A Wealth of Articles on Everything Related to Learning Portuguese
The Portuguese Verb Haver
If you’ve been learning Portuguese for a while, you’ve probably noticed that little word há popping up everywhere. Indeed, há is a verb form of Haver, which…
Two Worlds, One Language: Unveiling the Differences Between European and Brazilian Portuguese
You are probably aware that there are two well-established standards of Portuguese – the European and the Brazilian. Most language learners, though, don’t know much about their…
Gender of Portuguese Words
Like other Romance languages, Portuguese nouns are gender-marked as masculine or feminine. This gender dimension in Portuguese extends nonetheless well beyond nouns. For instance, word classes such…
Portuguese Gerund: Progressive Tenses and Beyond
The Portuguese Gerund (Gerúndio) is used to build Progressive tenses (such as the Present Continuous) and is the equivalent of the English Present Participle: the -ing verb…
Speaking Portuguese with Confidence
Achieving fluency in Portuguese, arguably anyone’s ultimate goal, can feel daunting. Many learners believe immersion in a Portuguese-speaking country is the only path to mastery. But fear…
Portuguese Verbs Ser vs. Estar: How and When to Use Either
In Portuguese, there are two To Be verbs: Ser and Estar. Not fully understanding their differences, language learners will often hesitate between using one or the other.…
Forming the Plural in Portuguese
In Portuguese, not only nouns are spelled differently according to number (singular/plural), but also words belonging to other word classes such as adjectives, demonstratives, or possessive pronouns.…
Portuguese Verb Tenses and Moods Explained: A Usage Rundown Anchored to English
With so many conjugations, Portuguese verbs are a hard-to-chew bit for anyone learning the language, especially for those not acquainted with any Romance language from before. Now,…
Portuguese Definite and Indefinite Articles – How and When to Use Them
Most languages do well without articles. In this sense, English and Romance languages like Portuguese belong to a minority. The Portuguese definite articles – o, a, os,…
Portuguese Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns
Reflexive verbs are abundant in Portuguese and many of them are frequently used in everyday life. It is easy for language learners – especially those unfamiliar with…
Master European Portuguese Pronunciation: Essential Guide for Beginners and Beyond
I often hear people say that Portuguese sounds different from other Romance languages. And that’s because it’s true! So, what is so special about European Portuguese pronunciation?…
Here’s Why Portuguese Sounds Russian
I often hear people saying that Portuguese sounds like Russian! What is so striking about that comment is that Portuguese and Russian are relatively distant languages –…
Portuguese Possessive Pronouns and Determiners
Portuguese possessive pronouns and determiners indicate possession. In English, these are words like my, your, his, her, our, their (possessive determiners) and mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs (possessive pronouns). Possessive pronouns and determiners…
Portuguese vs. Spanish: How Similar Are They Actually?
Portuguese and Spanish are Romance languages that share a common root: they both stem from Vulgar Latin. But how similar are they? Portuguese and Spanish are different…
Portuguese Future Subjunctive (Futuro do Conjuntivo) – Conjugation and Usage
If you have been learning Portuguese long enough, you know that sooner or later you’ve got to come to grips with the Future Subjunctive (Futuro do Conjuntivo).…
Portuguese Word Stress and Accent Marks
If you care about Portuguese pronunciation and want to get good at it, you’ll need to come to grips with its word stress patterns. That’s it. Here’s…
Portuguese Prepositions and Contractions
In general, prepositions have an infamous reputation among language learners. Judging by all the whining and moaning I’ve heard from students throughout the years, Portuguese prepositions are…
Portuguese Question Words
Intrepid language learners start using Portuguese nearly from day one. I love the attitude and hope you are one of them. Besides bravery, to keep conversations going…