Learn Portuguese — from Zero to Conversational

Complete A1 to B2.2 Curriculum

Course: Portuguese

Portuguese is spoken by 260 million people across Brazil, Portugal, Africa and beyond — making it the 6th most spoken language in the world. It's melodic, expressive and deeply tied to music, football and vibrant culture.

Variety taught: Brazilian Portuguese — você as the default form of address, Brazilian pronunciation and vocabulary. European forms such as tu, tens de and vós appear for recognition only, and the main Portugal/Brazil differences are flagged in the units where they matter.
🗣️ 260 million speakers worldwide — 6th most spoken language in the world.
📊 Portuguese has some pronunciation challenges (particularly European Portuguese), but its grammar is very similar to Spanish and Italian. English speakers will find the vocabulary surprisingly familiar.

Why learn Portuguese?

What you get

Grammar you'll master

O Presente do Indicativo

Portuguese present tense covers three verb groups (-ar, -er, -ir) and essential irregular verbs: ser, estar, ter, ir, fazer.

Eu falo português todos os dias. / Ela tem dois filhos. / Nós vamos ao mercado.

Ser vs Estar

Like Spanish, Portuguese has two verbs for 'to be'. SER for permanent identity; ESTAR for temporary states and locations.

Sou professor. / Estou cansado hoje. / A loja está fechada.

O Pretérito Perfeito

The simple past tense for completed actions. Regular and irregular verbs follow distinct patterns.

Comi feijoada ontem. / Ela foi ao Brasil no verão. / Nós vimos um jogo bonito.

O Futuro

Portuguese future can be expressed with the simple future tense or with ir + infinitive for near-future plans.

Vou viajar amanhã. / Ela será uma ótima médica.

Artigos & Género

All Portuguese nouns have grammatical gender. Articles (o/a, um/uma) agree with the gender and number of the noun.

O café está quente. / A cidade é linda. / Um livro interessante. / Uma pergunta difícil.

O Conjuntivo

The subjunctive mood is widely used in Portuguese — more so than in Spanish. Triggered by wishes, emotions, doubt and impersonal expressions.

Espero que você chegue a tempo. / É importante que você estude. / Quero que você venha comigo.

A taste of the curriculum

Você já foi ao Brasil?

Have you ever been to Brazil? — Past tense for life experience.

Sim! Fui há dois anos. Adorei o Rio de Janeiro.

Yes! I went two years ago. I loved Rio de Janeiro.

O que eu devo visitar se eu for lá?

What should I visit if I go there? — Subjunctive with SE.

Você tem que ver o Cristo Redentor. E é fundamental que você prove uma caipirinha!

You have to see Christ the Redeemer. And it's essential you try a caipirinha!

Frequently asked questions

Should I learn European or Brazilian Portuguese?﹢

LingoNibble teaches Brazilian Portuguese: você as the default form of address, Brazilian pronunciation and Brazilian vocabulary. It is understood everywhere Portuguese is spoken, and we point out the main European differences (tu, tens de, distinct pronunciation) so you can recognise them.

How many people speak Portuguese?﹢

Portuguese has over 260 million native speakers, making it the 6th most spoken language in the world. It's the dominant language of Brazil — the largest economy in South America — and is official in 9 countries.

Is Portuguese similar to Spanish?﹢

Portuguese and Spanish share about 89% lexical similarity. If you know Spanish, Portuguese will feel very familiar — though pronunciation is quite different, especially in the European variety.

What makes Portuguese grammar tricky?﹢

The subjunctive mood is used more frequently in Portuguese than in Spanish or French. The nasal vowels (ã, ão, em) are also unique and require practice to produce and recognise.

Is Portuguese a good language to learn for business?﹢

Absolutely. Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and one of the world's top 10 economies. Portuguese opens doors across South America, Africa (Angola, Mozambique) and Europe.

Start Learning Free →

Sample Vocabulary

Hello

Olá

Good morning

Bom dia

Good afternoon

Boa tarde

Good evening / night

Boa noite

Reading Comprehension Stories

Curriculum Overview (60 Units)

1

Unit 1: Greetings & Introductions

Learn formal and informal greetings, introduce yourself, and master personal pronouns.

2

Unit 2: Ser vs Estar (Essential Verbs)

Master the critical difference between permanent traits (ser) and temporary states/location (estar).

3

Unit 3: Definite & Indefinite Articles

Master gender (masculine/feminine) and plural agreements with articles o, a, um, uma.

4

Unit 4: Regular Verbs in -AR

Master present tense conjugation of regular -ar verbs (falar, morar, trabalhar, estudar, gostar).

5

Unit 5: Regular Verbs in -ER & -IR

Master present tense conjugation of regular -er and -ir verbs (beber, comer, viver, abrir, partir).

6

Unit 6: Essential Irregular Verbs (ter, ir, vir, fazer)

Master essential irregular verbs (ter, ir, vir, fazer) to talk about age, destinations, and daily routines.

