With over 220 million native speakers worldwide, Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language - being the most popular in Portugal and Brazil! Studying Portuguese allows you a window into a language that is heard and known as a language of romance and is related to other languages of love, making learning some of those languages even easier if not more pleasing to listen to. Portuguese language programs around the world are not necessarily the most popular in the western hemisphere, but are rich in knowledge and understanding of the cultures that utilize Portuguese as their national language. Many only expect to find that Portugal and Brazil are home to Portuguese as a native language, but Portuguese is also widely understood and spoken in a number of other countries:  East Timor, Cape Verde, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé, Principe, and Mozambique. So if you are considering a language program to study Portuguese, you have many options to use your newfound skills in many different countries around the world!

What can you do with the skills from an Portuguese language program?

By studying Portuguese, you are increasing your global opportunities in both business and personal endeavours! Portuguese is prominent in countries and cultures that are budding with opportunity - Brazil is an up and coming business center that many are seeking to enter in the coming years - making this a prime time to take a portuguese language program either in your own country or abroad. If business isn’t your forte, then you have nothing to worry about! Many countries (most notably Brazil) are known for their vibrant and extravagant cultures that embody energy, passion, and celebration. Carnival is probably the most popular, and if you study portuguese prior to attending Carnival, your experience will be that much more authentic and easy.

And for all you soccer fanatics, you’ll be able to understand your favorite professional players that are from Portugal or Brazil! Many players on the professional level call these countries home, and now you’ll be able to follow their teams and their own media coverage with ease.

Prerequisites needed to study Portuguese:

The prerequisites to take a Portuguese language program or study Portuguese abroad differ by university or course provider, with possibly the most common requirement being a specified level of prior education in general studies. Many times universities will also require an understanding of the language of instruction, so be sure to check with the course provider prior to submitting your formal application.

What will you learn from a Portuguese language program?

A Portuguese language program will provide you with formal instruction in understanding Portuguese, as well first assessing your skill level at regular intervals so as to continuously hone your new skills and abilities. Many who study Portuguese learn more about the cultures that have Portuguese as their native language, making the learning more of an experience than simply reading a textbook. If studying Portugues abroad in one of the language’s home countries, you will be immersed in the culture and be more able to understand the essence of the language and how it is used in common settings. Not only will you be able to speak with others, but you’ll be able to infuse a rich culture of food, history, and music into your abroad experience, all through this language of romance!

Or perhaps you’re more interested in a similar field of study:

French

Spanish

Italian

German