Saturday, December 14th
2024 Portuguese Lesson Reviews
italki
- Offers trial lessons starting at $6.50
- Connects you to over 400 Portuguese-speaking tutors for one-on-one video calls
- Provides both Professional Teachers and Community Tutors
- Allows for filtering tutors based on region, including Portugal and Brazil
- Offers an option to find tutors who speak your native language
- Can work with tutors who specialize in CELPE-Bras test prep
- Enables you to keep track of your preferred tutors with a favoriting system
- Periodically provides a Language Challenge for quick language skill boost
- Provides Group Classes for 2-6 students online, focusing on special topics like business or pop culture
- Offers a lesson time filter to accommodate your schedule
italki offers a distinctive approach compared to its counterparts. While many language learning services lean towards gamified solo navigation, italki sets itself apart by linking you directly with proficient Portuguese-speaking tutors through personalized one-on-one video calls. But, your lessons can go beyond your face-to-face sessions: many tutors extend their support beyond live instruction by providing you with tailored study plans to bolster your learning between tutoring times.
Choose between community tutors and professional teachers
There are two main types of italki instructors: Professional Teachers, who have teaching certificates and give organized lessons, and Community Tutors, who may not have certificates but are still really skilled at teaching. They speak Portuguese fluently and tend to offer more relaxed tutoring and chatting.
Filters make it easy to find the right fit
Navigating through italki's extensive array of tutors is a breeze, thanks to its robust filtering system. With over 400 tutors available, you're spoiled for choice. Specify your preferences, whether it's honing conversational skills, mastering grammar intricacies, or diving into specialized topics such as business etiquette or CELPE-Bras exam preparation.
Options for learning from a different first language
Don't worry if English isn't your first language. italki lets you find tutors who speak your language too. You can even pick tutors based on where they're from, like Portugal or Brazil. This way, if you're aiming to work or study in Lisbon, for example, you can learn from someone who knows the unique aspects of the language there, including how it's spoken and what's important culturally.
Plenty of information provided by each tutor
While it would be nice if italki had filters for ratings or how many lessons a tutor has done, you can still find this info on each tutor's profile. You can save your favorite tutors by clicking a heart icon on their profile. Each tutor's profile has helpful info like ratings, teaching style, and feedback from other students. Some tutors even introduce themselves with short videos.
Scheduling is easy-breezy
Got a busy schedule? italki lets you filter tutors by their availability so you can find a time that works for you. You can even schedule instant lessons or ones within the next 72 hours. And when it's time to book a lesson, you can choose how long you want it to be, from 30 to 90 minutes, and pick a date and time that suits you. Just pay attention to time zones: the site automatically detects where you are, but you could see differing availability for tutors in, say, Recife compared with Lisbon.
Very affordable
Looking to save money? italki is a great option, especially if you want to focus on speaking. You can try out lessons with different tutors at low prices to see which one you like best. The prices for trial lessons usually range from $5 to $18. After that, the cost depends on the tutor and what you want to learn.
Some tutors have completed thousands of tutoring sessions
So, let's jump in and take a look at a few examples of Portuguese tutors offering lessons via italki. One of the most popular Community Tutors is Diego, with over 3250 completed sessions and a perfect 5-star average. Based in Rio de Janeiro, Diego uses many different teaching materials to help you learn, like current news articles and music videos, while also offering support via WhatsApp at students' request. His classes are very focused on conversation, and when you purchase 5 sessions as a package, you'll save 5%. Even when you pay for a lesson at a time, he only charges $7 for a 60-minute session. If you're not already fluent in Portuguese, you may not appreciate how glowing his reviews are: learners who have been with Diego for 70-100+ lessons say he's interesting and easy to practice with, and that thanks to him they're speaking fluent Portuguese (as demonstrated by their reviews, written in excellent Portuguese).
Professional teachers offer more
If you would prefer a professional teacher, they're not quite as prevalent among Portuguese tutors on italki, but they're still on the list. Check out the teacher who calls herself "Camila FAST fluency” with over 8,400 lessons and also a perfect 5-star average. As you might expect from a certified instructor, her italki lessons range from introductory conversation to courses designed for diplomats and takers of the CELPE-Bras exam. Camila takes her tutoring to the next level with Google slides, written and recorded feedback, a "movie club”, and much more. Of her 500+ students, some of them have been studying with her for years because they say she has them "talking like a native”. You'll pay more for her expertise (as we would hope), with lessons starting at $28, but her reviews show that it's more than worth it for the progress you'll make with understanding Portuguese.