7

Unit 7: Possessives & Family Vocabulary

Master possessive pronouns (meu/minha, teu/tua, seu/sua, nosso/nossa) and talk about your family.

8

Unit 8: Prepositions & Contractions of Place

Learn preposition contractions (em, de, a + o/a -> no/na, do/da, ao/à) and positional prepositions (em cima de, atrás de, ao lado de).

9

Unit 9: Present Continuous (Estar a + Infinitive)

Express ongoing actions using the European Portuguese standard continuous structure: Estar (conjugated) + a + Infinitive.

10

Unit 10: A1 Synthesis & Master Capstone

Synthesize all A1 grammar, vocabulary, contractions, and dialogues in a comprehensive master review.

11

Unit 11: Simple Past: Regular Verbs

Master Simple Past conjugation of regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs to talk about completed past actions.

12

Unit 12: Irregular Simple Past (ser, estar, ir, ter, fazer)

Master essential irregular simple past forms (fui, estive, tive, fiz, vi, vem) to describe trips, events, and past achievements.

13

Unit 13: Imperfect Past: Habits & Descriptions

Master the Pretérito Imperfeito (-ava, -ia) to describe past habits, ongoing background states, and childhood routines.

14

Unit 14: Past Contrast: Perfeito vs Imperfeito

Master combining background ongoing actions (Imperfeito) with interrupting completed events (Perfeito) in past narratives.

15

Unit 15: Prepositions: POR vs PARA

Master the subtle rules distinguishing POR (cause, exchange, route, duration, gratitude) from PARA (destination, recipient, deadline, purpose).

16

Unit 16: Reflexive Verbs & Daily Routine

Master reflexive verbs (levantar-se, deitar-se, lavar-se, vestir-se) and pronoun placement in European Portuguese.

17

Unit 17: Direct Object Pronouns (o, a, os, as & -lo/-no)

Master direct object pronouns (o, a, os, as) and their phonetic forms (-lo/-la after -r/-s/-z and -no/-na after nasal sounds).

18

Unit 18: Indirect Object Pronouns (lhe, lhes, me, te)

Master indirect object pronouns (me, te, lhe, nos, lhes) and double pronoun contractions (mo, to, lho, lha).

19

Unit 19: Imperative Mode & Recommendations

Master the Imperative mode for formal (você) and informal (tu) advice, medical recommendations, and directions.

20

Unit 20: A2 Synthesis & Master Capstone

Synthesize all A2 grammar (Perfeito vs Imperfeito, Por vs Para, Reflexives, Direct/Indirect Object Pronouns, Imperative) in a master capstone.

21

Unit 21: Present Subjunctive I: Desires & Feelings

Master the Present Subjunctive to express hopes, wishes, and emotional reactions in Portuguese.

22

Unit 22: Present Subjunctive II: Doubt & Impersonal Clauses

Express doubt, possibility, and impersonal judgments using advanced Present Subjunctive structures.

23

Unit 23: Personal Infinitive: Usage & Structure

Master the unique Portuguese Personal Infinitive to create concise non-finite clauses after prepositions.

24

Unit 24: Imperfect Subjunctive: Unreal Hypotheses

Express unreal conditions, regrets, and hypothetical situations using the Imperfect Subjunctive (-sse).

25

Unit 25: Simple Conditional & Conditional Clauses

Master the Simple Conditional (-ria) for polite requests, future in the past, and conditional outcomes.

26

Unit 26: Imperative Mood: Affirmative & Negative

Master giving instructions, recommendations, and direct commands using formal and informal imperative forms.

27

Unit 27: Relative Pronouns: que, quem, cujo, onde

Master connecting sentences using relative pronouns (que, quem, cujo, o qual, onde) with correct agreement.

28

Unit 28: Reported Speech in the Past

Master shifting tense and pronouns when reporting speeches, statements, and inquiries in past narratives.

29

Unit 29: Time Expressions & Discourse Connectors

Master structuring paragraphs and argument flow using temporal connectors (assim que, logo que) and logical transitions.

30

Unit 30: B1.1 Synthesis & Comprehensive Review

Consolidate B1.1 grammar (Present Subjunctive, Personal Infinitive, Imperfect Subjunctive, Imperative, Relative Pronouns).

31

Unit 31: Future Subjunctive: Time & Future Condition

Master the Future Subjunctive to express future conditions and temporal triggers (quando, se, enquanto, logo que).

32

Unit 32: Concessive & Final Clauses

Master advanced concessive (embora, ainda que) and final (para que, a fim de que) connectors with Subjunctive.

33

Unit 33: Pluperfect Tense: Simple & Compound

Master the Pluperfect tense (tinha feito / fizera) to express actions prior to another past event.

34

Unit 34: Passive Voice & Passive 'Se' Structures

Master forming passive voice (ser + particípio) and passive reflexive clauses (vende-se, fazem-se) in formal discourse.

