Have you ever thought about studying Portuguese? One of the most widely used languages in the world, it is used in numerous nations. So why learn Portuguese? Portuguese is a vital language and learning it offers many advantages, regardless of whether you want additional career prospects, a more varied skill set, or just to travel with greater assurance.
Have you been thinking about learning Portuguese but are unsure where to begin? Is Portuguese hard to learn, and is it worth putting in the time to perfect it? Let’s explore the many compelling arguments for why it is important to put time and effort into learning this lovely language.
We'll go through all the reasons to learn Portuguese today, from the cultural significance of being able to communicate with its speakers to the career chances that arise when you understand Portuguese!
9 reasons why you should learn Portuguese
1. It’s one of the easier languages to pick up
If you were wondering—is Portuguese hard to learn? Not really!
Portuguese is easy to learn and is considered one of the easier languages to pick up, especially if you already have a background in Spanish. But even if you don’t, the grammar and conjugations are simple, and the vocabulary is more straightforward than other languages you might study.
2. You’ll connect with millions of people
Portuguese is extensively spoken or studied as a second language in many other nations, and it is the fifth most common language in the world in terms of native speakers.
Portuguese is one of the few languages spoken in such a wide variety of locations around the world, so if you want to put a number on how many people speak Portuguese—we can guess around 200 million native speakers! That’s a big population of new potential friends!
3. You’ll give yourself an edge professionally and academically
This is one of the main reasons to learn Portuguese! Having more than one language in your repertoire will be beneficial for you and your future employment chances or goals for further study.
As the world continues to get smaller and more connected thanks to technology, being able to communicate in more than one language is becoming more and more preferred. Language skills are a great way to set yourself apart from your competition.
Another way to set yourself apart is having real-world experience living and perhaps working or studying in other countries, and Brazil is a great country to choose. It’s one of the largest economies in the world, with a large and young population. And given how many people speak Portuguese in this world, your knowledge of the language will definitely come in handy!
Understandably, many influential businesses like Amazon and Meta are turning their sights toward Brazil. You can leverage your experience there to give yourself a leg up in the future.
4. You can use Portuguese beyond just Brazil and Portugal!
You can put your Portuguese skills to good use in more places than you might expect!
You might not expect it, but there are a lot more places where Portuguese is spoken. When you think of how many countries speak Portuguese, Brazil and Portugal come to mind first. Even though these nations are where the language is most commonly heard, there are several other more surprising locations where you can practice Portuguese.
There are nine nations that make up the "Community of Portuguese Language Countries," which is an association of nations where the Portuguese language is widely spoken: Brazil, Portugal, Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Other places where Portuguese is spoken include Sri Lanka, Goa, India, Indonesia, and Macau, China due to historical ties. Consequently, you might find many rural places in Europe, South America, Africa, or even Asia that require your Portuguese language skills!
5. Learning Portuguese greatly expands your travel prospects
So now that you know how many countries speak Portuguese, your travel options just became more varied. Many Portuguese speakers tend to open up more when a foreigner makes the effort to speak their language as well, so you’ll be more welcomed and blend right in.
6. It’s a great way to stand out from the crowd
Although the language is widely spoken, few individuals are studying it compared to languages like Spanish or French. This means that learning Portuguese can help you stand out from the crowd learning more widely used languages—and provide you the chance to communicate with a big population in a way that other language learners can’t.
Speaking a lesser-known language also looks awesome on any resume, and as Brazil becomes a more developed economy, the need to work and communicate in Portuguese may be on the rise!
7. You’ll get a leg up on picking up other languages
Portuguese proficiency may facilitate the learning of additional Romance languages like Spanish and French. And since Portuguese is easy to learn, your journey to becoming a polyglot may be simpler when you have Portuguese mastered. Any advantage you may get is significant, plus this is one of the most well-liked language families among students.
8. You’ll connect with Portuguese art on a whole new level
Learn Portuguese and get ready to dive into favorite books in their original language.
Many people wonder—should I learn Portuguese just for fun? The answer is of course a yes!
A lot of influential Portuguese pop culture comes from Brazil, in terms of music and movies, so learning the language is a great way to learn the historical and cultural influences behind them. Paulo Coehlo is also one of the world’s most influential writers, so imagine being able to read his work in his native tongue.
9. It’s truly a beautiful language to speak
Many learners of Portuguese tend to rave about how melodic the language is, thereby making it a truly enjoyable language to speak. The sibilants are full of passion, the swinging 'l’s and the gracefully light word-final 'r’s, the melodic nasal vowels and nasal diphthongs, and the smooth vowels that modify their course gently over the consonants.
Our Online Advisor can match you with 5 Portuguese language programs abroad—it’s free!
How can I learn Portuguese?
1. Language Vacation: Portuguese Language Course and Immersion in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil
- Highlights: Salvador da Bahia is a coastal Brazilian city rich in history and beach culture. Once home to the first slave market in the New World, the city has preserved striking Renaissance-era buildings, colorful old town houses with ornate stucco-work, and a coastline of beautiful beaches.
- Language Vacation's program immerses you in this "City of Bahia" with a full Portuguese course designed to get you speaking confidently while soaking up the local culture.
- The school is located in the Barra neighborhood, just 15 minutes from the historic center (Pelourinho) and a 5-minute walk from the beach. Barra is a trendy, upscale area with plenty of shops, affordable restaurants, and lively bars nearby.
- Where? Salvador, Brazil
- Learn more about Language Vacation
2. CEPE Idiomas: Online Language Courses
- Highlights: Having your Portuguese lessons online will give you the flexibility to learn the language in your own way, especially if you’re not a fan of in-person, scheduled classes. Taking online classes with a reputed platform like CEPE Idiomas will give you the freedom to move around various Portuguese-speaking places while keeping up with your learning, and at the same time practicing what you learn in real-life situations.
- If speed is of the essence and you’re wondering how fast you can learn Portuguese, learning online may be the more efficient way to go!
- Where? Take classes from anywhere!
- Learn more about CEPE Idiomas
3. CEC ALPHA Idiomas: Portuguese for Foreigners and Corporates
- Highlights: Sao Paulo is Brazil's largest city and its cultural and economic powerhouse—a place where you can practice Portuguese daily while soaking up world-class food, art, and nightlife. Studying here means access to a rich cultural heritage alongside a fast-paced, cosmopolitan environment.
- CEC Alpha Idiomas' Portuguese for Foreigners program builds your conversation, writing, listening, and reading skills, while also teaching you the difference between formal and informal language so you can communicate appropriately in any social setting. There's also a Corporate Portuguese track tailored for working professionals, with content customized to your needs and contextualized oral and written practice.
- Led by experienced educators, the school takes a comprehensive approach that pushes students to master Portuguese across every mode of communication.
- Where? Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Learn more about CEC ALPHA Idiomas
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Is learning Portuguese abroad your next move?
Why learn Portuguese? So you can jet off on an amazing adventure!
So why learn Portuguese? Put your Portuguese skills to practical use, and see for yourself how quickly you pick up the language and communicate with a diverse range of people. Set yourself apart from your competition in future employment opportunities, or just spend some time getting out of your comfort zone and into a lifestyle of meaningful self-improvement.
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Munira Maricar
GoAbroad Contributor
Having lived in Singapore, Qatar, Japan, and now Mexico, Munira is basically a walking GoAbroad experience. She now lives on the Pacific Coast of Mexico between Jalisco and Oaxaca and is a strong advocate for traveling responsibly and living abroad consciously, always enforcing the importance of respecting local customs around the world.
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