Look for language challenges
Aside from tutoring, every so often italki has a Language Challenge to help you improve your skills fast. You sign up, set a goal for how many hours you want to study, and start taking lessons. Depending on how many hours you hit, you can get cool rewards like badges, certificates, and discounts on lessons.
Group classes and courses
Want to learn with others? italki offers Group Classes with 2-6 students, focusing on fun topics like Portuguese through Memes or Working in Brazil. These are great for practicing with others from around the world. If you're looking for something more structured, Group Courses meet weekly and cover specific topics or general language skills. Just make sure the course fits your schedule, and you're ready with Zoom for online classes.
Not the right fit for 100% of students
While italki thrives on personalization, it may not suit everyone's learning preferences. If you're shy or you don't consistently have a private place to sit while taking your video lessons, italki might not be your ideal option for studying Portuguese. However, if you like making face-to-face connections and crave authentic interactions with native speakers, italki offers an enriching platform to nurture your language skills.
One of our favorite ways to practice speaking Portuguese
Overall, italki is an effective and affordable way to learn Portuguese. It might not be for everyone, especially if you're shy or don't have a good internet connection. But if you're eager to learn and make new friends, italki could be just what you need to improve your Portuguese skills and connect with native speakers.
More Portuguese Lesson Reviews
The 11 Best Portuguese Lessons
Where Can You Find the Best Portuguese Lessons?
Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language in the world, with over 260 million speakers spread across several continents. And with today's technology, there are a number of online resources and platforms available for learning Portuguese. These range from interactive apps to comprehensive language courses tailored to different proficiency levels, from beginner to advanced.
For those who seek a more immersive learning experience, tutoring sessions with native speakers can be arranged through live video calls. These give you the opportunity to practice speaking and listening skills in real-life situations. Learning Portuguese online gives you the ability to learn the language in all of these ways.
Portuguese Lesson FAQ
Continued from above...
One of the primary reasons for learning Portuguese is its importance in international business and trade. Brazil, with its rapidly growing economy, is a major player in global markets, making Portuguese a valuable asset for professionals seeking opportunities in sectors such as finance, agriculture, technology, and energy. Additionally, Portuguese proficiency can open doors to cultural exchange programs, academic research opportunities, and international collaborations.
Another compelling reason to learn Portuguese is its rich cultural heritage. From the captivating rhythms of Brazilian samba and bossa nova to the haunting melodies of Portuguese fado, the Portuguese-speaking world boasts a diverse tapestry of art, music, literature, and cuisine. Learning the language provides a deeper understanding and appreciation of these cultural treasures, allowing learners to engage more fully with Portuguese-speaking communities around the globe. Why not order feijoada in fluent Portuguese when you visit Rio?
Learning Portuguese can be an enriching experience for various reasons, including its cultural significance, global relevance, and the potential for personal and professional growth. Portuguese is the official language of Portugal and Brazil, of course, but did you know Portuguese is also spoken in Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and Sao Tome and Principe, with cultural importance in regions such as Macau, East Timor, and Goa?
Ready to get to it? Muito bom! Let's take a look at some criteria you can use to choose the right Portuguese lessons for your learning style and fluency goals:
- Levels offered. Consider your current fluency level and what you're hoping to accomplish. Do you need to start from zero, or do you have a background in Spanish or another Romance language that will give you a head start into a more intermediate difficulty level?
- Mode of instruction. How do you learn best? Is it with lots of audio files with native speaker accents for you to imitate, direct grammatical instruction in English, total immersion from the get-go, or a combination of all that and more? Are you looking for classroom-style lectures or a fun app to keep you motivated? You'll find all of that and then some in today's most popular online Portuguese lessons.
- Cost. What will you pay to access the Portuguese lessons you need? Many services give you something for free, with the hope that you'll buy or subscribe later. Pay attention to monthly vs. annual billing, automatic recurring subscriptions, and charges that may apply after you sign up for a free trial.
- Effectiveness. How well will you be able to speak, read, write, and understand Portuguese after putting effort into the lessons? What do other students say about their fluency levels after using the program?
- Satisfaction guarantee/refund policy. If you pay for access to the Portuguese lessons and wind up not liking them, can you get your money back? Is there a time limit to requesting a refund?
Whether for business, travel, or sheer curiosity, acquiring proficiency in Portuguese opens doors to a vibrant and dynamic world, enriching the lives of learners and fostering connections across continents. To help you on your language journey, the experts at Top Consumer Reviews have tried and ranked some of the most popular Portuguese lessons available today. Boa sorte!
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