{"id":60861,"date":"2023-06-06T04:32:03","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T08:32:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/learn-european-portuguese\/"},"modified":"2025-06-11T09:08:53","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T13:08:53","slug":"learn-european-portuguese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/portuguese\/learn-european-portuguese\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Learn European Portuguese in 6 Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you want to learn Portuguese. But not just any Portuguese\u2014you want to learn European Portuguese<\/a>. <\/strong>The language of the trendy travel destination<\/a> that keeps on giving, all the kings and queens since 1139<\/a>, nostalgia, rebellious modernist poetry, fado<\/em><\/a> and colorful streets.<\/p>\n

In this guide, you’ll learn how to get fluent in European Portuguese in six steps, plus countless resources to get you there.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc skip=3]<\/p>\n

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1. Choose Your European Portuguese Resources<\/h2>\n

Here are some of the most bookmark-worthy online resources for learning European Portuguese.<\/p>\n

PracticePortuguese.com<\/a>\"learn-european-portuguese\"<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

PracticePortuguese.com has a podcast with engaging episodes about Portuguese history, everyday dialogues, articles and more.<\/p>\n

Plus, there are transcriptions to improve your listening and reading skills.<\/p>\n

You’ll find animated videos organized by topic<\/strong>\u2014learn how to order pizza, life-saving phrases when you’re at the hospital, useful English-Portuguese cognates and more. Plus, enjoy animated storytelling about Portuguese myths and legends!<\/p>\n

The website also includes a short introduction<\/a> to the program.<\/p>\n

Full access costs \u20ac15 per month, but you can cancel anytime. However, you can try a few exercises for free<\/a> if you aren’t convinced it’s the right resource for you yet.<\/p>\n

FluentU<\/a>
\"FluentU<\/a><\/div><\/h3>\n

\r\nFluentU lets you turn authentic media into personalized language lessons, so you can learn Portuguese exactly the way native speakers use it.<\/a><\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\tWith FluentU\u2019s Chrome extension, you can use our interactive learning tools with any subtitled content on YouTube or Netflix<\/strong>. You can even import your favorite YouTube videos directly into your FluentU account for customized learning!<\/p>\r\n

\r\nFluentU also gives you access to a huge library of real-world Portuguese videos<\/strong>\u2014movie trailers, news clips, music videos, and more\u2014all organized by topic and level.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\"learn-english-with-videos\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\r\nNo more stopping to look up words or struggling to keep up with fast speech. While you watch, FluentU\u2019s interactive captions<\/strong> let you tap on any word for an instant definition, audio, image, and example sentences.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"learn-portuguese-with-fluentu\"<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nWorried you\u2019ll forget all those new words from the videos? We\u2019ve got you! Our fun, adaptive quizzes<\/strong> reinforce what you\u2019ve learned and even give you extra practice with words you find difficult, making sure they stick for the long run.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\t\"learn-portuguese-with-adaptive-quizzes\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\r\nReady to make every video a language lesson? Start using FluentU on your computer or tablet, or download the FluentU app from the App Store or Google Play. Click here to take advantage of our current sale!<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\n

Instituto Cam\u00f5es<\/a>\"learn-european-portuguese\"<\/a><\/h3>\n

While this platform may not seem as fun and appealing as less traditional options, Instituto Cam\u00f5es is possibly the most credible organization for European Portuguese learning since it is intertwined with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<\/p>\n

Their online Portuguese courses offer year-round opportunities for beginners and advanced learners alike.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They typically last for 12 weeks (and vary in price), and you can study at your own pace with full access to all course content and features.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to see what you will be learning for each level. Mind you, the page is in Portuguese (yes, ironic)!<\/p>\n

2. Watch European Portuguese YouTube Channels<\/h2>\n

Too often, language learners get stuck on videos that are made for students instead of challenging themselves with videos that were created by<\/em> native speakers for<\/em> native speakers.<\/p>\n

