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We’ve all done it: naming each item as we pack our suitcase or mutter “phone… keys… wallet” while patting our pockets before leaving the house. But what if you could turn this autopilot ritual into a Portuguese learning opportunity? By naming items in your suitcase, backpack, or grocery bag in Portuguese as you handle them, […]

Pink Floyd’s “We don’t need no education” might make English teachers cringe, but in Portuguese, stacking negatives like , , and isn’t just acceptable—it’s grammatically mandatory. For example:  → literally means “I don’t have nothing” → literally means “I don’t see nobody” Layered negatives are used to sharpen meaning, not confuse it. Now, let’s explore […]

In English, we address spatial relationships with just “this” (close) or “that” (far). But Portuguese adds nuance with a three-way system, that reflects not just distance, but who the object is closest to: you (the speaker), the listener or neither of you. Add in the gender and number agreement, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed—but […]

What do “piglet,” “doggy,” and “minibus” have in common? 🐷 🐶 🚌 They are all examples of diminutives — words that are modified to make something sound smaller, cuter, or more affectionate. In English, this usually involves adding a suffix (like -let or -y) or a prefix (like mini-). As you may or may not […]

Spring is just around the corner in Portugal, and we can’t wait for a break from all the rain and cold weather. With that in mind, today we’ll tell you about some Portuguese words that’ll help you appreciate when  finally arrives! Let’s start with what you’ll see all around you: is when the Portuguese love […]

Today, we’ll talk about auxiliary verbs! Let’s start by taking a look at the following sentences: “I eating dinner” “She going home” “They come tomorrow” Something sounds off, right? That’s because they’re missing their “helper verbs”. In standard English, we say: “I am eating dinner” “She is going home” “They will come tomorrow” These auxiliary verbs (am, is, will) […]

Have you ever said a Portuguese  and the other person didn’t understand you? It’s the same as when someone speaks to you in your native language and their accent makes it to understand. Of course, no one can expect us to sound like a native if we aren’t one. Our main goal should be to […]

“How can I learn Portuguese quickly?” We’ve gotten this many times. And while there’s no to fluency, you can start speaking in Portuguese by learning the right things first. Here’s what we suggest: 1. Start by learning basic greetings and polite phrases, such as: / Here’s a short video about using different greetings at different […]