Learn Portuguese. Portuguese language books

Most of our emigrants who came to Portugal 10 or more years ago went to work almost immediately. The language was taught in the habitat, one might say “on the fingers”. There were no large supermarkets, I had to show the height of ingenuity in the shops in order to explain my needs, it’s even scary for me to imagine myself in such a situation. Then some went to school to get a certificate, which is required for obtaining citizenship. But the school didn’t really save either - the teacher speaks Portuguese, and if something is not clear to you, then try to explain what exactly you did not understand, and then try to understand what they will answer you.

Learn Portuguese

I am very lucky in this regard. I came to Portugal to my parents, and we went to the "Russian store". There was an announcement there that the association of emigrants had Portuguese language courses for adults, the courses were free, you just had to join the association. Annual fee 20 or 25 euros. I was delighted, and of course signed up. Impressions are only positive. There were no more than 10 of us, the teacher in Russian explained everything, both nuances and gestures. They didn’t give a diploma there, but I’m still grateful for the base that she gave me.

Then I went to the Portuguese school "Portuguese for All". People who did not know the language did not understand it - the teacher explained terribly. People who lived here for 10 years improved their grammar a little, but the teacher quietly hated them, and grumbled that these were courses for those who need to learn a language, and not get a diploma.

If something is not clear to you, and you clarify, the teacher looks at you like you are a fool and repeats the same words, but louder, then even louder ... and does not try to explain in other words. From her course, we all understood that mussels are fish because they are sold in a fish shop. Taking this opportunity, I want to brag - thanks to the base that I received from a Russian-speaking teacher, I passed 2 written exams with 200 points out of 200. The oral one is a little worse.

But the most important school is the school of live communication. You need to talk to someone. Even if you say it wrong, you will already catch yourself making a mistake, and after a while you will start speaking correctly. If you ask, the Portuguese will correct you - this is very useful. Heard some new word - be sure to use it, so the words are remembered much faster.

I also read Portuguese fairy tales to my child - “365 stories for every day” - short stories about animals. At first it is difficult - almost every word needs to be looked up in the dictionary, many words are used in declension, and you have to guess what it is all about. But the child quickly fell asleep (apparently, he also did not understand what it was about, and passed out from the monotonous incomprehensible set of sounds). There are also children's songs, and cartoons - can also come in handy.

Some resort to the help of tutors. A good option if finances allow. One friend studied for 70 euros per month, she had 2 classes per week (1.5 - 2 hours), but she seemed to be given a discount. She studied with the child and also paid for the child. The girl was 9 years old - she spoke well in a month. But children are easier to learn + communication at school. A friend was also pleased.

In general, Portuguese is relatively easy. Normally, everyday needs can be explained in a month or two classes. The main thing is not to be afraid and try to speak.

Some Portuguese speak clearly, and guess what you want, they also use gestures in communication. It is very easy to communicate with such people, sometimes it seems that communication takes place in the same language. And some speak indistinctly, “eat up” letters, use some kind of profanity ... It seems that you are talking as usual, but they don’t understand you, and you don’t understand them either. At first I was upset, and then I shared my feelings with a Portuguese girlfriend - and she says: “Why are you soaring? I understand them myself!” And the truth is sometimes I watch how they communicate with each other, and they cannot understand each other normally.

There is no neuter gender in Portuguese. There are much fewer declensions, no cases, few irregular verbs (that's why almost all verbs decline the same way).

If you need an article “Essential Phrases” or more on language and grammar - write in the comments, or let us know!

The Portuguese language belongs to the Romance languages ​​and is considered the heir of such a respected and ancient Latin. Linguists who have compared the grammar state that Portuguese is very similar to other Romance languages ​​- Spanish, Italian and French.

It is believed that Portuguese is spoken by about 200 million people in the world, it is the official language of Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and some other former Portuguese colonies.


All Courses Kom has collected free websites with which you can learn Polish on your own via the Internet.

A blog in Portuguese for those who want to improve their Portuguese grammar. The site tells about the intricacies of punctuation, the difference between similar words and similar subtleties in a simple and understandable, and most importantly, brief and interesting form.

