The Best Way To Learn Portuguese

Would you love to learn Portuguese? No wonder. Knowing how to communicate in Brazilian Portuguese opens you up to travel in Brazil and to Brazilian culture, whether that’s books, TV or film among others. 

And with a swipe and a click, you can learn Portuguese from your smartphone. But with a dizzying array of options for language learning in the app store and elsewhere, you might be feeling confused about how and where to start. 

But you’re in luck. I’m here to lead the way through this maze of choices and to help you discover the best way to learn Portuguese for you. 

No matter how you end up learning Brazilian Portuguese, the rewards are well worth it. Believe me, once you get started on this journey, there’ll be no stopping you. So let’s dive in. 

Here’s what you’ll discover in this post.  

How NOT To Learn Portuguese 

Have you ever wondered why so many people fail to learn a language, Brazilian Portuguese included? Plenty of perfectly smart people just can’t get their tongue around a new language. The thing is, it’s not their fault. 

So if you’ve been feeling bad about your own struggles with Brazilian Portuguese, don't worry. The reason you haven’t succeeded is because of something I like to call the old “Parrot Problem” of language learning. 

You may remember this style of language learning from school. The Parrot Problem is the “repeat after me, like a parrot” method based on rote learning of vocab and grammar. 

When you try to stuff a bunch of Portuguese words and grammar rules into your brain, they go into your short-term memory. So when you want to speak Portuguese, your overloaded brain can’t recall them. 

Although Parrot approaches should be confined to the stuffy classrooms of the past, they’re alive and kicking in far too many contemporary Brazilian Portuguese apps and courses. 

While you can learn to “parrot” a few Portuguese key words and phrases, you can’t actually have a conversation in Brazilian Portuguese over a caipirinha in Rio. 

What Is The Best Way To Learn Portuguese? 

The best way to learn Portuguese online is with a fresh and fun approach that enables you to learn the language quickly and put it into your long-term memory. 

My method, called StoryLearning, puts Brazilian Portuguese directly into your brain, using the same natural learning process children use to learn their native language.

Thanks to StoryLearning, you don’t learn like a parrot, memorising vocabulary or grammar rules that you’ll just forget anyway. Instead, your main focus is on reading stories. As you read, you learn the language. This is a natural way of learning.

Storytelling is humanity’s earliest means of communication. From cave drawings to hieroglyphics, we have used stories to entertain, educate, preserve culture and teach moral values for thousands of years. 

When you learn Portuguese with stories, you don’t just learn a language, you learn to use the language. Your eyes and ears will be immersed in Brazilian Portuguese. Your mind will begin to adapt. It’s just like learning a language naturally, when we were kids.

The desire to read and understand the story is at the core of what will motivate you to learn Portuguese, even on days where you just don’t feel like it. 

This natural and motivating method makes StoryLearning the best way to learn Portuguese. 

Best Way To Learn Portuguese Online

The best way to learn Portuguese online is with my Portuguese Uncovered courses which teach you through StoryLearning. These courses are supported by decades of research, and are being used right now by 1000s of people all over the world to learn languages.

Portuguese Uncovered will take you from complete beginner to intermediate-level Portuguese speaker with a story-centred approach. You’ll listen to and read a simple story in Brazilian Portuguese designed for beginners. 

Then, you watch an in-depth lesson where your expert Brazilian Portuguese teacher teaches you all about the Portuguese in the story, in particular, the grammar.

Instead of grammar rules, you see the grammar ‘in action' inside the story. That’s what makes it so easy and natural to learn! 

The StoryLearning method combines all of the benefits of online learning—like flexibility, modern engaging materials, and different types of media—with a fun and motivational method focused on story. 

StoryLearning is what you do when you’ve tried everything else and you’re finally ready to learn. So if you’ve had enough of time-wasting apps, Portuguese Uncovered is here for you. 

Best Way To Learn Portuguese Fast

So, what’s the best way to learn Portuguese fast? I’m so glad you asked. Although I’d love to tell you that there’s a magic way to achieve fast Brazilian Portuguese fluency, the reality is you have to put in the time and effort daily. 

