ONLINE PORTUGUESE LESSONS

Grammar Gramática

Learning grammar in a foreign language can be a hassle, especially if the target language is strikingly different from your native tongue (as is the case with Portuguese when compared to English). The good news is that you can find countless resources online for free that go from written or video grammar explanations to traditional fill-in-the-blanks or meaningful tasks. Take advantage of these opportunities to put your skills into play and take your grammar knowledge to the next level without paying a cent.

Verb Conjugators

Remind yourself how to conjugate Portuguese verbs with these free tools:

• Verbix,
• Cool Conjugator,
• Conjugator reverso.

Grammar Exercises

• BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE The Portuguese government has a free website with tons of resources for speakers of other languages. Some of them include grammar explanations and exercises for beginner and intermediate learners, with the aim to help immigrants feel at home if they decide to move to Portugal.
• BEGINNER On BBC Active, you can find an array of grammar worksheets about basic topics and you can download them for free. In addition to interactive exercises, you will find explanations. 
• BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE In addition to being a great verb conjugator, Verbos-Portugueses also features grammar exercises about tenses and irregular verbs. Put your skills into practice and test your knowledge of Portuguese conjugations!

Pronunciation Pronunciação

Learning how to pronounce Portuguese properly does not only mean producing individual sounds correctly (such as the Portuguese “nh” or the ce cedilla) but also it requires you to know the correct intonation patterns, cadence, and voice quality. It can take years to sound like a native, and it cannot be achieved without lots of practice! Here are some great resources that can help you improve your pronunciation from home. Don’t be shy: nobody will be listening but yourself!

• ADVANCED One of the hardest things to master when learning a foreign language is the accent. This does not only depend on sounds but also on intonation and voice quality. Explore our tips to perfect your European Portuguese accent using music!  
• BEGINNER If you are looking to develop the European accent, instead, and learn their characteristic “s” that sounds like a “sh”, you can make use of the Portuguese Lab’s free resources. The site features every sound in the Portuguese phonetic alphabet with audio recordings and examples. A similar site, that also includes a comparison with English sounds, is European Portuguese Info. 
• INTERMEDIATE- ADVANCED Are you just getting started with a Portuguese course and would like to learn more about its characteristics and common sounds? Discover these great YouTube channels that can help you learn about the traits of spoken discourse! 

Vocabulary Vocabulário

Are you struggling to find effective, motivating strategies to actually remember new vocabulary? We know this is one of the hardest things to do, as there are so many aspects of a new word to learn: meaning, use, pronunciation, spelling. In addition to keeping a vocabulary notebook, you can try out these online resources and see how many words you can learn in a month!

• BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE It can be hard to find resources to practice the European Portuguese variety (the Brazilian one is much more popular). For example, Duolingo only offers bite-sized lessons for those interested in learning Portuguese spoken in Brazil. A great app to learn the language of Portugal is Memrise, which mainly focuses on vocabulary and pronunciation. Have fun with their videos and game-like activities! 
• BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Vocabulando is a great app to practice Brazilian Portuguese with fun, interactive activities. It focuses mostly on the words which are commonly mistaken by non-native speakers (i.e. the equivalents to “there, they’re and their” in English), so it’s great for every level of proficiency. Unfortunately, it is only available on Android. 
• BEGINNER In Study Portuguese Abroad, you will find interactive vocabulary exercises, such as crosswords and passwords, to learn vocabulary related to the family, food, the school, and other subjects. 

Reading Leitura

Reading comprehension can be tricky to develop, no matter your level of ability. In addition to just reading a text (a book, a newspaper, a website, or even a street sign), you will need to do some work if you want to improve, such as looking for unknown words in the dictionary, paying attention to sentence structure, or trying to summarize what you just read. The more you read in Portuguese, the more you will expand your vocabulary and improve your ability to cope with texts of any source. Here are some resources to use in your spare time.

• INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED If you are looking for ideas on how to improve your reading comprehension ability in this foreign language, you can find plenty in Learn Portuguese Now has articles that are simple to read and with tips to help you learn to read Portuguese in a painless way. They mainly focus on Brazilian Portuguese.  
•  BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE Portuguese Readings offers very short stories and non-fiction articles in Portuguese for beginner students to increase their understanding of the written language. Most of the texts come with a recording of a native speaker reading the story, so you can get used to the European pronunciation and cadence.

