i’ve decided to put portuguese to one side for the moment and concentrate on improving my spanish this year, as part of my camino de santiago goal. hopefully i’ll pick it up again at some point. 2 weeks ago

After a few weeks off I’m back learning Portuguese. Have moved on to complete sentences and paragraphs. So many vowels in this language for an English speaker, it can be a tongue twister, but I’m still enjoying the process. 4 months ago

When i’m in portugal, i can have conversations. Need to practise more though… 4 months ago

Having fun with this. Onto a whole new segment, learning personal pronouns, his, hers, theirs, ours, and more vocabulary. Beginning to string sentences together and able to read more than I can speak. Cool. 5 months ago

Doing well. Wish I had someone to speak with though, that would really help. However, continuing on my own, building vocabulary. Will be in great shape to learn what I need to when I get to Portugal. 6 months ago

Have completed my first segment, 5 full lessons. Have been tested for vocabulary, spelling, grammar and conversation. Results excellent all about 85%.

Moving onto my second segment, another 5 lessons. 6 months ago

Found a new Portuguese English dictionary. Completed Lesson 4. Vocabulary practice everyday. Taking on between 10 and 20 new words a day. Little yellow stickies around the house on things I can’t remember or forget how to pronounce like xicara (shee-ca-ra).

Completed 3 written tests, 97%. 6 months ago

Completed lesson 3 today. O que voce esta fazenda? What are you doing? and other useful things like: Tenho uma maca. I have an apple. Voce e medico? Are you a doctor?

First small test done, oral and written: 95%.

Onto lesson 4. 6 months ago

Long lesson today, vocabulary building.
On track. Still just small sentences, but vocabulary expanding:
driving – dirigindo, running – correndo
reading – lendo cooking – cozinhando etc. 6 months ago

Another hour on oral conversation, going well. 6 months ago

Little time today, but halfway through lesson two. Practiced vocabulary all the way into the city by reciting all the words I could remember, colours: branca, preto, verde, vermellha, etc., and assorted small sentences. Ele esta correndo. Ela esta dirigindo. Eles estao dormindo, etc. Discovered taking 10 minute breaks between sessions seems to help me retain more the next day. Early days yet but beginning to be able to read sentences in the Portuguese books on the shelves. Listening to people actually speaking is harder, just like us they speak quickly and it can be very hard to follow. 6 months ago

Began back at the beginning of my Rosetta Stone course. Completed lesson 1 today and while walking the dogs reviewed the words I’ve learned and attempted brief sentences and pronunciations.

Portuguese is a hard language for English speakers, i.e. cao is dog, it is a soft C so most off us would say ‘sow’ but it really sounds like it has an ‘ng’ at the end of it. Imagine the English word ‘song’, now replace the ‘son’ with ‘sow’....sowng that’s how you pronounce cao, but the ‘ng’ sound at the end is so soft you can hardly hear it.

Two tips I can pass along: put yellow stickers on objects around the house to help you memorize the Portuguese words for things like: cup, bowl, mirror, bed, etc. When you are alone, walking the dogs, practice speaking out loud, try to get your pronunciation right. Practice speaking in complete thoughts or sentences. i.e. Where is the train station? Could I please have some more sugar? What is the name for this? I am learning Portuguese, please help me by correcting my mistakes. 6 months ago

Have had problems with my CDs, as I’m hearing impaired. Bought a great book that explains pronunciations, there are lots and lots of ‘shh’ sounds in Portuguese we just don’t have in English. Getting the hang of it now. 7 months ago