The language barrier is one of the biggest obstacles preventing people from moving outside of Portugal. The primary language in Portugal is Portuguese, which has a reputation among many for being a difficult language to learn.

The reality is that English is actually widely spoken throughout Portugal, especially in its biggest cities like Porto and Lisbon as well as in The Algarve, the most popular tourist destination. But Portuguese actually isn’t all that difficult to learn, especially if you already have a little knowledge of other Romance languages like Spanish or Italian.

Learning Portuguese

The most important thing to know about learning Portuguese is that you really don’t need to. A lot of people in Portugal speak English fluently. It’s been a tourist destination for people from the UK, Canada, and the United States for decades. So many people already speak English, especially those in the commercial trades.

While you can get by speaking only English while living in Portugal, if you really want to live like a native you should probably at least try to learn the native language. People in Portugal are patient and helpful with visitors learning their language. Unlike some other countries (ahem, France), you won’t be mocked or made fun of for making mistakes or not having the perfect accent. Instead, most Portuguese will admire you for making the effort to speak their native tongue.

BRINT Portugal

At BRINT Portugal, we offer a wide array of services for people moving to Portugal for work, relocation, or retirement. We can help you find a place to live, arrange for your financial and legal requirements, and even streamline the visa and residency application process.

We can even help you learn Portuguese if you want. There are many schools and even online programs you can use to learn Portuguese quickly while having fun and learning more about the country’s rich culture and history.