Learn Portuguese
with Ling

As the sixth most spoken language in the world with over 270 million speakers, Portuguese is a relatively easy language to learn.

Here’s why:

• Category I language: According to the Foreign Institute Service (FSI), this means it will only take around 575 hours to reach proficiency
• Similar root to the English language: Portuguese shares a lot of similar characteristics with the English Language. For example, Portuguese also has nasal vowels and uses the Latin alphabet
• Straightforward grammar rules: Fortunately, Portuguese has simple grammatical rules and a generous amount of loanwords

We understand that not everyone has the time or budget to attend a class. So, how can you learn Portuguese by yourself and reach a good efficiency level?

1. Start with quality research: Portuguese has two variants: Brazillian Portuguese and European Portuguese. So, when choosing resources and material when you’re learning Portuguese online, ensure it is tailored to the version you want to learn.
2. Determine your learning style: Figuring out your learning style is important because it will determine what learning resources and tools you use. For more effective studying, you need to determine your learning style and then pick the correct learning tools.
3. Find a good language learning resource: Once you know your learning style, you can choose the best language learning resource for you.
4. Immerse yourself in the basics: If you want to become fluent in Portuguese, you have to understand and master the basics. Once you know the basics, such as the alphabet, general grammatical rules, syllabic structures, vowels, and others, learning will become much easier.
5. Create an effective study plan: Determine how much time you can dedicate to learning every day and make a study plan around that.

Additional tips for learning Portuguese by yourself:

• Get an accountability partner
• Have the right mindset for learning
• Practice speaking frequently
• Never give up

Learning a new language, including Portuguese, takes time. According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), it will take the average learner 575 hours to reach proficiency in Portuguese.

The good news is that there are ways that you can speed up that process. Here’s how:

• Practice speaking: Speaking has been proven to improve your learning speed tremendously. Whenever you get the chance, ensure you practice speaking Portuguese! Even if you make mistakes, practicing is better than nothing.
• Have fun learning: We tend to learn faster when we actually enjoy what we’re learning! So, watch a Portuguese movie with subtitles in your native language or listen to a Portuguese podcast to get your love for the language flowing.
• Use language learning apps: Language learning apps have definitely evolved over the years into great learning tools. So, find a good language app to learn Portuguese free, like Ling, to start your learning journey!
• Set goals: When you have clear goals of what you want to achieve, you’ll be less likely to fall back on “I’ll do it tomorrow” attitude. So, create daily, weekly, and monthly goals to help yourself get one step closer to fluency.

This all depends on your linguistic background and the learning resources you use. But, to give you an idea, the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) estimates that it will take the average learner 575 hours to reach proficiency in Portuguese.

If you want to know how to learn Portuguese more efficiently, then use the Ling app! With over 200 Portuguese lessons, you can learn everything you need about Portuguese and more.