Everything you need to know to learn Portuguese online

When we are looking for a new language to learn, we rarely think of Portuguese as our first choice. We tend to undervalue this language because we often think that since it is not one of the most widely spoken languages, it is not worth the effort. This is a big mistake, precisely because the fact that it is not spoken by many people means that the few who do know the language are more highly valued professionally.

Imagine travelling to Portugal knowing its language. It's a small country, but it has an incredible culture that you should know. You just need to learn Portuguese to enjoy the best of the country. Walk along the beaches of the Algarve, take a tram in Lisbon and visit its monuments and huge squares. And if you're in the mood for a more relaxed plan, we recommend a visit to the wine cellars of Porto.

We all know that Portuguese is spoken in Portugal, hence its name, but it is not the only country with Portuguese as an official language. On the other side of the Atlantic we find Brazil, a country with fantastic landscapes, you can visit the Amazon jungle, the Iguazu Falls, the cavernous rivers of Bonito or the beaches of Recife. Would you like to go there? Well, you'll have to learn the language first to enjoy the experience 100%.

I'm sure you're wondering, how do I learn Portuguese? Well, here's the answer. Classgap is an online class platform where you can find native and bilingual Portuguese teachers. Book your first online class with us and discover all the advantages of learning Portuguese online.

Advantages of learning Portuguese online

Portuguese is a very sweet and melodic language. According to UNESCO, more than 355 million people will speak Portuguese by 2050, will you be one of them? Studying Portuguese online will not only help you learn the language, it will also allow you to discover an exciting culture and history. To convince you, here are the main reasons why you should learn Portuguese online:

It is one of the most spoken languages in the world: surprised? Yes, Portuguese is the seventh most spoken language in the world and the fifth most used language on the Internet. It is also the official language of international organisations such as Mercosur.
To travel to Portugal: as we have already said, if you want to get to know the country, the reason for the famous Gallo de Portugal and the typical food of the area, you must first learn the language in order to understand the situation.
To travel to Africa: yes, yes, you read that right. The old Portuguese colonies still maintain the language, but with some changes. You can practice your Portuguese in Angola, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Cape Verde or Sao Tome and Principe.
To travel to Brazil: the country of the world's most important carnivals, Christ the Redeemer and even part of the Amazon. The main differences between the Portuguese spoken in Brazil and the Portuguese spoken in Portugal are the vocabulary, the expressions and, above all, the pronunciation.

Find your Portuguese tutor

You will know the reason for one of their names: Portuguese is known as the singing language. It has an accent similar to Italian and its closed vowels and nasal pronunciation make it very attractive.
Discover all its cultural heritage: it has incredible natural landscapes, an architectural cultural heritage recognised by UNESCO and Fado is the most internationally known expression of Portuguese music.
You will learn the second mother tongue of many Spanish people: as you know, Spain and Portugal are next to each other, so many families are divided between the two sides of the border.
To improve your job opportunities: There are few people who are fluent in Portuguese, so if you have Portuguese on your CV, you will have many more opportunities than the rest of the people who only have English.

If we've convinced you, all that's left is to book your first online Portuguese lesson. Use all the resources offered by Classgap to make your experience with online Portuguese classes the best.

Tips for learning Portuguese online

If you are thinking of learning Portuguese, start studying online. If you want to learn a new language, the best method is to take lessons with a private online teacher. In addition to lessons, there are many things you can do to complement your online training. Do you want to know the best tips for mastering Portuguese? We explain them to you:

Listen to songs: if you like music, this is the best advice for you. We encourage you to discover Fado. It is the musical expression of Lisbon's soul. The word fado comes from the Latin "fatum" which means "destiny".
Watch films: To help your ear get used to the language, you can watch films in Portuguese; at first you can put the subtitles on in Spanish and, as you progress, put them on in Portuguese. If you don't know what to watch, Netflix has movies in Portuguese that are a lot of fun, such as: Cinderella pop, Ricos de amor or Era del cielo.
Talk and talk: there is no better way to practice your Portuguese. Find someone to talk to and try to speak Portuguese with your teacher from minute 1. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Book a Portuguese lesson

Pay attention to the accents: accents are the key to pronouncing Portuguese correctly; all vowels have several graphic accents.
Consonants: The pronunciation of consonants is very simple because it is practically similar to Spanish. Spanish speakers have an advantage in this respect.
Beware of false friends: As with all languages, Portuguese also has what are known as false friends, i.e. words that are pronounced and written in a similar way to other languages but have different meanings.
Nouns: They are very similar to Spanish as far as gender is concerned: The masculine ends in '-o' and the feminine in 'a'.
Pronouns: This is one of the first things you have to learn when studying Portuguese because they are used in practically every sentence.