Well, here’s my top list of creative European Portuguese YouTubers you can binge for an immersive experience.<\/p>\n

Wuant<\/a><\/h3>\n

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Wuant is an absolute legend in Portugal\u2014any teenager or young adult on YouTube will likely know who he is.<\/p>\n

His energy and ability to laugh at himself\u2014as well as his spontaneous, energetic videos about diverse topics such as memes, curiosities, conspiracy theories and science<\/strong>\u2014have made him famous.<\/p>\n

His channel would be a good fit if you enjoy this content style in your native language. Or, if you want to challenge yourself to keep up with very fast, informal Portuguese as it is spoken by most young people today<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But be warned: Wuant’s channel includes slang, swearing and vocabulary you might not want to use around your parents or in your next job interview.<\/p>\n

Mafalda Sampaio<\/a><\/h3>\n

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Fashion hauls, weekly vlogs, makeovers, giveaways, “what I eat in a day,”…feeling like subscribing already?<\/p>\n

Mafalda is a young mom who shares frequent fashion, lifestyle and beauty advice.<\/p>\n

Her videos could come in handy if you are interested in learning basic European Portuguese vocabulary about these topics, but also if you need a slower pace to start getting used to the sound of the language<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Compared to other YouTubers, she still speaks rather quickly and informally\u2014but in a way you would encounter when meeting somebody new or hanging out with a Portuguese friend for coffee.<\/p>\n

24Kitchen Portugal<\/a><\/h3>\n

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If you often find yourself picturing your next creative dessert, planning delicious meals for your weekend or just craving food inspiration, you need to follow 24Kitchen Portugal.<\/p>\n

There are several smaller programs, but “Cozinha com Twist”<\/a><\/em> (“Kitchen with a Twist”)\u2014hosted by Filipa Gomes\u2014is one of the most popular right now.<\/p>\n

Her ’50s look and sweet, welcoming attitude have made her one of Portuguese TV’s most recent talents.<\/p>\n

The best part? The combination of images with the voice of a Portuguese narrator will help you explore new vocabulary related to food and cooking.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You’ll also get familiar with establishing a sequence with connectors like primeiro<\/em> (first), depois\u00a0\/ a seguir<\/em> (after that) and\u00a0finalmente<\/em> (finally).<\/p>\n

Carina Machado<\/a><\/h3>\n

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Carina’s personality agrees with her look\u2014sober, down-to-earth and casual.<\/p>\n

Her channel is all about lifestyle, fashion, makeup and daily habits, but rather than keeping it superficial, Carina often posts about deeper issues in a series she calls “Carina de Verdade”<\/em> (“Carina for Real”).<\/strong><\/p>\n

She’s posted videos about countless meaningful subjects, like loneliness<\/a>, maturity and hypocrisy<\/a>, and even aging<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Carina’s urban and mature vibe will give you\u00a0slower, extremely clear, yet informal European Portuguese<\/strong> speech that will teach you vocabulary about daily habits, colloquial expressions, clothing and travel.<\/p>\n

Bumba na Fofinha<\/a><\/h3>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

Black Friday<\/a>.\u00a0Cellulite<\/a>.\u00a0Running<\/a>. Surviving Christmas<\/a>. You name it\u2014Mariana has talked about it!<\/p>\n

Because Mariana is a comedian, her Portuguese will often be exaggerated, and she sometimes plays with different accents, proverbs, colloquial expressions and even memes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

So her channel might not be ideal if you are trying to learn new vocabulary or have just started learning Portuguese.<\/p>\n

However, beginners can still benefit from her channel by using it to explore the variety of sounds you’re bound to hear in Portuguese. Once you reach an advanced level, you’ll start catching up with her jokes on Portuguese society, families, old aunties and clich\u00e9s<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

3. Download and Listen to European Portuguese Music<\/h2>\n

Music and language learning go hand-in-hand<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here are a few tips for using Portuguese music to learn the language:<\/p>\n