- a basic Portuguese course for those who know English. The site in a simple and accessible form sets out the basics of the language, which are accompanied by high-quality listening.

A language marathon, the organizers of which assure that in 12 weeks students will be able to significantly improve their level of Portuguese language proficiency. You can learn more than just Portuguese.

Russian-Portuguese dictionary, which will help in difficult moments of learning. A convenient table of contents and site search will help you quickly find the right word.


- online cheat sheet for conjugation of verbs. Capacious explanations of this or that nuance in Portuguese are given. Detailed grammar included.

- a Vkontakte page that will help you learn the language and relax at the same time, because here among the educational materials there are Portuguese TV series. In particular, European Portuguese is detailed.

- Portuguese song lyrics. Here you can find the lyrics to your favorite song and understand its meaning, and also, perhaps, find other interesting songs. Music is also a good help in learning a language - you can download it to your player and listen to it on the way to study or work, at the same time pumping up listening and getting used to the language.

- Movies in Portuguese, with subtitles. Expert advice: do not focus only on reading the subtitles for the characters, but first listen to the phrase and try to understand its meaning on your own.
youtube.com- a channel with many lessons for beginners and advanced users. There are no subtitles, but illustrations in an accessible form explain one or another meaning. Here you can pull up both grammar and vocabulary.

A site with a lot of information on language learning, you can find videos with subtitles. A storehouse of information about grammar, text and video lessons. Resource for those in the know English language.

Radio in Portuguese - will help to pump the language and get used to its features, for example, the speed of pronunciation. There are 161 Portuguese-language radio stations for the most demanding selection.

- explanatory dictionary of Portuguese terms. It will be convenient to use both from a desktop computer and a tablet or mobile phone.

- spelling dictionary of Portuguese words. Convenient site navigation. On the main page you can find a list of the most requested words. There is a translation of words into English, French, German, Italian.

Explanatory dictionary of Portuguese phrases, which will help with the explanation of local terms. For each word, several variants of usage are given. Each option is voiced in audio format.


– Literature in Portuguese for every taste and genre. Books can be downloaded to your computer in PDF format. If you are starting to learn a language, it is advised to choose those books whose meaning is approximately familiar to you.

- useful words to remember first. Grammar, culture and many other topics are covered. The site provides information about the differences between European and Brazilian Portuguese and provides many useful resources to help learners of the language.

- contains several courses for learning European and Brazilian Portuguese. Suitable for beginner and advanced level users. In addition, the site offers high-quality training in many other languages.

- online radio that can be downloaded to your phone or tablet. You can also listen from a personal computer. The resource will help you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Portuguese language and get used to it, which will speed up the learning process.

Knowledge of the Portuguese language will help in many ways - you decide to relax in sunny Portugal, you are going to meet friends or you are going to start partnerships. In any case, knowledge of Portuguese will be, if not a big plus, then a good helper in achieving your goals.

Portuguese by the method of Elena Shipilova

The author of the channel and a professional teacher Elena Shipilova gives the most basic Portuguese course, consisting of 7 lessons. This course for beginners will help in case superficial knowledge is required.
Channel visitors will be able to learn about tenses and learn the main verbs of the Portuguese language, Elena will talk about the rules for composing sentences.
Video lessons have been added to the channel for learning other languages ​​in the same compressed form - you can learn other popular languages, for example, English, German, Italian.

Portuguese with Roman Stelmakh

The host of the channel - a Ukrainian immigrating to Portugal - talks about Portugal in Russian. His youtube page contains many video tutorials with materials for learning, including the Portuguese language.
Here you can master the initial level of language proficiency, raise your level, get acquainted with Portugal and its features. A channel visitor will be able to learn about Portuguese cuisine and other features of the country.

Portuguese lessons with Elena

The visitor will find Portuguese video courses for beginners on the channel. The author of the channel is a native speaker, has lived in Portugal for more than 10 years and will talk about how to behave in everyday situations where Portuguese may be needed. Subtitles and explanatory captions in the video appear as needed. Audio lessons for Portuguese pronunciation are available.
All training takes place in Russian. The materials do not claim to be a full-fledged course, but they can be a good help in learning the language. Short videos will help you get acquainted with Portuguese cuisine, study and life.