So if you’ve got time on your hands and you’re really motivated, it’s certainly possible to learn Portuguese quite quickly. But if you’d like to make guaranteed fast progress in Brazilian Portuguese, then my top recommendation is StoryLearning VIP. 

StoryLearning VIP is a 10-week coaching programme to fast-track you to complete Portuguese fluency! StoryLearning VIP gives you the best of both worlds – the proven StoryLearning method plus an expert Brazilian Portuguese coach to hold you accountable.

Let’s be clear – VIP is no picnic. You’ll have twice-weekly coaching sessions to prepare for and attend. Plus, you’ll need to set aside time to learn Brazilian Portuguese daily with my course, Portuguese Uncovered.

But if learning Portuguese fast matters to you, StoryLearning VIP is the fastest ticket to fluency. 

Best Way To Learn Portuguese For Travel

What if getting fluent in Portuguese isn’t for you? What if all you need is some Brazilian Portuguese to survive on your next visit to Brazil? If that's you, then you’re probably wondering – what’s the best way to learn Portuguese for travel? 

Learning Portuguese for travel means being able to communicate in real-world situations you’ll come across in Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo and beyond.

So you’ll need to know a few Brazilian Portuguese greetings as well as phrases to use in cafés, restaurants or at the hotel. 

Learning Portuguese for travel isn’t a huge commitment of time and energy. In fact, you can pick up travel Portuguese quite quickly, because you’re learning practical phrases in context. 

You can use my blog post about Brazilian Portuguese phrases to prepare for your trip to Brazil. You’ll discover 67 useful expressions to get around, go shopping, order food and drink and more. 

This pragmatic approach will enable you to be ready to communicate in Brazilian Portuguese on your travels. 

Best Way To Learn Portuguese While Driving

No matter how keen you are on learning Brazilian Portuguese, the big problem all learners struggle with is fitting learning into their day. When you have a full-time job and a commute to get there, finding time for Portuguese can be tough. 

But commuting back and forth to work is also an incredible opportunity to learn Portuguese behind the wheel, if you use the right method. So what’s the best way to learn Portuguese while driving? 

Needless to say, I don’t condone looking at your phone or a tablet while driving as I want your commute to be safe. Eyes on the road please! 

So how can you learn Brazilian Portuguese if you can’t look at a textbook or course or app? You use your ears to learn, not your eyes! 

There’s more Brazilian Portuguese audio than ever for you to tune into as you drive. You could listen to Brazilian Portuguese podcasts or audio courses among other Portuguese listening resources. 

Listening to lots of Portuguese is one of the best ways to help your brain adapt to the language. So if you listen to Portuguese on your commute (even if you only do it one way), fluency will arrive fast. 

If you’re a Portuguese beginner, you can’t go wrong with a beginner audio course like the Michel Thomas one. 

If you’re an advanced Portuguese learner, then you need to stop listening to Brazilian Portuguese listening material created for learners and instead cue up some real audio designed for native speakers. 

You can use your favourite podcast app to follow podcasts from your chosen Brazilian Portuguese-speaking media companies and creators. Choose podcasts about topics that interest you to build your vocabulary and have fun as you learn. 

Best Way To Learn Portuguese On Your Own

Have you had bad experiences with group Portuguese classes or rigid curriculums where you get stuck learning things you don’t need? I’ve been there! 

I’m all about self-directed language learning. As I like to say, languages can’t be taught, only learnt. So your self-directed learning is what contributes most to your Brazilian Portuguese abilities. 

Solo language learning enabled me to learn eight to fluency and start StoryLearning to pass my tips and strategies on to other solo learners. 

I’ve distilled years of self-directed learning experiences into my Uncovered courses which are designed for independent learners. And Portuguese Uncovered is no exception. 

Portuguese Uncovered is a self-study course you, the solo learner, can use as the backbone of your language learning. The course also contains thoughtful tips on the best way to learn Brazilian Portuguese on your own. 

