Introduction:

It is a common observation that children seem to learn new languages relatively easily, while older learners, particularly adults, are often not so successful. Nevertheless, there is also evidence that adults have the advantage in several important areas, such as those involving cognitive skills, making them more adept, for example, at learner autonomy.  It is true that there are some aspects of language learning (such as pronunciation) where younger learners appear to have an advantage; learners who start learning at an older age often retain a ‘foreign accent’ in their English, which is not the case with young learners. Adults, however, may have the advantage, in some respects, because there is evidence for differences in the ways younger and older learners approach language learning. Older learners are particularly good at vocabulary learning. So, age doesn’t play a very major role when it comes to learning a second language through courses or on your own.

Methods used to teach young learners and older learners, consequently, employ different teaching strategies, reflecting the different age-related processes and strategies these learners can make use of, as well as their very different learning needs. In this blog, we’ll discuss a few ways through which you can learn Portuguese in no time:

• Get Immersed in the Basics 

Immersion programs tend to be the most common route when it comes to self-learning. They’re often geared toward beginners and provide the fastest and most thorough introduction to the basics of the Portuguese language. They typically differ according to structure, intensity, pricing, strengths and weaknesses. It’s highly recommended that you do a bit of research before settling on a specific course.

• Put Your Knowledge into Practice 

If you’re well on your way to becoming an advanced speaker now! That can only mean one thing—it’s time to make your learning more authentic. There’s no point in doing all this hard work if you’re not going to use the language in real-life interactions. You might have an end goal to travel to a Portuguese-speaking country, or maybe you’ve got some Brazilian friends you would love to surprise with your newly-acquired skills—whatever your motivation, getting that “human” side under your belt will ultimately make all that practice worth it.

• Use Language To Train Your Brain

 Building any new skill is a surefire way to expand your intellectual horizons. Learning Portuguese is an especially sound way to keep your brain flexible and nimble, especially as you grow older. Picking up a new language involves making connections between words and what they represent, taking apart and putting together grammatical structures, spontaneously speaking and thinking on your feet, sticking with a challenge when it’s frustrating and confusing, and a whole lot of active listening. There are few better ways to exercise your mental muscles than by learning Portuguese.

• Learning Portuguese Pronunciation, The Portuguese Alphabet, And Portuguese Accents 

Luckily, Portuguese pronunciation isn’t too confusing for non-native Portuguese speakers, especially because letters of the Portuguese alphabet typically only have one sound associated with them. Though many sounds between Portuguese and English are the same or very similar, the Portuguese language has a unique spelling system and specific pronunciations that must be learned separately from English

• Portuguese Vocabulary 

Learning Portuguese vocabulary isn’t as hard as you might think. It takes time and practice, but you’ll find there are a lot of Portuguese words and phrases that are connected with expressions you already know. Though English isn’t in the same language family as Portuguese, more than a quarter of English words come from Latin, so there’s already lots of overlap between English vocabulary and that of the Romance languages, including Portuguese.

Learning a new language gives an advantage of the concept of microlearning, or bringing back information in short bursts to help you hold on to it better. You can practice writing, listening to, and speaking the Portuguese phrases, terms, and expressions you’ve learned in your earlier lessons to lock them into your brain.