Introduction:
Just like any language-learning method, there are pros and cons to learning Portuguese. Here are some things to consider if you are interested in learning Portuguese from the comfort of your jammies.
In this blog, we will see the pros and cons of learning the Portuguese language.
So let’s begin.
Pros and Cons of learning Portuguese.
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Pros There are many cheap and free options.
Everyone loves a good deal. And when it comes to learning Portuguese, you won’t have to empty your pocketbook.
When you travel, you have to invest in airfare, lodging, local transportation, and food-not to mention all the souvenirs you’re going to buy. (you know you can’t come home from brazil without Havaianas or from Portugal without a small rooster figurine.)
And if your trip is specifically for learning Portuguese, you will have to stay for quite some time before you get a handle on the language. But when you learn Portuguese, you only pay as much as you want to. There are plenty of free resources you can use, or you can invest in some paid resources- but even then, you will be paying less than you would stay in a foreign country for months.
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Pros: It’s easy to adapt to your schedule.
Like most people, you probably have a hectic schedule that you have to coordinate around work, family, socializing, and various other activities. And unfortunately, this may mean using traditional learning methods like talking classes, because you just can’t fit them into your schedule. But you can always find five minutes to learn Portuguese, in between activities. That’s the beauty of learning the language, it’s convenient. When you are in rush hour traffic, it’s easy to play a Portuguese language learning podcast. When you are cleaning the house, you can listen to some music in Portuguese and try to pick out words you’ve learned.
Everyone has some downtime somewhere and that’s where you can fit in your Portuguese language learning time.
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Pro: it gives you more choices.
If you travel to Portugal to learn Portuguese then realize you’d rather learn Brazilian Portuguese, it’s too late to back out. Or maybe you pay for a local course that advertises a native speaker as a teacher but finds out once you start that it’s taught by a British guy who’s never even set foot in a Portuguese-speaking country it’s probably too late by then. Too
But when you learn Portuguese you get to experiment and try out different options.
Maybe you came upon the crepe Verde accent and the way it’s mixed with some creole, and you decide that’s the one you’re going to learn.
Maybe you discover that you learn better with audio resources than written ones.
The internet can provide you with all sorts of resources that can help you find what you want and what works for you- before you spend too much money.
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Cons: Getting fluent may take longer.
Be aware that when you learn Portuguese, your learning process may take a little longer. You’re not going to become fluent as quickly because you won’t be immersed from day to night like you would if you were living in a Portuguese-speaking country.
If you can only fit in five minutes of learning per day, you’ll learn the language but at a decidedly slower rate than if you were hearing it at every waking moment.
On other hand, you also won’t tire your brain out from constant immersion, either- as many people do when they learn in a foreign country. So take it at your own pace!
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Cons: You” ll be missing out on some face-to-face practice.
Unless you live with or near people who are fluent in Portuguese, your access to Portuguese speakers who could help your practice might be limited.
But luckily, you can use the internet once again to find online talking buddies or a tutor (more on both options later in this post) or you can even look for a local authentic Brazilian store you can visit.
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Cons: there’s less contact with the culture.
Perhaps the most fun part of a language is learning to work the culture into the language. It’s one thing to be able to communicate in a language but it’s another to adopt the gesture, tone, and attitudes that go along with it.