Welcome to Aprender Português

Learn European Portuguese step by step. Each lesson starts with the grammar concept so you understand why the language works the way it does, then shows you examples and vocabulary to practice.

Phrase of the Day

Olá! Como te chamas?

Hello! What is your name?

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Tip: Click the green speaker buttons next to any Portuguese word to hear the pronunciation. Each lesson ends with interactive flashcards and quizzes!

Unit 1 — Identity & Personal Data

Identificação e Dados Pessoais

1

Self-Introduction

Nome e Identificação

In Portuguese, to introduce your name you use the reflexive verb chamar-se (literally: to call oneself), not simply 'to be'. This is because Portuguese treats naming as a reflexive action — you 'call yourself' a name.

2

Nationality & Countries

Nacionalidade e Países

Nationality adjectives must agree with the subject in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). The verb ser (to be) is used for permanent states like nationality.

3

Professions

Profissões

Profession nouns in Portuguese are preceded by the definite article (o/a) and change form based on the gender of the person. This is different from English, where we say 'I am a teacher' without articles varying by gender.

4

Numbers & Age

Números e Idade

To express age in Portuguese, you use the verb ter (to have), NOT 'to be'. You literally say 'I have X years' instead of 'I am X years old'. This is a key difference from English.

5

Regular Verbs & Residence

Morada e Verbos Regulares

Regular -ar verbs follow a predictable conjugation pattern: remove -ar and add the appropriate ending. Once you learn this pattern, you can conjugate hundreds of verbs. Prepositions contract with definite articles.

6

Question Words

Interrogativos

Portuguese question words (interrogatives) are placed at the beginning of the sentence. Unlike English, Portuguese does not use auxiliary verbs like 'do/does' to form questions — word order and intonation do the work.

7

Essential Vocabulary

Vocabulário Essencial

Building a core vocabulary is essential. Portuguese nouns have gender — even words for family members and marital status change form. Learning words in masculine/feminine pairs helps reinforce the gender system.