Portuguese with Sandra

Charming teacher with a graceful accent Sandra in Russian will tell all the guests of the channel about Portuguese. Here you can find Portuguese courses for beginners and tourists. There is a video about the most common mistakes learners of Portuguese. All information is presented in a non-standard interesting way, designed to remember the lessons for a long time.

Portuguese with Amir Ordabayev

Amir will help you learn the language using a special Michel Thomas method for Russian speakers. The channel's materials will help those who wish to raise their level of Portuguese language skills to achieve their goal, there are also videos for beginners to learn the language. Teaching materials are given, as a rule, in the form of presentations with explanations in Russian and Portuguese, which will help improve grammar and pronunciation. On the channel you can also find videos about traveling around the world.
The author of the channel is a polyglot, so on his channel you can also find materials for learning other languages ​​- English, German, French, Dutch, Kazakh and many others.

Portuguese with Skylcclub online

The authors of the channel promise that after completing the classes, the student will be able to speak a foreign language and negotiate with foreigners.
The channel contains materials for learning Portuguese, English, German and Russian as a foreign language. As for the Portuguese language, the channel has videos that will introduce you to the initial level of learning - listeners will get used to grammar, be able to replenish vocabulary and learn how to learn the language faster.

Portuguese with Daria Shiliaeva

The friendly author of the channel Daria will talk about the Portuguese language and help you master its initial level. The channel contains many small videos dedicated to each specific topic. Daria will tell the audience about the intricacies of passing the exam in Portuguese and share her authoritative opinion on how to learn the language.

Portuguese with Realdevelop

A kind of Russian-Portuguese dictionary translated into video format. Videos will help in mastering the initial level of language proficiency. Students will be able to improve their vocabulary and train their listening comprehension in Portuguese. On the channel you can find materials to replenish knowledge in many other languages, 15 video lessons are given here for Portuguese.
  • Portuguese language books by year

Below you can download e-books and textbooks for free and read articles and lessons for the Portuguese Books section:

Section content

Description of the section "Books on the Portuguese language"

In this section, for your attention are provided for free download Portuguese language books. Portuguese is a Romance language of the Indo-European family of languages. Developed from medieval Galician-Portuguese. Writing based on the Latin alphabet. It is the second largest Romance language after the closely related Spanish and one of the most widely spoken languages ​​in the world.

Speakers of the Portuguese language are united under the general term Lusophones after the Roman province of Lusitania, which roughly corresponded to the territory of modern Portugal, and the entire set of Portuguese-speaking territories - Lusophonia.

In addition to books, the site has Portuguese audio courses. We highly recommend the book "Visa to Portugal - Portuguese Audio Course". The book contains more than 400 necessary words, phrases, expressions. All everyday topics from greetings and words of courtesy to questions that will help you not get lost in an unfamiliar city, find the right place, check into a hotel, explain yourself in a restaurant or shop.
Also includes sections on meetings, acquaintances and nightlife.

You will learn from books that Portuguese writing is based on the Latin alphabet, with a number of diacritics. The principle of "as it is heard is as it is spelled" is observed less consistently in Portuguese than in Spanish, so Portuguese is somewhat more difficult to learn.

You can also download Portuguese tutorials. The tutorials are very easy to learn. The material will contain words first in Russian, then in Portuguese with transcription. For a better understanding of diction, listen to the pronunciation in audio files.

Portugal is a beautiful country with a rich historical and cultural past. This was undoubtedly reflected in the manner of speaking. It is based on the familiar Latin alphabet and belongs to the group of Romance languages, which contributes to the ease and relative simplicity of its study.

Portuguese is the state language in 9 countries, which is more than 230 million people. And in terms of sound and grammatical features, it is very similar to classical Spanish.

Linguists distinguish 2 types of Portuguese: classical and Brazilian. They are quite different from each other in phonetics, and in spelling, and in grammar. There are many words in the translation of which 2 different versions are obtained. This is due to the stability of the language in the territory of modern Portugal and with regular changes in pronunciation and spelling in other countries. Further we will talk about the classic book version, in 2008 the last significant changes were made at the state level.

