Learning Portuguese: Secondary Resources

Today’s post is about the Portuguese language.

Previously I posted about the primary resources I use for Portuguese which you can find here. Today’s post is about the secondary resources. So without further ado, let’s get the party started!

Portuguese is such a beautiful language. It’s spoken in several countries including Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique and Angola. My focus is on Brazilian Portuguese. Initially, my focus was on the Portuguese from Portugal but I found that there were more resources for Brazilian Portuguese than European Portuguese.

Having said all that, my goal is to be able to understand Portuguese native speakers and to be understood. So I’ve incorporated European Portuguese as part of my secondary resources as well.

Here’s a list of things I do to learn Portuguese:

• Listen to Portuguese Audio
• Watch Content in Portuguese
• Communicate with Native Speakers
• Write in Portuguese

Similar to French, I have audio files saved onto my MP3 player. It’s great because I can listen to Portuguese audio with the push of a button.

To immerse myself into the language, I try to watch videos associated with Portuguese. For example there’s a YouTube channel called easy languages. They provide videos from all over the world in many languages. I really like the channel because it’s really enjoyable. The videos show locals being interviewed on the streets on a particular subject. The great thing is subtitles are also included.

I also watch content on streaming services like Netflix or Disney Plus. Disney Plus is great because most of the shows or films are available in other languages. I used to watch a bunch of Disney shows when I was younger so it’s great to see them again. It brings back a sense of nostalgia!

My main source for communicating with native speakers derives from HelloTalk. It’s an app that gives you access to native speakers of your target language. You can practice your writing and speaking skills. I enjoy it because there are many people using the app so I never run out of people to practice with. I’ve also used conversation exchange to find native speakers.

I have a grammar workbook which is used to practice my writing skills. I use example sentences and try to recreate my own. More recently I started recreating sentences using high frequency words of Portuguese. You can find the website here.

So there you have it. My resources for learning Portuguese. Tune in this Sunday for my next post about Spanish. Até logo!

Learning French: Secondary Resources

Today’s post is about the French language. So let’s get started.

So, previously I posted about the main resources I use for French which you can find here. Today’s post is about the secondary resources.

I’ve realised that when it comes to learning a language I enjoy using a variety of methods. This keeps things fun and interesting.

Here’s a list of things I do to learn French:

• Listen to French Audio
• Watch Films, Series & Videos
• Talk to Native Speakers
• Practice Writing Skills

I use a MP3 player to listen to a variety of content. I listen to French radio, audiobooks, interviews, podcasts and more. This is a great way to immerse myself into the language.

I have a collection of French DVD’s. I also have a collection of films and series I’ve watched in English, dubbed in French. I know some people don’t like dubbed content but I think when it comes to learning a language it’s great! I’ve also watched French films on sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime in the past. A couple of my favourite French films are Hor de Prix (Priceless), Intouchables (Untouchable) and Banlieue 13 (District 13). Really enjoyed them!

Most of my French watching derives from videos. I use YouTube as a tool to expose myself to the French language. I watch videos that I find interesting. I enjoy watching interviews…so guess what? I’ve managed to find some videos on YouTube of people speaking the language. There are always nice surprises in the language learning journey, and Bradley Cooper (below) speaking French was certainly one of them!

I must admit that talking to native speakers is something I don’t do enough. I did it in the early stages of learning the language but not so much now. My lack of organisation is the result to the lack of conversation practice. This is something I’m eager to do now that I’m more organised!

Having said that, I do connect with native speakers every so often. This is through language apps such as HelloTalk. It’s a great way to practice a language with native speakers. I use it to practice my writing skills. However most of my writing practice is derived from my grammar workbook. I take examples given in the book and create my own sentences.

So there you have it, the secondary resources that I use to learn French. The next post will be about Portuguese and the secondary resources I use to learn the language. See you Sunday!