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Learn Portuguese Online
by Erik Steel
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Overview
Portuguese, the language of both Portugal and Brazil as well as some of Portugal's other former colonial holdings, has features like nasal vowels and varying pronunciation of letters that can make it somewhat more difficult to learn than related languages like Spanish or Italian. Fortunately, you can use a number of good resources on the web as you teach yourself Portuguese.
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101 Languages
The author of the Portuguese page for 101 Languages is knowledgeable in the language as it is spoken in both Portugal and Brazil, and has created a transcription system for both that is helpful for students. Though written somewhat informally, the guide is thorough and insightful, covering a broad array of topics. One drawback of this site is that it features no audio. Use this site to learn basics, such as the alphabet and pronunciation, as well as vocabulary grouped by topic. Using this as an introductory site, you will become passively exposed to grammar and syntax, which you can learn more fully with other resources.
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Easy Portuguese
Easy Portuguese is one of the most complete free resources for learning Portuguese online. Every one of the numerous and diverse sections contains audio files that play in the same window. Use the vocabulary lists at the top of the page to broaden the knowledge you gained with 101 Languages, and then make your way through the numbered grammar lessons. This site is also useful as for reference as you continue to study.
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eLanguageSchool
eLanguageSchool provides solid and well-organized information on very specific Portuguese grammar points that can be used much like an online textbook. The site also provides podcast lessons for download, making it out a standout among free websites. The trade-off with this site is that it has a large amount of sometimes intrusive advertising.
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My Language Exchange
My Language Exchange offers students the opportunity to interact with individual native speakers of Portuguese, improving the language skills of each.
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Promt
Use Promt Online Translation when you want to expand your vocabulary or check out an unfamiliar term. In addition to allowing users to translate single words or whole blocks of text for free, Promt has a text-to-speech function that allows users to hear a word or phrase spoken.
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Techniques
Using words, phrases and grammar points you learn online, create a notebook organized by topic so that you can review your notes later. Make regular use of both written and audio materials, such as those found at Easy Portuguese and eLanguageSchool. Be sure to set up a regular schedule with your language exchange partner, as communicating with native speakers will increase your skills more quickly.
