Tips That Helped Me Learn Portuguese in One Year Before Enrolling in a Proper Language School

I am a Nigerian living in São Paulo Brazil, a vibrant city in the South American country where the primary language is Portuguese. Nigerians are known for their linguistic diversity—many of us are multilingual due to the range of languages spoken within the country. However, while we often have strong practical skills in multiple languages, understanding the deeper syntax and grammar isn’t always emphasized. What truly helps us adapt and learn languages quickly is the rich, immersive environments we find ourselves in. This played a key role in my journey to learning Portuguese.

Learning a new language can be daunting, but, it became an exciting challenge thanks to a straightforward yet effective four-step method I applied: Listen, Learn, Speak, and Repeat.

The tips I’ll share from my experience helped me communicate with locals and navigate my way around within just one year. These techniques also elevated my language skills to a level where I could write and converse at work and with larger audiences. I believe that these tips can guide your language-learning journey regardless of your location in the world.

Starting All Over

When I arrived in Brazil in 2021, I had zero knowledge of Portuguese. Everyone around me spoke the language with little to no English interaction. Instead of feeling frustrated, I accepted that English wasn’t widely used here, so I embraced Portuguese wholeheartedly. I couldn’t beat them, so I joined them!

Steps That Made a Difference

1. Stay Open-Minded and Leverage Your Environment
   • Immerse yourself completely in your surroundings. Saturate your ears with the language, paying attention to repeated words and phrases.
   • For example, I started by learning the names of foods, fruits, and other frequently used items. This gave me practical vocabulary to use in everyday life.
2. Learn the Basics
   • Focus on the alphabet, numbers, and pronouns like I, you, he, and she. These fundamental building blocks were invaluable as I progressed.
3. Build Connections
   • I was fortunate to spend time with a Brazilian family. This safe and comfortable setting allowed me to practice and learn naturally.
   • If you don’t have close local friends, I recommend finding social communities that align with your values. These could include schools, churches, parties, or even local markets. Social media is a great tool for finding such groups.
4. Tailor the Approach to Your Personality
   • Initially, I felt nervous about attending parties or churches, so spending time with the family worked best for me.
5. Use Online Resources
   • YouTube was a game-changer for me. I watched videos to understand verbs like to be, simple phrases, and other essential vocabulary. I focused on words I found intriguing and eagerly applied what I learned.
6. Speak Without Fear
   • Don’t shy away from speaking, no matter how little you know. Mistakes are your allies in language learning. Being corrected made those lessons stick, and I rarely forgot the words or phrases I learned through trial and error.
7. Embrace Your Natural Accent
   • Don’t force yourself to mimic native accents. Instead, focus on clear pronunciation to ensure your message is understood.
8. Use Translators and Dictionaries
   • These tools were invaluable in expanding my vocabulary and refining my grammar.
9. Master Verb Conjugations
   • Understanding how verbs change in past, present, and future contexts helped me construct accurate and meaningful sentences.
10. Expand Vocabulary Through Synonyms
    • Constantly learn the meanings of words and their synonyms. This enriches your ability to express yourself.

Final Reflections

Immersing myself in Brazil taught me the importance of reproducing the words I learned consistently. Wherever you are, embrace these tips to unlock the full potential of language learning.

I hope this helps

Talk soon xoxo