When we go to Europe, we like to settle in somewhere and stay there for 2 or 3 weeks. I also like to learn some of the local language before I go. I enjoy being able to talk to the locals in their own language, even if it is in very simple language. It makes my stay much more enjoyable if I can ask for things in the local language and understand the responses. This has paid off when we took trips to France, Italy, and Spain. But here’s the thing- I never get very far with my language learning. I might study for 6 months, but once the trip is over, I’m planning a trip to the next place. I learned a little French, a little Italian, some German although we never went there, and a good bit of Spanish. Far from fluent, but enough to ask for a wide variety of things and understand the responses.
I would really like to get farther with my Spanish, but it appears that our next trip will probably be to Portugal. So I am asking, should I learn a little Portuguese to go with my little bit of French, little bit of German, little bit of Italian, and little bit of Spanish? We are planning to go back to Spain in the near future because I have fallen in love with Spain.
Should I go forward with Spanish, or should I spend the next few months learning tourist-level Portuguese? What would you do?
Posted by
Canada
42 posts
I see no reason not to learn a bit of Portuguese, given that you already have some grasp of three Romance languages. If your reading is reasonably proficient in Spanish, French and/or Italian, you will already be able to muddle through a lot of basic written material.
Posted by
Paradise
7622 posts
If learning a little was rewarding before, why would it not be rewarding for your Portugal trip?
Spanish will help you read Portuguese. But it won't help you speak it. My Spanish didn't help at all with spoken Portuguese.
And why, with your little bit of German, are you not going to Germany? You might fall in love with that country as well if you hit the right places.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
8501 posts
Acquiring a little bit of a new language has worked for you in the past, so I’d think that learning some entry-level Portuguese would be your best approach. You’ve already got more-than-entry-level Spanish under your belt, so you can build on that later on. With a Portugal trip coming up sooner, put your emphasis on picking up Portuguese.
Simply mastering “thank you” (obrigado when spoken by a male, and obrigada for a female) will get you far.
Posted by
Chicago
3768 posts
When I was in Portugal last year, the obrigada was appreciated. Obrigado if you are a male. Bom dia for good morning was another word I used.
English is widely spoken, so I would just focus on the basics. Don’t try to speak Spanish in Portugal.