Most Prominent Sound in European Portuguese
The /ʃ/ sound (as in shine) is arguably the most prominent sound in European Portuguese. In fact, it’s often cited as one of the key reasons why…
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B1
10 Portuguese Idioms with the Verb “Ficar”
The Portuguese verb “ficar” is incredibly versatile, typically meaning “get” or “become.” But that’s just the beginning! I’m here to show you 10 common idiomatic expressions with…
Adjectives vs Adverbs: What’s the Difference?
When learning Portuguese, a common source of confusion is understanding the difference between adjectives and adverbs. Both play crucial roles in the language, but they serve distinct…
B1
Impersonal “-se” in Portuguese
You probably think of “se” as the Portuguese equivalent of “if,” and rightly so: Se eu pudesse… = If I could… Also, reflexive verbs may come to…
A2+
Há vs. Por vs. Durante
Portuguese students often struggle with when to use “há”, “por”, or “durante” to express time duration. Let’s break it down into four different temporal contexts to help…
Sounds vs Spellings in Portuguese
Let’s talk about the relationship between spellings and spoken sounds. Portuguese, like many languages, isn’t a case of “what you see is what you get.” Letters can…
B1
10 Portuguese Idioms with Fazer
Portuguese is brimming with idioms, and “fazer” (to do/make) pops up in many of them. Here are 10 common idioms with “fazer” to supercharge your Portuguese fluency.…
A2
Portuguese Subject Pronouns
I, you, she, he, it, we, they. These are all subject pronouns and you are about to learn what they look like in European Portuguese and a…
B1
Master the Verb Dar with 10 Portuguese Idioms
Forget about translating every word literally! Portuguese is full of idiomatic gems, and the verb “dar” (to give) might just be the king of them all. It…
A2
Portuguese Verb Andar
While the Portuguese verb “andar” seems ordinary, there’s more to it than meets the eye. Often, “andar” takes on different meanings beyond walking. Read on. Walk Means…
A2+
Past Continuous Equivalent in Portuguese
The Portuguese equivalent of the English Past Continuous is analogous to the Present Continuous Equivalent in Portuguese. The only difference is that the auxiliary verb Estar must…
Portuguese Digraphs
Digraphs are two letters coming together to represent a single sound. Today, we’ll explore seven digraphs common in Portuguese and the sounds they produce. Companion read Related…
Learning Portuguese: Do I Need to Become a Grammar Geek?
Do you need to become a grammar guru to speak Portuguese fluently? Here’s the truth: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer! Ultimately, the best way to learn Portuguese is…
Portugal’s Dialects
Portugal boasts a linguistic tapestry as diverse as its landscapes. Let’s explore the charming quirks and phonetic particularities of its dialects starting from the north and moving south,…
B1
Portuguese Defective Verbs
Defective verbs are verbs with incomplete conjugation. For instance, Portuguese defective verbs are only conjugated in the third 3-person (singular or plural). Some defective verbs are commonplace,…
Common Mistakes Portuguese Learners Make
Learning a new language is an exciting journey filled with new sounds, cultural insights, and the thrill of unlocking communication in a new idiom. But like any…
A2
“Como” in Portuguese – More Than Just “How”
The Portuguese word Como is way more than just a question word. In fact, I can think of 4 other ways of using Como! Let’s take a…
How to Pronounce the Letter S in Portuguese
Let’s learn how to pronounce the letter S in Portuguese, or I should say European Portuguese, to be more precise. As you may know, one letter can…