Best Way To Learn Portuguese Fluently

If Portuguese fluency is an important life goal, then don’t learn the language alone. Personalised Portuguese coaching is the best way to learn Portuguese fluently. 

Thanks to regular sessions, language coaching gives you both plenty of speaking practice plus the accountability that ensures that you keep showing up, even when you don’t feel like it. 

StoryLearning VIP is my personalised language coaching programme designed to get you fluent in Brazilian Portuguese, even if you've tried and failed in the past.

StoryLearning VIP keeps you on track with your learning thanks to twice-weekly coaching sessions with an expert coach. The personalised learning pathway VIP offers means that you don’t waste time on things you already know. 

Personalised coaching is the best way to learn Portuguese fluently because you get: 

• Private sessions that adapt to your schedule 
• Personalised guidance to target your weaknesses 
• Accountability to stay on track 
• Hours of 1-1 speaking practice 

If breaking through to fluency is an important life goal, personalised coaching gives you everything you need to succeed. 

Best Way To Learn Portuguese Verb Conjugation

Brazilian Portuguese verb Conjugation can keep even the keenest learner awake at night. And it does look rather scary at first.

But learning Portuguese conjugation winds up being tougher than it should be because of the Parrot Problem. 

When you learn Portuguese conjugation like a parrot, through rote memorisation, you put the verb endings into your short-term memory. So then you forget them when you need to communicate in Brazilian Portuguese. 

The best way to learn Portuguese conjugation is to drop this learn-by-heart approach. Of course, you can read or watch an explanation of Portuguese verb conjugation. But then ditch the rote memorisation. 

Once you’ve got the gist, you don’t need to keep doing textbook exercises. Instead you need to see the verb endings in their natural habit, in real Portuguese speech and writing. The best way to do this is to read and listen to stories in Portuguese. 

By reading and listening to Brazilian Portuguese stories at the right level for you, you’ll start to internalise Portuguese conjugation almost passively. More fun than hitting the books, right? 

If you’re wondering where to find Brazilian Portuguese stories at your level, my top recommendation is my short story book, Short Stories in Brazilian Portuguese. 

Best Way To Learn Portuguese At Home

One of the most enduring fallacies in language learning is that you need to move to the country where the language is spoken to get fluent. It’s a myth, not reality, so please don’t start packing your bags to go to Brazil to learn Brazilian Portuguese! 

I’ve learned many of my languages successfully from home, where I can set up a language learning routine that suits me. With the upheaval of a relocation to a new country, you can’t control your learning. And you can’t expect people on the street to talk to you! 

So if moving is out of the question, how can you learn from home? The best way to learn Portuguese at home is to read and listen to Portuguese at your level for an hour daily.

You can read a beginner Portuguese book, work through a StoryLearning Portuguese course, or listen to Portuguese podcasts. 

If you immerse yourself in Brazilian Portuguese like this every day, the language will soon make sense to you intuitively. And if ever you move to Brazil one day, or go there on holiday, you’ll improve even faster thanks to the grounding you got at home. 

Best Way To Learn Portuguese FAQ 

Ready To Start Your Brazilian Portuguese Learning Journey? 

Learning Portuguese can be tough sometimes, but it’s so worth it. 

That’s why having the best way to learn Portuguese at your fingertips is crucial, so that you don’t waste time on your journey to fluency. 

The best way to learn Portuguese is via immersion, by reading and listening to stories pitched at the right level for your. The StoryLearning approach is based on this type of story-centred immersion. 

This method of language learning, with story at the core, is nothing like the Parrot methods you remember from school where you learned words and rules by heart. 

But even if an approach based on story is working for 1000s of learners around the world, it’s new and different. And that can be a little scary at first. 

But you’ll forget all that once you discover the method by starting to read the story. You’ll want to know what happens next. And once that happens, there’s no stopping you. 

Brazilian Portuguese will soon become intuitive as well. You’ll stop translating in your head because your brain has adapted to the language, thanks to your immersion in the story. 

That’s what makes stories the best way to learn Portuguese fast. 

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.