Founder of Linguatics. Passionate multilinguist.

Theres no doubt Portuguese is one of the most beautiful languages in the world. Its smooth, at times unusual, and fairly easy to learn.

If youre thinking about taking a Portuguese course or visiting aPortuguese-speaking country, why not learn a few popular Portuguese words first?

Building vocabulary in any new language takes time, but learning easy and common words can be a good start.

To make things easier for you, weve gathered the most common Portuguese words. They are useful and quite easy to memorize!

Regardless of your reasons for learning Portuguese, these basic Portuguese terms can help you get on the right track.

Lets start with the essential Portuguese words youll use in most conversations:

*the word changes depending on who is saying it men say obrigado, women say obrigada

If you want to build a strong foundation and you want to expand your Portuguese vocabulary, lets take a look at some commonly-used verbs and words related to certain topics:

* It depends on the context. Ser is used to describe permanent states and estar is used for something temporary or circumstantial (like mood or weather)

Falar To speakPortuguese words expressing time

Semana WeekPortuguese words related to food & drinks

FrutaFruitPortuguese words related to places

RestauranteRestaurantEnglish/Portuguese Cognates

The trick to expanding your vocabulary really quickly is to learn popular Portuguese/English cognates. Cognates are words in two languages with the same meaning and similar spelling and pronunciation.

ThePortuguese languagehas influenced English a lot, so there are hundreds of cognates you can explore.

For example, some of the Portuguese words that youre already familiar with are:

A lot of English adverbs ending in ly can easily be converted into Portuguese:

As you can see, you already know a lot of Portuguese words!

Getting familiar with cognates is a fast way to learn Portuguese vocabulary. You just need to notice the pattern and pay attention to pronunciation.Building Portuguese Vocabulary

Memorizing the most common Portuguese terms and cognates is a great way to build a solid foundation. However, this is just a start.

Portuguese is a beautiful language, and building Portuguese vocabulary takes time. Nonetheless, you shouldnt stop at cognates and easy words.

By the way, did you know that the longest Portuguese word has 29 letters? Itsanticonstitucionalssimamentemeaning in a very unconstitutional way/manner. But you dont have to learn long and complex words right away.

If you want to build a strong foundation, you need tostart with easy and commonly-used words. And once you start expanding your vocabulary, you make things easier by implementing effective learning methods.

You should alsotake advantage of online learning toolslike digital flashcards, quizzes, or online word games. Try to make your learning process fun and engaging. After all, repeating long lists of words just wont be enough. Our brains work in different ways.

You should also try tolearn in context.If youre learning adjectives and nouns, try to pair them. That way, youll be able to memorize it more easily, especially if youre a visual learner.

Learning in chunks is also quite effective. Write down or underline whole sentences and circle the word you want to remember.

You can also trymnemonics.Its a popular and effective memory technique that includes making associations that will help you ingrain new words into your memory.

Also, dont forget tosay words out loud. Pronunciation is an important part of learning Portuguese, but saying things out loud will also help you memorize everything better.

These tips for learning new words can make learning Portuguese a whole lot easier. But you also shouldnt rush learning a new language shouldnt be a contest. Be patient and persistent and youll learn a ton of Portuguese words faster than you think and they will stick.

If youre worried about the difference between European and Brazilian Portuguese words, let us explain the key differences between the two dialects.

Of course, European and Brazilian Portuguese are the same language, and Brazilians and Portuguese can easily understand each other. However, there are some differences to be aware of.

First of all, they have different accents; Brazilian has more open vowels so it sounds smoother and more melodic. Portuguese, on the other hand, pays attention to formal and informal speech.

And when it comes to vocabulary, Brazilian Portuguese is prone to assimilating English words, whereas European Portuguese sticks to Latin roots. Generally speaking, vocabulary seems to be the most obvious difference between Brazilian and European Portuguese. But you shouldnt let that scare you.

If you want to take Portuguese classes, youll have to decide whether you want to learn Brazilian or European Portuguese. That way, youll simply follow the rules of either dialect. And if you visit another Portuguese-speaking country and if you know the basics, youll be able to resolve any potential misunderstanding.

To get an idea of how different European and Brazilian Portuguese can be, take a look at these words:

English                   Brazilian Portuguese                European Portuguese

Train                             Trem                                                   Comboio

Bus                              Ônibus                                                Autocarro

Ice Cream                   Sorvete                                                Gelado

Brown                          Marrom                                               CastanhoUnique Portuguese Words

One of the fascinating things about Portuguese is that Portuguese has certain words that are unique to the language.

For example, youve perhaps heard of the wordsaudade  its used for the feeling of melancholy, desire, and nostalgia.

Once youve mastered the basics, you can start expanding your vocabulary and get to know unique Portuguese words and phrases. Some of them are truly poetic.

These are just some of the words that make Portuguese a beautiful, unique, and romantic language:

SaudadeMelancholy, nostalgia, longing

DesenrascançoTo disentangle yourself from an undesirable situationFinal Thoughts

With the Portuguese words you learned today, you can start developing more intricate language skills.

Learning easy and popular words is a great way to get to know the language and feel more confident if youre planning to visit a Portuguese-speaking country.

Hopefully, we also inspired you to keep learning. And if youre looking for reliable online Portuguese programs, check out our list of thebest apps to learn Portugueseandonline Portuguese classes.CategoriesLearning Advice

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