Why does everyone think that Spanish is Portugal's official language?

Question

It drives me mad when people say "oh so you speak spanish" after I tell them that I am Portuguese.

Answer 1

If you are hearing this from Americans, unfornutely, I think we have very little knowdledge of Portugal. We don't see your country in our news much, and many just relate your language to Spain because you border that country. I've been to Spain, just never got you your country. I did encounter Portguese in Brazil.
For anyone elses knowledge, you and I both know your language is quite a mix of culture. I, myself would assume that you may understand and speak Spanish. However, I know this is not always the case, in every country on the border of another. I hope you will try to understand that in the US, foreign languages have not held a very important place in our culture. Sad but true, when one considers that so many of us are children of immigrants. I know first hand the beauty and understanding that a second language can give us. I'm of Italian heritage and learned the language as well as a little Spanish.
Try to realize that many are ignorant, not stupid, not dumb, just ignorant. I'll leave you a quote from a past president, Abraham Lincoln. Quote: "Everyone is ignorant, of different things."

Answer 2

Well, I knew that the language was Portuguese, but.. Well, probably it is for different things:
Portugal is next to Spain and every other bit of it is surrounded by water, so, it wouldn't be strange that you spoke Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish are so similar that people who know only a bit of one of them, or that have no idea, confuse it easily, specially because Spanish is a bit more "popular"
Just to emphacize this, I'll tell you that yesterday, me and my brother were at a restaurant while the Soccer game of Portugal started, my brother heard, without paying attention, the "Fair Play" thing, read by the Portuguese captain and he was really surprised to see a Portuguese "speaking Spanish"

I know it is really annoying that people judge you just because of your country. I, as a Mexican, experience it frequently, still, we should get customed and be patient with the ignorant ones.

C ya!

Answer 3

Most North Americans do not understand a lot about the Spanish speaking world, much less the Latin world. They have no concept of the difference between Spanish culture and Portuguese culture. Most North American think the second largest country in the Western Hemisphere is Canada, or maybe Mexico.

Answer 4

I know that Portugal's offical language is Portuguese. But I'm sorry that happens. I have a friend that helps me translate Portuguese every once in a while. (I dont' speak it).

Answer 5

I have no idea...maybe because Portuguese is a combination of many different languages including spanish. It kind of sucks how people can be so ignorant to the world.

Answer 6

Portuguese is very close to Spanish and if they do not know any Portuguese people then they have not been exposed to the culture. living in ca central valley we have a very large population of Portuguese so their culture is all around us. and most of our dairy's are Portuguese owned, they are hard working good people.

Answer 7

People are ignorant. You have to admit that Spanish and Portuguese look a bit similar, especially to those who speak neither one.

Answer 8

I know they speak Portuguese in Portugal but their neighbors speak Spanish so they should know it better than me.

Answer 9

No. Portugal official language is Portugese. Maybe, they like Spanish, and would love to hear you speak Spanish, that's all.

Answer 10

Same reason they call all people who speak Spanish "Spanish" and refer to the U.S.A. as "America." I was asked by a postal worker in a U.S. Post Office if New Mexico is in the U.S., and by a hairdresser in California (not an immigrant) if Colorado was next to New Jersey. Simple good old ignorance.