Learning Portuguese

[franco_22]

It's probably not what you want to hear but portuguese is a very hard language to learn to speak fluently. Too many grammar rules and variations, lots of verbs each used in a different context, a nightmare really.

 

[mjt]

It's probably not what you want to hear but portuguese is a very hard language to learn to speak fluently. Too many grammar rules and variations, lots of verbs each used in a different context, a nightmare really.

I think you'll find most languages are hard to speak fluently

Portuguese grammar isn't all that difficult when compared to some Germanic languages, let alone languages from much further afield.
What you've described is, essentially, every language

 

[Berserker]

Indeed. I've come across my fair share of languages, but never tried to learn more than a few words of them.

If you think Portuguese is bad, try Japanese!

Not bothered about fluency - where I'm going most of them will speak English anyway, but you'll often get treated a little better if you at least try to make an effort.

 

[Dan Dan]

If your going with a friend/girlfriend ect then just talk to each other using the more popular terms, hello ect

http://www.languagelearninglibrary.org/portuguese/phrases.htm

 

[Destination]

Get a long-haired dictionary, by far the easiest way to navigate the linguistics of foreign fields, and often helps with local customs too.

 

[reilly]

A nice phase book should be good, or some people do youtube language lessons. I know there is a couple that do basic Swedish words, and phrases, so maybe worth a try there.

 

[Berserker]

If your going with a friend/girlfriend ect then just talk to each other using the more popular terms, hello ect

http://www.languagelearninglibrary.org/portuguese/phrases.htm

Ta! That's a start, though obviously doesn't help with pronunciation.

YouTube sounds like a good idea, though it could also go spectacularly wrong!

 

[brummie]

when we went to portugal last year this checkout lady was acting completely insulted and kicked of a fuss. We had no idea why. Discussing it later we realised that the misses had been using the male version of Thank you and she must have been offended.

Wouldnt mind but she looked like a bloke anyway

We used http://www.thomson.co.uk/editorial/podcasts/portuguese-phrases.html

 

[Bes]

OP: I am learning Portuguese (Brazilian though) from the Pimsleur CDs, they seem good, and aren't that expensive on Amazon. I prefer Michel Thomas but he does not 'do' Portuguese.

Pimsleur is good as the pace is quite slow, so pronunciation is well covered.

 

[Berserker]

when we went to portugal last year this checkout lady was acting completely insulted and kicked of a fuss. We had no idea why. Discussing it later we realised that the misses had been using the male version of Thank you and she must have been offended.

Been warned about that one. Obrigado/obrigada. The link above omits that, too.

Will check out those CDs. Thanks.

 

[A2Z]

Been warned about that one. Obrigado/obrigada. The link above omits that, too.

You just use whatever you are..eg. if you are male you say obrigado, if you are female you say obrigada, has nothing to do with who you are speaking to.