Listening Escuta

Besides a few borrowed words, Portuguese sounds completely foreign to native English speakers. You may find the European Portuguese variety easier to acquire due to its pronunciation (for example, speakers also make a distinction between /v/ and /b/), but it is still a challenge. So, start training your ear to the Portuguese cadence with these free resources!

• BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED If you are looking for TV series and movies that can familiarize you with European Portuguese pronunciation, tune into RTP’s website. Most of their programs have closed-caption subtitles, which are great for beginner and intermediate students who are not yet acquainted with the fast pace of the language. 
• INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Practice Portuguese features a lot of real-life recordings with exercises for you to develop your listening skills in a short time. These podcasts last approximately 15 minutes and cover a great variety of topics, from technology to food or trips. The site has a free and premium version, which will give you access to video subtitles, a transcript, and a short quiz after every episode. 
• INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Say it in Portuguese is another website dedicated to podcasts that focus on idiomatic expressions, proverbs, and informal language use. For example, learn phrases like “fazer uma vaquinha” (not “making a cow,” but gathering money to pay for something). 
• BEGINNER INTERMEDIATE When you are in the earliest stages of your language journey, a great way to improve your listening skills is to listen to something you already know in your native language, such as songs from your childhood. Luckily, you can find plenty of resources on YouTube, like this channel with Disney songs in Portuguese! Improve your listening skills while having some nice childhood memories. 

Writing Escrita

Put your Portuguese writing skills into use with these resources and tips that will take you out of your comfort zone and help you express yourself better!

• INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Enjoy these creative writing prompts to practice your skills. Some suggested topics include describing yourself or your family, narrating your last trip, coming up with a recipe for your favorite dish, and more. 
• BEGINNER As a beginner, you may find it hard to start developing your writing skills. Luckily, you can find free lessons online, like the one by Portuguese Pod 101, where you can learn the basics (such as the use of periods and commas, word order, how to use modifiers, and more)! 

Speaking Fala

Looking for some ideas on how to improve your Portuguese speaking skills? Would you like to find someone to chat in Portuguese in your area or online? Check out these sites and take your skills to the next level!

• INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED Speak like a Brazilian is a wonderful website for those who want to learn the South American variety, as it’s packed with slang and colloquial phrases with their corresponding translations in English. 
• INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED If you are having trouble finding Portuguese students or native speakers with whom to practice in your area, why not access language exchange sites, like Tandem or Conversation Exchange? You can chat with other motivated learners and improve your speaking skills (and even set up a face-to-face meeting if you prefer!). 

For Kids Para crianças

Help your children learn the variety of Portuguese they need with interactive activities, interesting videos, and visually-appealing resources. If they are motivated, they will pick up new phrases lightning fast!

• Portuguese for Kids is a nice app for children to learn vocabulary in a fun, engaging way. They have visually appealing flashcards showing new vocabulary items (food, animals, vegetables, colors) and then your kid will have to complete interactive activities, such as matching, listen-and-repeat, fill-in-the-blanks, and more.
• Gus on the Go is a beautiful app that follows the story of a young boy who travels through Brazil and stops at different cities, where he meets friends and discovers new objects he needs to name in Portuguese. The app includes a great variety of games for your kids to learn vocabulary and grammar, and the best part is that it is free of charge!
• Here you can find a complete guide to teaching Portuguese to your child, so they never get bored or overwhelmed when learning the language.

Miscellaneous Vários

Here is a shortlist of miscellaneous resources that will help you learn about the Portuguese language and culture!

• Try out our FREE Portuguese Level Test to discover your current language level! After answering our multiple-choice questions, you will get to know whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced student of Portuguese.
• Read these articles to learn about the best Brazilian and Portuguese snacks, such as brigadeiros and francesinhas!
• Need help structuring your Brazilian Portuguese learning path? Check out this post and follow a 5-step plan to mastering this fascinating language!
• Not sure whether learning Portuguese is the right move for you? Discover 5 compelling reasons why you need to be fluent in Portuguese today!
• Portunhol is a hybrid of Portuguese and Spanish, mostly spoken in South America. Read this article on Portunhol and find out more about this interesting dialect.