Portuguese is a great language to learn for a host of reasons. There are people who have fallen in love with the language for some of the reasons set out below:
- It’s easier to learn than other Romance languages;
- The grammar is quite easy; or
- The economic importance of Portuguese is growing every day.
These are just a few of the many reasons for people, from all walks of life, wanting to learn Portuguese. Below, we expand on this.
Reasons to Take Portuguese Lessons
While we have identified 15 great reasons to study Portuguese, is beyond this compilation, a whole plethora of other motivations, as to why you should set your sights on this very interesting Romantic language.
If you’re looking for Portuguese lessons near me, why not check out the Superprof website for a knowledgeable and experienced European or Brazilian Portuguese tutor, who can guide you through your Portuguese lessons online.
There are Millions of Portuguese Speakers Across the Globe
It is not a very well-known fact that there is a large number of people, across the globe, who speak Portuguese. There is a wide audience for you to learn from and practise with, if you consider that native speakers make up more that 200 million people.
It is Not Only Spoken in Portugal and Brazil
This is a common misconception! Portuguese is not only spoken widely in these two countries. It is, in fact, considered to be an official language in no fewer than 10 countries, including:
- Cape Verde;
- Mozambique;
- Angola
- Guinea-Bissau
- Sao Tome and East Timor
It is even an official language of the Macau Special Administrative Region of China and a co-official language in Equatorial Guinea and considered a minority language in countries around the world, including Canada, the USA, France, Switzerland and Australia (Wikipedia). This makes being conversant in Portuguese a wonderful card to have up your sleeve, almost anywhere in the world.
Very Few Speakers of English Study Portuguese
South African primary and high schools show a preference for languages such as:
- English;
- Afrikaans; and
- Indigenous languages, such as Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, etc. over a language such Portuguese.
It, thus, goes without saying that very few people are taught Portuguese, and even fewer go on to study the language at varsity level. If you really want to stand out, then present yourself to start learning basic Portuguese. You will then be in a position where you learn a language which is widely-spoken and, at the same time, distinguish yourself from the millions who speak more popular languages, such as French. Go on: find out where there are Portuguese classes near me.
Network with Portuguese Folks
As stated earlier, Portuguese is not only spoken in Portugal and Brazil. So, it is also true that Portuguese communities can be found around the world. In South Africa, for example, the 300 000-strong community can be found in places across the country, including fairly large clusters in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Rosettenville, Edenvale and in several other large urban areas. So, if you are of a mind to, you could reach out to these communities and learn their language and culture directly from them.
Be Noticed in the Business World
Portuguese is not commonly the first choice of language to study in Mzanzi, with very few even enrolling to start learning basic Portuguese. Therefore, your CV will definitely stand out, if it reflects that you can read, write and speak Portuguese. These skills could put you in the pound seat if you were to apply for a position at a company with strong ties to Brazil or Portugal, or even which is itself, Brazilian or Portuguese.
Brazil is One of the Largest Economies in the World
Although the Brazilian economy has not been doing very well recently, there are signs of strength and stability. Also, it is of great economic importance to the Latin America region, since, it has the largest economy is South America, the 12th largest globally.
If you think that there is any chance that your career may overlap with that of associates in the lands of great footballers like Pele and Neymar, then stop thinking about it – enrol for a Portuguese course today!
Work Through Some Fresh Literature
Once you have a fairly good grounding in Portuguese, you will be able to enjoy the works of a many great Portuguese writers. So, whether you have a preference for the works of Portuguese writers, such as José Saramago, or that of Brazilian writers, like João Guimarães, wonderful gems are just waiting for you to feast on. Furthermore, your reading of Portuguese books will contribute significantly to the development of your reading skills and expand your vocabulary exponentially.
You Will Appreciate Portuguese and Brazilian Culture Better
Apart from the literature and music of Brazil and Portugal, if you approach your learning seriously, you will be immersed in Brazilian and/or Portuguese culture more readily, whether that entails finding out more about local customs and traditions or what the favourite local dishes are.
Portuguese Can Facilitate the Learning of Spanish
If you have previously completed a Portuguese course in South Africa or abroad, you will be pleasantly surprised to hear that it will now be much easier for you to learn Spanish. That is because both are what is known as Romance languages, which means that they share a number of fundamental rules and their vocabulary is also very similar.
The Romance languages include:
- Spanish;
- French;
- Italian;
- Portuguese; and
- Romanian.
Learning Portuguese Should Be Easy ...
If you already speak one of the Romance languages.
Similar to what was stated above, if you are already proficient in Spanish, French or another romance language, will find it far easier to learn Portuguese than someone who only speaks English. Even so, Portuguese does have its own unique challenges, such as coming to grips with the pronunciation of Portuguese words. However, you will definitely have a marked advantage since you already speak a romance language.
Develop a Taste for Brazilian Music
The musicality of the Portuguese language can be picked up when listening to its native speakers, but this trait is further enhanced when the language is used in song, in particular in Brazilian music. Whether you start to enjoy Samba, Latin Jazz, Choro or one of the many other genres, exposing yourself to the music of the people will greatly enhance your vocabulary and impact positively on your pronunciation, listening and speaking skills.
It Will Be a Major Asset When Travelling Brazil or Portugal
If you are planning a trip to either Brazil or Portugal, then you don’t need any greater motivation to learn Brazilian Portuguese or the Portuguese as spoken in the country of its origin!
When you speak the language of the country you’re travelling through, it will facilitate so many day-to-day interactions, whether it is buying train or plane tickets, ordering food, or something as simple as asking for directions.
Fall in Love With Brazilian Football
If you’re a soccer fan, then learning Portuguese will open up the beautiful game to you in a totally new and different way.
Soccer has a very huge fan-base in Europe. This is also very true in Portugal!
While Brazil is world-renowned for its outstanding brand of soccer and its brilliant soccer players. So, if you wish to watch the Copa do Brasil or want to follow Brazilian soccer tournaments, then learning Portuguese is the way to go!
Help With Emigrating to a Portuguese-Speaking Country
On top of being an asset when moving around in a country, being able to speak Portuguese will help you out tremendously if you were to consider settling in a country, such as Brazil, where Portuguese is an official language.
Whether you’re relocating for personal reasons or work, ensure that you enrol for Portuguese lessons well in advance of the date of your intended departure. This will help you settle in quite quickly since you will be able to communicate with your immediate neighbours and colleagues. It will also help you when you have to interact with government officials when you have to apply for a social security card or when open a bank account.
It’s a Great Challenge
From all of the information set out above, you would have gleaned that Portuguese is a wonderful language to learn. Beside it being spoken by millions across the globe, it will also allow you to explore the rich and diverse Brazilian and Portuguese cultures.
It is also a great language to get to know if you’re up to a challenge. Make no mistake, Portuguese will throw a number of challenges at you, not least its pronunciation, which can be pretty difficult to wrap your tongue around. Accordingly, new learners must be prepared to put in a lot of effort and time into their studies if they wish to become proficient in Portuguese.
Theodore Roosevelt’s quote on effort is quite apt here:
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty …”
So, there you go. Put in the effort, reap the rewards and feel incredibly proud when, at the end of the day, you have become proficient or, maybe even, fluent in Portuguese.
If you feel that you have toiled long and hard, but still require some help, reach out to a personal tutor who can help to direct your efforts. Your tutor will:
- Expand your knowledge and understanding of Portuguese grammar;
- Help you expand your vocabulary; and
- Present you with the opportunity to converse regularly with a Portuguese speaker.
Check out the Superprof website for tutors close to you or follow Portuguese lessons online! Boa sorte!
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