How long to learn Brazilian Portuguese?

Question

How long do you think it would take someone who is near fluent in Spanish to learn Brazilian Portuguese?

Answer 1

For a Spanish speaker:

4-6 months to learn the basics, a lifetime to learn...

Much of the grammar is the same as Spanish, except for a few big things: object pronouns (which Brazilians don't quite get either), the future subjunctive, and the tendency to use the preterite instead of the present participle.

The pronunciation is difficult. In fact, it will spoil your Spanish after awhile, because many of the vowels that are closed in Spanish are open in Brazilian, making it sound like an American speaking Spanish with an accent (try saying "falou" vs. "faló" and you'll hear what I mean).

Here are a couple of my favorite gotchas for us Spanish speakers:

vaso = toilet, not "glass"
pegar = agarrar, to get, not "pegar" as in to hit
correr (prounced "coger") = to run, not you-know-what
a gente = Brazilian for "we" or "us", not "those people" like it sounds
apellido = nickname, not last name
sobrenome = last name, not nick name

I love Portuguese. It is one of the prettiest languages I know, with some of the richest expressions and slang. Keep practicing your Spanish though, unless you want to trade one for the other!

In terms of books, I did not find "Com Licença" to be helpful. Your best bet is to buy a concise grammar or one of those "Quick Study" guides from a college bookstore. For vocab, join a study group with a native speaker and some other Spanish speakers and read fun articles together.

Boa sorte!

J
São Paulo, Brasil

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Speaking Portuguese & Loving Brazilian Culture!

Answer 4

i recently lived in brazil for 4 years & i didn`t speak anything of the language before i went there, so it was a bit difficult for me...it`s quite easy to pick up the basics, but it does take some work to learn enough so that u can speak fluently & have yourself understood...after u get there, & are submerged in the language, hearing it spoken every day & all, u have no choice but to improve...u will have to learn, because not so many people speak english...if u speak spanish that will give u a bit of an edge, as the 2 languages are similar, but take care, because a word that is similar in both languages may have 2 entirely different meanings!!! as far as portuguese grammar, it`s terribly diificult (even brazilians struggle to learn it properly) & requires much more study than if u are just learning how to speak it, but it`s doable if u want to devote the time for a bit more intensive study...i would say a ballpark figure for learning enough vocabulary, pronunciation & slang to make yourself relatively fluent would be 3-4 months, depending on how intensively u study & whether u try to learn it before u go there, or after u arrive in brazil...i hope this helps a little!!! good luck!!!

Answer 5

Make sure you study European pronunciation before you go. If a Portuguese native hears that "gghheeee" sound, they will tell you to stop speaking Portuguese and switch to English. The difference is greater than American English and Scottish spoken with an almost unintelligible dialect. I worked with such a person and no one knew what he was talking about. He definitely didn’t speak “Sean Connery” Scottish. It makes me laugh that most Americans of Portuguese descent are descended from immigrants from the Acores, Madera, or Continental Portugal but 99% of all Portuguese language learning material is Brazilian. I even read one guy complain about a course because it was European. Also I've heard Brazilian instructors say things like "Why would you ever want to go to Portugal anyway". Duh! Perhaps because it is the land of my Grandparents! Sorry for ranting but we need more European instruction in the United States. A little more balance would be nice.

Answer 6

Portuguese looks similar Spanish, but at the same time, it is a diferent language. Many words can be oposit meanings, so, it is better to take care to not make mistakes comparing them. I cannot say how long exactly can be necessary, but the best way to learn Portuguese in my opinion is study the language and try to live in Brazil for 1 year, 6 months in two diferent places. If you learn at Rio, for example, the accent is totaly diferent of São Luis (capital of Maranhão). Rio has so much idiomatic expressions that are informal and São Luís has a very traditional Portuguese. Mostly of people there speak the language very well.
So, good luck in your Portuguese lessons :)

Answer 7

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I'm brazilian. You need many year to learn portuguese, it a difficult language but is very good. Watch Globo and record international - TV on brazil

Answer 8

It will depend of you. With Spanish is easier. You should talk with Brazilians. I think if you do it 6 months or 1 year.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

hmmm well my opinion is it might be a bit confusing since you speak spanish. but it can also help. if you live in brazil, it will definitely be much easier. i met people brish people who lived only for 6 months and speak very very well, and didn't speak any portuguese at all til they went to brazil. the gramatical part is very tough but to speak well it won't take too long