Apart from in the major cities and tourist areas, English isn’t as widely spoken in Portugal as it is in many other countries (around 20 per cent of Portuguese speak English) and most Portuguese speak French as their second language rather than English.
Also, don’t be misled by its similarity to Spanish; although many words are identical or similar the pronunciation is often completely different. Portuguese speakers understand Spanish but don’t always like to admit it and may even pretend not to understand it (there’s little love lost between the Portuguese and Spanish). However, even Spaniards will be unlikely to understand the reply in Portuguese.
If you don’t speak Portuguese, it’s best to enrol in a course at a local language school, preferably before arriving in Portugal. If you’re working in Portugal you will usually have little choice about learning Portuguese. However, it isn’t always essential for retired residents and those who live and work among the expatriate community to learn Portuguese, but it certainly makes life easier and less frustrating.
Unfortunately many residents (particularly British retirees) make little effort to learn Portuguese beyond the few words necessary to buy the weekly groceries, order a cup of coffee or a meal, and live as if they were on a brief holiday. For anyone living in Portugal permanently, learning Portuguese shouldn’t be seen as an option, but as a necessity.
If you’re a retiree, it’s important to make an effort to learn at least the rudiments of Portuguese so that you can understand your bills, use the telephone, deal with servicemen, and communicate with your local town hall (plus performing myriad other ‘daily’ chores). If you don’t learn Portuguese, you will be continually frustrated in your communications and will be constantly calling on friends and acquaintances to assist you, or even paying people (such as despachantes) to do jobs you could quite easily do yourself.
However, the most important reason to learn Portuguese is that in an emergency it could save your life or that of a loved one! Learning Portuguese also helps you to appreciate the Portuguese way of life and make the most of your time in Portugal, and opens many doors that remain firmly closed to resident ‘tourists’.
Portuguese is a difficult language to learn to speak, although it’s easier to read, and is rich in phonetics with 13 vowel sounds associated with the letter ‘a’ alone! However, although it isn’t easy, it’s possible for most people to acquire at least a working knowledge of the language.
‘All’ that’s required is a little hard work and some help and perseverance (particularly if you have only English-speaking colleagues and friends). You won’t just ‘pick it up’ (apart from a few words), but must make a real effort to learn. Fortunately the Portuguese are tolerant of foreigners’ tortured attempts to speak their language and any effort is appreciated.
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