Portuguese is often compared to
Spanish, but in truth, the languages are vastly different from one another.
Portuguese is a dynamic language that has many nuances particular to Portugal
and its former colonies such as Brazil and most other nations in South America.
It’s also fairly easy to learn, once you know how. Here, we look at why you
should learn Portuguese and how.
Before you learn Portuguese,
you must first learn to respect the language itself. There are many reasons why
Portuguese is admired more than most other world languages. For starters, it is
the native tongue of various countries around the world. So when you learn
Portuguese, you not only get to use it Portugal but also other places;
especially in South Africa and South America. Given that there are an estimated
250 million people worldwide, speaking the language, there is a definite
potential for growth here after you learn
foreign language like Portuguese.
Once you learn Portuguese, it
may be even easier to pick up other romantic languages such as English, French
and Spanish. While not similar in essence, these different language styles do
have certain things in common that makes it easy for you to understand and
learn each of them. So if you already speak English, it’ll be easier for you to
pick up on Portuguese words – simply because they sound similar and often have
the same meaning.
There are several
do-it-yourself books for Portuguese. However, it can be difficult to learn foreign language from
them, since the language isn’t exactly something you’re used to. You will probably
have better success learning the same with the help of educational CDs, DVDs
and videos. Also, it’s not enough to be able to read or speak in Portuguese, you
should also be able to understand other people when they speak it. Fortunately,
there are many other ways by which you can get a firm grasp of the language.
You need to begin by choosing
between the two types of Portuguese spoken around the world in the language schools worldwide. These
include Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese. They have individual
characteristics and therefore, must be learnt separately. Of the two, the
Brazilian version of the language is spoken more frequently by people around
the world- including those in North and South America.
Sometimes, an internet
connection is all you require to learn Portuguese. You simply need to register
with online language schools
worldwide and start interacting with other users to improve your
speaking as well as writing skills. Given the popularity of the language, it’s
fairly easy to find language exchange sites on the World Wide Web as well.
Alternatively, you can befriend
someone who speaks Portuguese is your city or online. Find speakers who’re
interested in language exchange and practice with them over Skype or face to
face meetings. This should help you learn the language in an enjoyable and
effective way.