguese about your day, your feelings, or what you plan to do. Don’t worry about perfection; the goal is to practice forming thoughts in Portuguese. This consistent practice is key to finding the best way to learn Portugal Portuguese for you.
If writing isn’t your thing, try recording short voice notes or videos on your phone. Describe your surroundings, talk about your plans, or simply recount something that happened. This helps you practice speaking without the pressure of a live conversation and allows you to listen back to your pronunciation. You can even send these to a Portuguese-speaking friend or tutor for feedback!
Posting videos of myself speaking European Portuguese on our channels has helped a lot when it comes to getting more comfortable with expressing myself to the world in a new language.
7. Take a Structured Course That’s Made for Real Life—Like Portuguese with Anita
While daily immersion is invaluable, a structured course provides the foundational knowledge and guided learning that truly accelerates your progress. This is where Portuguese with Anita shines and proves to be the best way to learn Portugal Portuguese comprehensively.
Her online self-paced course is designed to be taken anywhere in the world (even before you move to Portugal) and integrates seamlessly into hectic schedules. I especially like Anita’s approach because she incorporates cultural context, helping me understand not just what to say, but how and when to say it in a Portuguese setting. I continue to share her course with everyone I know because of just how much of a difference it made in me feeling confident and comfortable in our new home, especially when moving from the US to Portugal.
The Portuguese government also provides free/low cost in-person courses for people learning the language. I’ve met many people who do a combination of these in-person classes and online classes to truly get the most out of their Portuguese lessons. That being said, the majority of people that have the time for both classes (and sometimes an additional private tutor) are retired. For us, the online self-paced course works for now.
The Best Way to Learn European Portuguese Online
It’s crucial to understand that there are significant differences between European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. While both are beautiful languages, their pronunciation, some vocabulary, and even grammar can vary considerably. If you’re moving from the US to Portugal, studying Brazilian Portuguese can lead to confusion and make it harder to communicate effectively with locals.
Most popular language apps, like Duolingo, primarily focus on Brazilian Portuguese. That’s why finding a dedicated, online, and self-paced European Portuguese class for adults takes a lot of research. After months of looking, I was thrilled to discover Portuguese with Anita! Her course is specifically designed for European Portuguese, ensuring you’re learning the exact language you’ll use in Portugal. It truly offers the best way to learn Portugal Portuguese from anywhere in the world.
Start With One Habit + the Right Teacher
The journey of learning Portuguese, especially when moving from the US to Portugal, can feel overwhelming. But by layering these practical, fun daily habits with the support of a well-structured course like Portuguese with Anita, you’ll build confidence and feel more integrated into your new Portuguese life than you ever thought possible.
I can honestly say that learning Portuguese online before and during our move has made our transition smoother and more enjoyable than just about everyone else I know here. And the fact that I’m continuing my journey with Anita’s Intermediate Course speaks volumes about her teaching.
Could we live here and not know any Portuguese? Yes.
Would it be the life we have now? No.
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Note: this is not a sponsored blog. I truly love Anita and her course that much. We’ve since become friends and collaborate on different projects together. This blog includes an honest review of Portuguese with Anita and all the benefits we’ve gained by learning Portuguese from her. This post does, however, contain affiliate links to Anita’s course. That means that I receive a commission for each course you buy from this link at NO extra cost to you (in fact, the links offer bundle discounts)! I just want to be as transparent as possible!