This week I have been inspired to work on my Portuguese.
My history with Portuguese is splotchy. I started studying it in September. I immediately downloaded Duolingo to help me get started, switched my HelloTalk preference from Spanish to Portuguese, made some flash cards in Anki, chatted with some new people in Portuguese through HelloTalk.
I didn’t have to start a level zero because I already speak Spanish. A lot of Portuguese words are like Spanish, but tweaked.
I realized the accent was throwing me off. When I started studying Spanish it felt very natural because I live in Texas where I have heard Spanish being spoken every day of my life.
The accent in Portuguese was different, I hadn’t heard it spoken very often.
I took some time listening to podcasts in Portuguese to get used to hearing the accent until it started feeling familiar.
Then I got very busy at work and found that I did not have the physical or mental energy to give to Portuguese like I did for Spanish, and gave up and practiced very little for several months.
And that brings me to this week.
I realize that my foundation for Portuguese is a bit like a road with many potholes. A lot feels familiar and functional, but I have a lot of gaps in my knowledge. Practicing is a bit like finding the gaps and filling them with Portuguese instead of Spanish. I think my speaking level is beginner, but my listening level is higher.
This is what I’ve been doing this week:
- Duolingo. I like this app for beginning with a new language because it allows you to become used to some basic vocabulary and grammar structures, and hear the sounds of the language. Another bonus is that the lessons are easy and quick, and it allows you to feel successful in your learning which inspires you to keep going. I will probably use it for a couple of weeks, as it does become boring quickly.
- Music. I have been listening to music in the language for a few months now and it’s in my regular rotation. It’s not a chore, I like it! Some artists that I enjoy listening to: Tiago Iorc, Jão, Rubel. You can use Deezer or Spotify to discover more.
- Podcasts. A few months ago I listened to all of the episodes of Ta Falado, which is a podcast out of my alma mater (Hook ’em!). This week I have been listening to them again, paying more attention to the dialogues and reading the transcripts. Yesterday I discovered a podcast called Fala, Gringo! and enjoyed being able to understand it!
- Writing. I have been writing words and verb conjugations in a notebook. Every time I come across a new word that I want to remember I write it there. I have also been messaging a few people through HelloTalk.
If anyone is considering studying a foreign language during quarantine, I highly recommend it. It’s a lovely way to spend your time and the result is that you are able to meet people from different parts of the world!
What are your language learning tips? Tell me in the comments below!
