THE ESSENTIAL COURSE FOR BEGINNERS

Learn Brazilian Portuguese online without giving up personal contact with a real teacher.

 ABOUT THE COURSE

The Essential Course for Beginners offers easy-to-follow lessons and a perfect balance between theory and practice that will guide you to begin speaking Portuguese starting in your first week!

​​This course is suitable for beginners who are studying Portuguese for the first time and learners who have already been studying the language for some time and would like to brush up on their Portuguese.

If you are not a beginner, see the other courses we offer HERE.

Here’s what you get when you enroll:

BASIC PLAN

 

  • Comprehensive study materials
    The course consists of 12 modules, including video lessons, downloadable PDFs, pronunciation exercises, quizzes, and other assignments. All our materials are bilingual: Portuguese-English.
  • Feedback on homework assignments and personalized support
    You will have access to an online community where you can post your homework to receive feedback from our teachers. This space can also be used to ask questions at any time and interact with other students.
  • Lifetime access to the course​
    You’ll have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like.
  • Course completion certificate
    At the end of the course, you will receive a certificate after taking the final test.

PREMIUM PLAN


The Premium Plan offers everything that is included in the Basic Plan plus:

  • 12 group classes via Zoom
    Practice your Portuguese live with a Brazilian teacher and a small group of students once a week for 12 weeks (6-10 students per class). Class recordings are available for 30 days.
  • Weekly Q&A Sessions with teacher Virginia
    Have your questions answered by teacher Virginia in weekly Q&A sessions via Zoom for 12 weeks.

See the tentative schedule here.

COURSE CURRICULUM

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Part 1 (Modules 1-4): Learn the essential vocabulary, grammar, and basic conversation skills

  • You’ll get familiar with the most basic grammar, vocabulary, and useful expressions.
  • You’ll learn how to conjugate the most common verbs in Portuguese.
  • You’ll learn how to ask and answer basic questions such as “where are you from?,” “where do you live?,” “where are you?,” “what do you do?,” and many others.
  • You’ll learn how to talk about your routine and how to ask and answer questions using: why? how? where? when? and other interrogative words.
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Part 2 (Modules 5-8): Learn how to talk about things you like, express your opinion, and much more!

  • You’ll learn how to describe things using the most common adjectives.
  • You’ll learn the essential vocabulary about food, shopping, and transportation.
  • You’ll learn how to ask and give directions and how to order food in a restaurant.
  • You’ll learn how to talk about things you like and express your opinion about simple things.
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Part 3 (Modules 9-12): Improve your conversation skills and review the most important content.

  • You’ll learn how to talk about your next trip, how to check in at the airport, and book a hotel using the phone.
  • You’ll learn how to talk about things you did in the past and the most common phrases to use in the past tense.
  • You’ll learn the difference between the two main past tenses, “pretérito perfeito” and “imperfeito,” and how to use these two tenses in a conversation.
  • You’ll review the most important content you’ve learned throughout the course to make sure you don’t forget what you’ve learned.

Testimonials

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

“I loved this course! I have tried a few different methods to learn Portuguese over the last year or so, and Speaking Brazilian has been able to improve my skills the most out of all of them. I have valued classes led by native speakers, weekly live courses to practice speaking and easy access to comprehensive materials to work on throughout the week! I recently got married and my husband is Brazilian and he has noted my improvements in understanding and speaking Portuguese after taking this course. Thank you!”

— Sydney A.

“I’ve just completed the Essential Course for Beginners and I absolutely loved it! The content is broken down in a way that you can understand it easily, and the live classes are great practice as well. And now I can say that I can actually have a conversation in Portuguese and understand the language very well. I’m super excited about continuing the courses.”

— Christoulla B.

“I really enjoyed the Course for Beginners. First off, the course is a GREAT value in comparison to other methods. The modules are uniquely designed and flow very well into the weekly Zoom classes. After learning Portuguese “on the fly” during trips to Brazil, I finally have a much better background in Portuguese and have progressed my abilities in the language. Muito Obrigado!”

— Kent J.

“I learned a lot! The course was very comprehensive and well-designed. The teachers are helpful and they fully supported my learning process. I enjoyed the different modalities (text, videos, online classes and Q&A sessions). Thank you for everything and I look forward to the next level of learning!”

—  Barbara W.

MEET THE TEAM

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

Oi, pessoal!

I’m Virginia, your Brazilian Portuguese teacher.

I created this school to help Portuguese learners around the world achieve their dream of becoming fluent in Brazilian Portuguese.

I’ve always been passionate about languages. Other than Portuguese (my native language), I also speak English, French, and Spanish. My own experience with foreign language learning has given me the vital tools to help my students in their learning journey.

Now, I’m pleased to introduce you to my team. In addition to years of experience as Portuguese teachers, they have also been trained by me to be in tune with the Speaking Brazilian School style and standards. 

I’m sure you’ll learn a lot from them!

