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Thursday, January 21st
Transparent Language offers Portuguese instruction through an online subscription or a 35-lesson audio course delivered via MP3 download (Windows or Mac). Overall, Transparent gives learners less formal direction within the structure of their lessons than we found with other programs, so Transparent Language is a great fit for students who feel comfortable charting their own course through their studies of Portuguese.
Portuguese Pod 101, by Innovative Languagen uses a variety of approaches - audio, video, and written - to teach Brazilian Portuguese and culture, including a selection of content across several fluency levels. The user interface can be confusing, and some customers may be put off by the extreme emphasis on the "limited offer" sales pitch. We recommend trying the 7-day free trial before committing to a paid membership.
With more than 200 million native speakers worldwide - primarily in Brazil and Portugal, as well as several African nations, and over one million native speakers in the United States - Portuguese is the sixth most common language and one of the least studied. Learning Portuguese can be an excellent way to boost your ability to get a job, to do business, or to speak the language as you travel to some of the most popular destinations on the planet.
A significant advantage of fluency in Portuguese is that it allows you to easily acquire many other Romance languages, such as Portuguese, Spanish, French, and even Romanian. Many people who speak Portuguese can understand those other languages without too much effort, so while it may seem that Portuguese isn't used in many places, you may find that your language knowledge serves you well in a number of countries that you might not have considered.
And, the beauty of the cultures where Portuguese is spoken is reason enough to learn the language. From reading the works of Nobel prizewinner Jose Saramago in their original tongue, to dancing samba like they do it during Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, knowing Portuguese is a window into a richness of language, lifestyle, music and more that is unrivaled by any other language. What could be more fun - or romantic - than being able to sing along with "The Girl from Ipanema" in Portuguese?
When choosing a Portuguese language program, you should have your language goals in mind. If your primary focus is to master conversational language - perhaps you'll be visiting Sao Paolo for a month, or making a stop in Lisbon as you tour Europe - you may not need to place much emphasis on understanding written Portuguese, and an audio-focused approach might be a great fit.
On the other hand, if you expect to use the language in a more formal setting or to use it regularly for business, it may be more important to master reading and writing in Portuguese as well as fluency in speech. Make sure to choose a program that will give you that comprehensive exposure to the language. No matter what your goals are, the most well-rounded Portuguese lessons use a variety of strategies to help learners, from flashcards and images to audio lessons and pronunciation practice.
What should you look for as you compare Portuguese language programs? There are several factors to consider, including the following:
TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best Portuguese lessons available today. We hope these reviews help you learn Portuguese quickly and easily!
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