If you study regularly 2-3 times a week and repeat the material regularly, it will be quite tolerable to explain yourself on everyday topics in 2-3 months. And in a year you can reach a quite decent level - conversational with a dictionary. Learning Portuguese on your own is as difficult as any other language, it takes a lot of time and strong motivation.

Portuguese on my own

Learning Portuguese is quite easy, especially if you have a background in learning other languages ​​and experience in doing exercises. It is quite simple, there are only feminine and masculine genders, the minimum number of incorrectly declined verbs.

In general, the process of learning any language consists of interrelated stages, which must be performed sequentially, adding complexity gradually. Difficult tasks in the early stages of learning can kill any enthusiasm completely. The results of each school day should be tangible - it can be a new word, a rule, or an analysis of a famous song. It is best to share your achievements with like-minded people.


At the first stage, they traditionally get acquainted with the pronunciation and “try” the sound of words by ear. Usually, a minimum of text is used here, a maximum of graphic materials:

  • alphabet and pronunciation of some letters and syllables;
  • learning simple monosyllabic words and concepts, most often as examples of the sound of individual letters;
  • audio materials - music, simple nursery rhymes and rhymes in Portuguese.

All exercises are aimed at gradually getting used to the sounds of speech, pronunciation and broadening one's horizons. Further, textual materials and more complex tasks are added, aimed not only at sound, but at reading and understanding the written text. The following exercise is added:

  • written tasks related to the sound of individual words;
  • reading from a sheet of simple phrases and short simple sentences;
  • analysis of syllables and diphthongs obtained by combining two vowels or a vowel and a consonant.

At this stage, you can diversify the learning with videos for children with Portuguese subtitles to reinforce the perception of sound, pronunciation and context. It is still difficult to pronounce meaningful phrases and expressions here. But a personal dictionary appears with the first words in Portuguese and a translation, it is he who will help to periodically refresh the information already studied in memory. By the time you read the first simple sentences, several months may have passed. A little later, you need to add to the training:

  • writing letters and simple monosyllabic words to consolidate the material with the help of mechanical memory;
  • reading small texts of a basic level of complexity with a gradual increase in the level;
  • videos with subtitles in Portuguese to get used to speaking.

Reading texts should cause a certain complexity and the need to use a dictionary, ideally, to learn something new, you need to understand about 70% of the text. At 90% or more, the complexity of the texts needs to be increased. Methodological materials and a variety of written exercises will already be required to develop motor skills and consolidate the studied material.


Only after passing the basic stages with a good result, you can move on to reading books, learning grammar and spelling rules, watching movies in Portuguese. The final stage can last indefinitely, you can improve the language all your life, because even the Portuguese themselves do not know it 100%. At this stage, you can use a complex of text, audio and video materials, you will need:

  • audiobooks and music in Portuguese;
  • adapted books from basic to advanced;
  • a variety of video materials (it is better to watch videos on interesting topics);
  • communication with native speakers in language centers, on special forums or other network resources.

These materials are available online or on the shelves of bookstores so you don't have to attend a language school regularly to learn from books. But at the first stage, the help of a teacher will still save you both nerves and time. Setting the pronunciation for yourself is a very difficult event; it is almost impossible to study the phonetic features of the language on your own.

How can you learn Portuguese?

These mandatory, or basic, stages will have to be passed, which of the training options you would not choose. Without phonetic foundations, it is difficult to pronounce words correctly, and without the pronunciation of letter combinations, it is almost impossible to learn how to read books. There are several options for learning the Portuguese language (however, like any other) with the help of a teacher or native speaker. The most popular of them:

  • language schools and language courses with experienced teachers and homework;
  • online courses where you can get advice, help and support at all stages of learning;


  • specialized chats and forums, where teachers and native speakers themselves often offer their help;
  • personal lessons with a teacher - they are much more expensive than any other options, but great for emergency study;
  • armed with a phrase book and a dictionary of the Portuguese language, go to Portugal.

A trip to a country where everyone speaks Portuguese can cost a lot, but it can also bring more results than a couple of years in a language school. Here you should choose according to the possibilities and desire, as well as proceed from the timing and purpose of training. A single business trip involves one level of language proficiency, while living in a country and working in a technical field is a completely different one.