Gleice Vakhraneva

From Rio de Janeiro State

Monica Schmidt

From São Paulo City

Venus Santos

From São Paulo City

Gabriel Gallinari

From São Paulo City

Alice Jacome

From Minas Gerais

Ana Elisa

From Curitiba

Thalita Barros

From São Paulo

START YOUR LEARNING JOURNEY WITH US!

See the tentative schedule here.

THE ESSENTIAL BUNDLE

If you are committed to learning Portuguese, this bundle is for you.
The Essential Bundle includes our three core courses:

1. The Essential Course for Beginners    2. Pre-Intermediate Workshop    3. Grammar in Conversation Workshop

These courses are designed to give you a solid foundation in the Portuguese language and guide you step by step to advance from beginner to intermediate level. Choose your plan below and get started today!

Premium Classes – Tentative Schedule

You will be able to choose your schedule when you sign up.

TUESDAY

7 pm EST

Professora Thalita

WEDNESDAY

6 pm EST

Professora Ana Elisa

THURSDAY

7 pm EST

Professora Gleice

FRIDAY

12 pm EST

Professora Ana Elisa

FRIDAY

7 pm EST

Professor Gabriel

SATURDAY

11 am EST

Professora Gleice

GOT QUESTIONS? I´VE GOT ANSWERS!

Who should join The Essential Course for Beginners?

This course is suitable for beginners who are studying Portuguese for the first time and learners who have already been studying the language for some time and would like to brush up on their Portuguese. The minimum enrollment age is 18 years old. Not sure which course is best for you?

Click here to take a placement test.

 

How does the course work?

The course is a combination of a self-paced digital course and live classes via Zoom with a Brazilian teacher in a small group setting. 

You can choose between the Basic Plan (digital course) and the Premium Plan (digital course + live sessions). 

The course is divided into 12 modules. Each module includes a textbook, video lessons, audio lessons, pronunciation training, speaking exercises, and a quiz to test what you’ve learned.

Once you’re enrolled, you’ll have access to a new module every week. If you get behind, don’t worry. Come back to the lessons when you have time.

In addition to the digital course, the Premium Plan includes group classes via Zoom (6-10 students) and weekly Q&A sessions. Once a week, you’ll receive a link for a live lesson with your teacher and a small group of students. If you can’t attend the live class, you can watch a recording later. All classes are recorded, and a recording is available for 30 days.

What is the class schedule?

The Basic Plan is completely self-paced, so you can set your own schedule and take as long as you like to complete the course. The course is divided into 12 modules. We recommend studying one module per week to complete the course in 12 weeks. Please note that this is an intensive and comprehensive course. It will take you around 2-3 hours per week to complete each module.

The Premium Plan follows a set schedule with group classes for 12 weeks. You can choose the best time for your live classes when you sign up. Places per class are limited to 6-10 students. Live classes via Zoom last 55 minutes.

The Premium Plan also includes a weekly Q&A session with teacher Virginia on Saturdays, time TBD.

How does the live class work?

The Premium Plan includes group classes via Zoom for 12 weeks. You can choose the best time for your live classes when you sign up. Places per class are limited to 6-10 students. Live classes via Zoom last 55 minutes.

Live classes are not required to complete this course but are recommended. If you miss a class, you can watch a recording later. All classes are recorded and available for replay for 30 days.

If you join a live class, you agree to have the class recorded and to participate in class conversation and exercises. If you don’t want to participate in class, we recommend that you watch a recording instead.

* Please note that the Basic Plan does not include live sessions.

What if I am unhappy with the course?

We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with the course, contact us within the first 30 days (from the date of purchase), and we will give you a full refund.

When does the course start and finish?

The Basic Plan is a completely self-paced online course – you decide when you start and when you finish. We recommend studying one module a week to complete the course in 12 weeks.

The Premium Plan follows a set schedule with group classes for 12 weeks. If you want to get the most out of the weekly live classes and be on the same page as other students, we recommend completing modules as they are released, one module per week for 12 weeks from the time of enrollment.

How long do I have access to the course?

How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like – across any and all devices you own. Live classes are limited to 12 weeks from the moment you sign up.

When can I sign up for the course?

You can sign up for the Basic Plan at any time.

The Premium Plan is offered three times a year, in February, May, and September. Registration for each class is open a couple of weeks before the start date of each class. If you would like to be notified when enrollment for the Premium Plan begins, click here to add your name to the waitlist.

How much does it cost?

The Basic Plan (digital course) costs US$ 297 + tax.
The Premium Plan (digital course + group classes) costs US$497 + tax.

Payment plans are also available.

30-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

It’s 100% risk-free to try out this course.

Feel free to try it for 30 days to see if it works for you. 

If you’re not happy with this course for any reason, just let us know within 30 days from the date of registration, and you’ll get all your money back.

30-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

It’s 100% risk-free to try out this course.

Feel free to try it for 30 days to see if it works for you. 

If you’re not happy with this course for any reason, just let us know within 30 days from the date of registration, and you’ll get all your money back.