35

Unit 35: Advanced Verb Regimen & Prepositions

Master essential Portuguese verb-preposition pairings (gostar de, precisar de, insistir em, depender de, concordar com).

36

Unit 36: Lusophone Idiomatic Expressions & Metaphors

Master essential Portuguese idioms (dar a volta por cima, ter lata, meter os pés pelas mãos) for natural colloquial discourse.

37

Unit 37: Argumentation & Polite Disagreement

Master structuring oral and written arguments, agreeing partially, and stating polite objections in professional contexts.

38

Unit 38: Formal Writing & Email Etiquette

Master formal greetings, professional email opening/closing formulas, and administrative letter structure.

39

Unit 39: Citizenship, Society & Civic Life in Portugal

Master civic terminology, European citizenship rights, voting duties, and Portuguese social institutions.

40

Unit 40: B1 Grand Capstone & Level Synthesis

Demonstrate total mastery of B1 intermediate Portuguese across all tenses, moods, relative syntax, and formal communications.

41

Unit 41: Advanced Compound Future Subjunctive & Hypothetical Structures

Master the Compound Future Subjunctive (ter + participle) to express future actions completed before another time limit.

42

Unit 42: Passive Voice with 'Se' & Impersonal Corporate Register

Learn to use the synthetic passive voice (passivizing 'se') with strict verbal agreement in official reports and corporate documents.

43

Unit 43: Compound Conditional & Past Unfulfilled Intentions

Master the Compound Conditional (teria / haveria + participle) to analyze counterfactual scenarios, regret decisions, or evaluate unachieved outcomes.

44

Unit 44: Advanced Idiomatic Expressions & Nuanced Discourse

Incorporate erudite Portuguese idiomatic expressions and metaphorical connectors to achieve native-level naturalness in high-level debates.

45

Unit 45: Professional & Academic Register: Formal Correspondence & University Terminology

Master formal formulas of courtesy, protocol greetings, academic requests, and institutional letter structures in cultured Portuguese.

46

Unit 46: Advanced Concessive & Causal Connectors

Master erudite connectors (não obstante, conquanto, posto que, porquanto) and their impact on verbal mood in essays and formal debates.

47

Unit 47: Future Perfect Indicative & Advanced Temporal Projections

Use the Future Perfect Indicative (terá + participle) to express future actions completed before another moment or assumptions about the past.

48

Unit 48: Stylistic Inversion & Superior Literary Register

Master subject-verb inversion, anastrophe, and figures of speech of the literary and essayistic register of contemporary Portuguese authors.

49

Unit 49: Past Unreal Conditionals & Complex Counterfactuals

Deepen the compound counterfactual structure (se tivéssemos + participle... teríamos + participle) in high-complexity discourse.

50

Unit 50: B2.1 Executive Consolidation & Milestone Capstone

Full consolidation of B2.1: integrate Compound Future Subjunctive, Passive Voice with 'se', Compound Conditional, and erudite connectors.

51

Unit 51: Compound Personal Infinitive & Elevated Prepositional Structures

Master the Compound Personal Infinitive (ter + inflected participle) after prepositions (por, para, sem, apesar de) to condense subordinate clauses with extreme elegance.

52

Unit 52: Legal Register, Statutory Formulae & Official Imperative Mood

Master solemnly prescriptive legal formulae (cumpra-se, certifique-se, haja vista, posto isto) and the drafting of decrees and formal regulations.

53

Unit 53: Philosophical & Abstract Discourse: Advanced Nominalization

Learn to transform complex verbs and adjectives into abstract nouns to construct conceptual analyses of high intellectual density.

54

Unit 54: Impersonal Past Conditionals & Historical Counterfactuals

Formulate high-rigor historical counterfactual hypotheses using impersonal verb haver in subjunctive (se tivesse havido...) and compound conditional.

55

Unit 55: Classical Rhetoric, Oratorical Connectors & Literary Inversion

Master the resources of classical Portuguese oratory: solemn connectors (eis que, outrossim, com efeito, tão-somente) and the art of discursive persuasion.

56

Unit 56: Advanced Philosophical & Academic Discourse

Master abstract nominalization, complex conceptual structures, and elevated epistemological vocabulary in university settings.

57

Unit 57: Diplomatic & Geopolitical Subjunctive Conditional Structures

Learn to draft treaties, international resolutions, and geopolitical negotiations using compound conditionals and advanced subjunctive.

58

Unit 58: Epistemology & Advanced Scientific Method

Formulate complex scientific hypotheses, analyze Popperian falsificationism, and present laboratory research reports in high Portuguese.

59

Unit 59: Urban Planning, Smart Cities & Technological Critique

Debate sustainable urbanism, gentrification, algorithms in urban life, and bioethical dilemmas of smart cities.

60

Unit 60: B2.2 Grand Masterclass: Polyglot Synthesis & Literary Mastery

Culmination of the B2 level: integrate all subjunctive, compound conditionals, mesoclisis, passive with 'se', and the literary register of Portuguese.