Resources for learning Portuguese from zero to conversational level

In addition to traditional books and educational materials, modern technologies offer various websites and applications that can greatly facilitate the entire learning process. Somewhere methodological literature is freely available, someone offers online assignments and tests, and on some sites you can watch video and audio materials.

The following 10 options can be distinguished from online services:

Duolingo.com is a great resource and very popular with students and young people. Here you can choose a level for yourself and learn the language in the form of a game, including through a mobile application for a smartphone.


  • A popular service for accelerated learning - Language Marathon Language Heroes . Both native speakers and those wishing to improve their knowledge and communicate with like-minded people gather here.
  • A site where you can improve your knowledge of grammar, or the blog semantica-portuguese.com. There are a large number of articles on various topics about the country, cultural characteristics, national holidays, various rules for speaking and writing Portuguese.
  • You can sing songs in karaoke and just listen to your favorite performers on the website www.ouvirmusica.com.br . Easy navigation, a large number of well-known compositions, divided by genre and artist, lyrics.
  • Online radio for PC or smartphone Tunein , here you can select the radio station of any region of the country of interest and listen to programs in real time.
  • Everyday phrases, spoken Portuguese can be improved using an online resource SemperFamilia . Here you can read articles, do exercises and supplement your speech with simplified everyday vocabulary.
  • Podcasts from native speakers will help you understand spoken language. On the site audio lingua materials are presented in 13 popular European languages.
  • Excellent exercises in Portuguese phonetics, recorded by native speakers from Brazil and other countries, an interesting guide to pronunciation Forvo.

  • Online course service Memrise , including classes in phonetics, vocabulary and spelling. Here you can choose tasks according to your level.
  • For those who want to learn the language from books or read famous works in Portuguese interpretation, the following online resources are suitable: book library and light reading on various everyday topics - online magazine Veja.
  • In the Play Market and the App Store, you can find dozens of apps to learn Portuguese from any level. These links will be enough to get you started, and advanced students will already find additional resources to help.

Regular classes. If you want to learn something, you need to conduct regular and fairly frequent classes. As for language learning, at least 2-3 times a week it is necessary to devote 2-3 hours to studying new material. Or every other day, but for 40-50 minutes. If less often - everything learned is forgotten, more often - training quickly bothers


  • Self-motivation and entertainment. Textbooks and methodological indexes will bore even the most motivated student. Diversify the process by watching funny videos, reading materials that are interesting to you and communicating with like-minded people.
  • Tasks for daily repetition. Come up with traditions or games for memorizing the material: word of the day, day of Portugal, 2 books a month with writing a review, etc.
  • Begin the lesson by reviewing what you have learned. A dictionary and a personal workbook will help you not to miss important things and remember all the words. When there is a lot of material, repeat selectively from different parts.
  • Take every opportunity to exercise. It can even be a conversation with loved ones, chatting on a forum or in a group, skype calls - colloquial speech helps to start thinking close to the original and understand unfamiliar words in the context of a conversation.
  • Create a rating system for yourself. Treat yourself to your favorite cake after the end of a big topic, or please yourself with a new blouse with a successful test. This will help to connect boring and difficult studies with prizes and pleasant moments. Psychologically, it is easier to experience difficulties, complete with joyful events.
  • Don't drop out immediately at the first sign of boredom. Learning a language for yourself has an unpleasant side - you can quit at any time. If the motivation is your momentary desire, then the fuse will quickly pass, and the pleasure of understanding speech in a foreign language will come not earlier than in six months - a year. Surviving this period and actively absorbing educational material is a difficult, but quite feasible task.

Learning any language is impossible without immersion in the history and culture of the country and people. Portugal is a country that can bring you many surprises. Lisbon is a great old city with many beautiful buildings and architectural monuments. Impulsive and very active, the Portuguese will appeal to those who like to chat and throw out emotions. Culture, holidays, traditions and customs - they are very different from Russians in all areas. And the beauty of architecture and a large number of attractions will surely attract you with a tourist visit. Learn Portuguese on your own and with pleasure, and this country will definitely reciprocate.