Portuguese is the 6th most spoken language in the world, with over 250 million speakers across Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique, Angola, and beyond. It's a gateway to vibrant cultures, massive economies, and incredible music.

So how long until you're speaking like a carioca or lisboeta?

The Quick Answer

The FSI estimates 600-750 hours to reach professional proficiency in Portuguese—the same as Spanish, French, and Italian.

Timeline by Daily Study Time

Daily Study Conversational (B1) Fluent (B2) Advanced (C1)
15 min/day 4-5 years 6-7 years 8+ years
30 min/day 2-2.5 years 3-3.5 years 4-5 years
1 hour/day 1-1.5 years 1.5-2 years 2-2.5 years
2 hours/day 6-9 months 9-12 months 12-15 months

Brazilian vs European Portuguese

The Differences

Think American vs British English, but more pronounced:

Aspect Brazilian 🇧🇷 European 🇵🇹
Pronunciation Open vowels, clearer Reduced vowels, "mumbled"
Speed Slower, melodic Faster, more clipped
Vocabulary Some unique words Some unique words
Spelling Slightly simplified Traditional
Resources More abundant Fewer but growing
Speakers ~210 million ~10 million

Which Should You Learn?

Choose Brazilian if:

  • You love Brazilian music (bossa nova, samba, funk)
  • You want to visit Brazil
  • You prefer more learning resources
  • You find the accent easier to understand

Choose European if:

  • You want to live/work in Portugal
  • You're interested in other Lusophone African countries
  • You're in Europe (easier to practice)
  • You enjoy the challenge

Good news: They're mutually intelligible. Learn one, understand both (with some adjustment).

Why Portuguese is Accessible

Romance Language Family

If you know Spanish, French, or Italian, Portuguese shares massive vocabulary overlap:

  • Importante (important)
  • Universidade (university)
  • Informação (information)

Similar to Spanish

Portuguese and Spanish are about 90% similar in vocabulary. Spanish speakers often reach conversational Portuguese in 3-4 months.

Phonetic (Mostly)

Brazilian Portuguese especially is pronounced largely as written.

The Challenges

Pronunciation

Portuguese has sounds that don't exist in English or Spanish:

  • Nasal vowels (ã, õ, ão)
  • The "lh" sound (like Spanish "ll")
  • The Brazilian "r" (like English "h" in some regions)

European Portuguese reduces unstressed vowels so much that beginners struggle to hear individual words.

Verb Conjugations

Like all Romance languages, Portuguese verbs conjugate for person and tense:

  • Eu falo (I speak)
  • Tu falas (You speak)
  • Ele fala (He speaks)

Plus subjunctive, future subjunctive, personal infinitive...

False Friends with Spanish

Spanish speakers beware:

  • "Exquisito" means strange/weird in Portuguese (not exquisite)
  • "Embaraçada" means embarrassed (not pregnant)
  • "Largo" means wide (not long)

What Each Level Feels Like

A1 (80-100 hours)

  • Order food and drinks: "Uma caipirinha, por favor"
  • Introduce yourself
  • Handle basic tourist situations
  • Understand very slow, clear speech

A2 (180-200 hours)

  • Simple conversations about daily life
  • Describe your routine and interests
  • Read menus, signs, simple messages
  • Follow slow TV with subtitles

B1 (350-400 hours) — "Conversational"

  • Travel independently in Brazil or Portugal
  • Discuss opinions on familiar topics
  • Understand main points of clear speech
  • Write personal messages

B2 (500-600 hours) — "Fluent"

  • Speak naturally with native speakers
  • Watch novelas or Portuguese series (mostly) without subtitles
  • Read newspapers and contemporary fiction
  • Express yourself on varied topics

C1 (700-800 hours) — "Advanced"

  • Use Portuguese professionally
  • Understand regional accents and slang
  • Catch humor and cultural references
  • Produce clear, well-structured text

Best Portuguese Learning Resources

Brazilian Portuguese

  • Pimsleur Brazilian Portuguese: Excellent for pronunciation
  • Semantica Portuguese: Story-based video course
  • PortuguesePod101: Extensive audio library
  • Globoplay: Brazilian streaming (novelas, shows)

European Portuguese

  • Practice Portuguese: Best dedicated European Portuguese resource
  • RTP Play: Portuguese public TV streaming
  • Portuguese Lab: Podcast for European learners

Both Varieties

  • iTalki: Tutors from Brazil and Portugal
  • Anki: Flashcards for vocabulary
  • Tandem/HelloTalk: Language exchange

Your Portuguese Roadmap

Month 1-2: Foundation

  • Learn pronunciation (especially nasal vowels)
  • Basic phrases and survival vocabulary
  • Present tense verbs
  • Choose your variety (Brazilian or European)

Month 3-6: Structure

  • Work through a course (Pimsleur, Semantica)
  • Past tenses and common irregular verbs
  • Build vocabulary with Anki
  • Start listening to music and podcasts

Month 7-12: Immersion

  • Watch content with Portuguese subtitles
  • Weekly conversation practice
  • Read first book (graded readers, then Paulo Coelho)
  • Listen to Brazilian music (tons of it!)

Year 2+: Fluency

  • Watch without subtitles
  • Regular conversation practice
  • Visit Brazil or Portugal
  • Explore regional varieties

Why Learn Portuguese?

  • Brazil: World's 9th largest economy, emerging tech hub
  • Portugal: EU gateway, booming startup scene, Golden Visa
  • Music: Bossa nova, MPB, fado, funk carioca
  • Literature: Machado de Assis, Fernando Pessoa, Clarice Lispector
  • Community: Warm, welcoming cultures everywhere Portuguese is spoken

Plus, if you know Spanish, Portuguese is probably the fastest "new" language you can add.

Track your Portuguese learning journey with Jacta. From "olá" to fluent conversation, log your hours and watch your progress unfold.