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Oi, pessoal!
Why learn Portuguese? Let’s talk about that today.
Most of my students study Portuguese for personal reasons. Many are in intimate relationships with a Brazilian person, a boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner, and want to communicate with their Brazilian family better.
I also have a bunch of students that learn Portuguese simply because it’s fun, because they’d like to travel to Brazil, or are planning to move to Brazil. Many also study the language because they work for a Brazilian company or have Brazilian customers.
But if you still don’t have a special reason and you are asking yourself if it’s worth it to study Portuguese, I’ll give you some good reasons to start learning Portuguese right away!
Reason 1: Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language in the world
With more than 220 (two hundred and twenty) million native speakers, Portuguese is generally listed as the sixth most spoken language in the world, the third most spoken European language in terms of native speakers, and the second most spoken Romance language, surpassed only by Spanish.
What’s more, millions of Brazilians and other Portuguese speakers live outside of their country, so there’s a strong chance you’ll run into one of these Portuguese speakers out and about.
Reason 2: Portuguese is spoken in nine countries and four continents
In general, when we think of Portuguese, the countries that come to mind are Brazil and Portugal. But did you know that Portuguese is the official language in nine countries?
- Brazil, in South America.
- Portugal, in Europe.
- Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, and São Tomé and Príncipe, in Africa.
- And East Timor, in Asia.
Reason 3: Speaking Portuguese will help you travel to incredible places
Folks, I may be slightly biased, but I need to tell you that Brazil is one of the most incredible places in the world to visit.
If you want proof, let me remind you that one of the seven wonders of the world, the Christ the Redeemer Statue, is in Rio de Janeiro, a place we lovingly call the cidade maravilhosa (the marvelous city).
And this is nothing compared to everything else you can see in Brazil, including national parks, mountains, tropical rainforests, and beaches straight out of paradise.
Maybe some of you are thinking, “But I can travel to Brazil and speak English.” Ummm, not exactly.
Most Brazilians don’t speak a second language. If you want to see the most interesting and less touristy places in Brazil, you’ll need to communicate in Portuguese.
Reason 4: Speaking Portuguese can provide you with work opportunities
Although Portuguese is one of the most spoken languages in the world by sheer number of native speakers, it still isn’t one of the most studied languages as a second language.
Therefore, by studying Portuguese, you’ll differentiate yourself from everyone else learning the more popular languages.
Reason 5: Speaking Portuguese can help you learn other languages and vice-versa
If you already speak a Romance language, whether it’s Spanish, Italian, or French, learning Portuguese won’t be as difficult.
Similarly, knowing how to speak Portuguese will make it easier to learn other languages.
Since all Romance languages evolved from Latin, they all have similar grammar and vocabulary.
Reason 6: Portuguese is so beautiful, folks!
This is my favorite reason. Do you need a better reason to learn a language than simply for the pleasure of speaking a beautiful language?
Modesty aside, Brazilian Portuguese is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful languages in the world. Would you agree?
I hope you enjoyed this lesson!
Até logo!
Speaking Brazilian School Team
