20+ Portuguese TV Shows for Portuguese Language Learners

While listening practice is a key ingredient to becoming fluent in Portuguese, it is not always easy to get hold of listening content with subtitles, especially if you’re learning European Portuguese.

Today I am sharing with you 20+ Portuguese TV shows with Portuguese subtitles that you can stream for free (even when streaming from a country other than Portugal). 

This allows you to immerse yourself in Portuguese without it being discouraging – the subtitles will help you to follow along and enjoy whatever you’re watching.

Which level are you at?

If you’ve just begun learning Portuguese, you may find watching TV shows in your target language too difficult! Fair enough. Here’re a couple of reads where you can find learning resources specifically designed for beginners:

• Quality Online Resources for Portuguese Language Learners
• How to Practice and Improve Your Portuguese Listening Skills – Best Practices and Quality Resources

Portuguese TV shows online

All the TV programs listed below are available on RTP’s streaming platform. (RTP stands for Rádio e Televisão de Portugal and it is Portugal’s public service broadcaster.)

• fiction
• sitcoms
• documentary
• music, arts & history
• didactic & informative

Tips! Language learning should be as meaningful as possible. Choose those topics that interest you the most since we learn best when we enjoy the materials we’re practicing on. Learn more about language-learning strategies: Mindsets and Strategies to Learn Portuguese the Best.

Fiction

O sábio

This series’ main character, Pedro, comes back to his hometown in Portugal after having lived for 20 years in a distant Eastern land with a different culture …  This drama series comprises 300 episodes. 

Os nossos dias

This is a Portuguese soap opera from 2015 with hundreds of episodes that you can stream and watch. As you’d expect from a soap opera, it portrays the lives of ordinary people in contemporary Portugal.

Sitcoms

Agora a sério

This is a comedy series from 2015 and there are 13 episodes available. It revolves around the daily lives of a group of journalists working for a daily newspaper.

Bem-vindos a Beirais

There are 4 seasons available although only the fourth season, with no less than 260 episodes, come with subtitles.

Apart from all its humor, it depicts the contrasts between life in the city and in the countryside and the challenges that the latter faces (unemployment, exodus, loneliness, etc). 

Nelo & Idália

Nelio & Idália is a sitcom featuring one of Portugal’s most acclaimed comedians, Herman José. You can browse through its 50 available episodes.

Documentary

O mundo dos sentidos

This 6-episode documentary will walk you through all our senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and, of course, intuition.

Portugal tem lata

An excellent documentary about the traditional seafood-processing industry in Portugal. It comprises two episodes but only the first one has subtitles.

Show me Lisbon

Explore Portugal’s capital through the eyes of Portuguese celebrities. Being passionate about their city, they will walk you through Lisbon’s delights and off-the-beaten-track places. 

Histórias do mar

This series is 14 episodes long and depicts life at sea. It gives voice to small communities of Portuguese fishermen who reveal the charms and challenges of their trade – a contemplation of the relationship between man and the sea.  

Água vai, pedra leva

This program focuses on the Madeira islands, namely, its history since it was first populated in the fifteenth century until today. It tells the story of how nature, landscape and human society have co-evolved.

Madeira prima

Madeira prima is a documentary featuring carpenters, artists, craftsmen and designers, from different generations, who reveal the secrets of their art. They all have one thing in common: wood is their raw material.

Portugueses pelo mundo

This program tells the stories of Portuguese emigrants scattered around the world. In each episode, someone will share his/her dreams, challenges and struggles of living far from home. At the time of writing, the program is in its tenth season.  

Music, arts & history

Literatura agora

The host of this literature-focused program recites, comments on, and discusses literary works by renowned authors, both Portuguese and international. There are 22 episodes available.  

Visita guiada

This program will teach you about Portuguese history, traditions, gastronomy, architecture, and arts. Each episode is a “guided visit” to someplace of interest. There are 10 seasons available but only seasons 2, 3, and 4 have Portuguese subtitles available.

Palcos agora

This is a cultural program devoted to the performing arts in Portugal. There are 22 available episodes.

O povo que ainda canta

This culture series takes you to all corners of Portugal to show you Portugal’s musical traditions and folk culture. There are 26 episodes available.

Parque da pena

If you are a fan of architecture, landscape and Portuguese history, this program is for you. It reveals the history behind the Park and National Palace of Pena in Sintra, Portugal.

Os filhos do rock – making of

Os filhos do rock tells the story of the generation that, throughout the 80s, created the foundations of today’s Portuguese rock music.

A arte elétrica em Portugal 

Divided into two seasons of 6 episodes each, these documentary series will tell you everything about Portuguese pop music’s history, from the 1960s all the way up to the present. Only the first season comes with subtitles. 

Didactic & informative

Cuidado com a língua

This program revolves around the Portuguese language. It touches upon common grammar mistakes Portuguese people make, the origin of Portuguese idiomatic expressions and other language curiosities.   

Biosfera

Biosfera is a didactic program focusing on the environment and sustainability issues. At the time of this writing, it is in its eighteenth season. Some of the episodes have subtitles available, others don’t.  

Voz do cidadão

This program gives voice to RTP’s audience. Being Portugal’s public service broadcaster, RTP is kept under scrutiny by its audience.

Reading tips! If you’ve found this post useful, you may want to read this one as well: 16 Podcast Shows to Nurture Your Portuguese Language Skills (and Get to Know More About Portugal).