Where to travel to learn Portuguese

Maybe you're someone who likes to immerse yourself in learning and loves adventure. If you like to travel and see the world while learning Portuguese, we have the solution. We are going to introduce you to the best destinations to learn Portuguese, but first we recommend that you book online Portuguese lessons on our platform.

Brazil: Brazil is the most popular destination for learning Portuguese. It is one of the largest and most populated countries in the world. A country full of culture, gastronomy, parties, colour, beaches, surfing, adventure... if you choose this destination, you will probably want to spend more time there to continue improving your language level.

Portugal: Portugal is a much smaller country than Brazil. It is a European destination full of history. Its capital, Lisbon, is a unique tourist city with a lot of charm and is one of the oldest cities in the world. The colourful houses, cobblestone streets, photogenic trams of the capital, the delicious gastronomy, the culture and street life, the long beaches, the surfing... Portugal is a fascinating destination.

Cape Verde: Cape Verde, located west of Senegal, is an archipelago of nine islands where you can learn Portuguese.Cape Verde is known as the "island of happiness", an African destination of paradisiacal beaches, lush nature and tropical climate very close to Spain. Isn't it wonderful? Most Cape Verde residents speak Portuguese as a second language, in fact, it's very similar to the Portuguese spoken in Portugal, but with a few variations.

Sao Tome and Principe: if we continue down the map from Cape Verde to the Gulf of Guinea, we come across another African destination where you can learn Portuguese. This is Sao Tome and Principe, a country made up of several islands where the most widely spoken language is Portuguese. This destination has an incredible beauty and charm. A volcanic land full of jungle and surrounded by a turquoise sea.

Macao: is a former Portuguese colony that is now a territory of China. It is a destination that mixes colonial architecture with Chinese temples, modern Asian high-rise buildings and luxurious casinos. Although most people in Macau speak Cantonese, the Portuguese language remains an important part of the culture. It's a very exotic place to learn Portuguese.

Mozambique: a tropical country in southeast Africa. Here you can find long beaches with turquoise waters where you can dive, practice water sports or relax talking in Portuguese with the locals. Portuguese is spoken by 40% of Mozambicans. Although the language has some variations, it's based on standard European pronunciation.

As you can see, the options for learning Portuguese abroad go far beyond the well-known Portugal or Brazil. Take the plunge to learn Portuguese online and discover all these fantastic places.

Learn Portuguese online for work

Learning another language can improve your job opportunities. Many people know English or French, but Portuguese is not a language that is widely spoken in most companies. Nowadays, in international trade, it is very important to know this language, and knowing it can help you to climb the career ladder!

Try a Portuguese lesson

There are several other job options that you can access if you study Portuguese online, do you want to know them?

Tourism: you can work in your country or in any Portuguese-speaking country. There is always a need for guides who know these languages, especially in other countries such as Spain, where there are many Portuguese tourists who require these services.
Translation and interpreting: many people work with languages such as English, French or Spanish, but there are few people who know Portuguese. It is undoubtedly one of the best job opportunities available.
Hospitality and catering: as we have said, Portuguese tourists also travel to other countries and they need people in hotels and restaurants who understand their language. If you want to put your Portuguese into practice, this is a good place to start.

Online Portuguese lessons at Classgap

If you want to learn Portuguese, Classgap is the best platform for online classes. You can select what timetable you want, if you prefer a native teacher or not, what level you are in... It will surely be easier for you to find the one that best suits you. And because it's online, you don't have to have a tutor from your own city or country. You can take classes with a teacher who lives in Brazil or Portugal, who better to teach you their language and culture than them?

How it works

Do you want to know how it works?

Once you have registered in Classgap you will have to access the Portuguese teacher grid.
Use the filters to select what you are most interested in: if you want the teacher to be a native speaker or not, the price you want to pay, the timetable you want...
Once you have found the one you like best, you can book the class. Many tutors have a 20-minute free trial, so take advantage of this and present your objectives to see if they are the right person to help you achieve them.
When the class starts, you will have the option of accessing the virtual classroom. There you will find all kinds of tools to make your online classes complete. The virtual whiteboard, chat, the option to share documents, links or files...
Once the lesson is over, you will be able to leave a comment about the class, this way you will help other users who are interested in the same teacher.
If you have any doubts or problems, don't hesitate to ask, our Customer Service team will solve them.

Online lessons will make it easier for you to organise yourself and allow you to combine your learning with many other activities. In addition, you can travel and move around without having to put learning aside, take it with you! Use all the resources that Classgap offers to make your experience with online Portuguese classes unbeatable.