Portugal

My Experience Learning European Portuguese: Portuguese Connections School in Lisbon, Portugal

My Experience Learning European Portuguese: Portuguese Connections School in Lisbon, Portugal

Last updated: October 26, 2026. This update checks selected Portuguese course schedules, CEFR levels, and RTP Play access limits; the family’s 2022 prices and learning experience remain historical. Date information added October 28, 2026.

Given the flood of questions about our relocation to Portugal and being American expats, I’ve taken the plunge and launched a second blog titled ‘American Family in Portugal’. Join us as we share our journey and insights into expat life in this beautiful country!

About this account: First published February 1, 2022, this article describes Leslie’s own four-week Portuguese Connection course and her family’s school decision at that time. The price, class schedule and course details below are historical; use the school’s current pages for present-day options.

Transplanting to a new country requires a lot of grit and stretching your comfort zone.  One of our primary reasons for moving to Portugal revolved around learning a foreign language: Portuguese! After years of traveling the world full-time with our children, I noticed a large gap that came with being an American citizen: the lack of a second language.

Our original family video: Our First Day In Lisbon: Getting Kicked Out Of Our Hostel.

Why Learn Portuguese?

The primary reason we chose to learn Portuguese was our love for Portugal. We thought of it as the “California of Europe,” and the people we met seemed incredibly kind and wholesome. From our family’s perspective at the time, living costs felt affordable. Secondly, Chris already spoke fluent Portuguese (although a bit rusty) after serving as a missionary in Brazil for two years for our church.

English can be useful in many situations, but I have never wanted to treat it as “enough.” I wanted our family to learn another language as a way to connect more deeply with the place we chose to call home. Learning Portuguese also introduced me to familiar patterns in other Romance languages, which made me curious about learning more.

I have often been amazed by Europeans who speak several languages. As an American, I used to find that hard to imagine. In my Portuguese classes, I noticed similarities among Romance languages that helped me recognize familiar words and patterns. Romance languages include French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Romanian, among others.

During our travels, I constantly felt inhibited by our lack of language.  We strive to really absorb new cultures through food and experiences, interacting with locals, and making friends wherever we are.  While we will always be “tourists” to some degree, I really desire to experience new places in more depth than just a meal out and a few IG pictures (as lovely as those are!).

When we decided to settle abroad in Portugal, I knew learning the language would be paramount to our experience here.  Prior to moving, we spent hours discussing the best way for all of us to learn. Chris already spoke Brazilian Portuguese, so his learning curve is much lower than for the rest of us.

How Our Children Will Learn Portuguese

For our children, we hoped that daily school life with classmates would give them natural opportunities to use Portuguese. We chose a Portuguese school because we wanted language learning to happen alongside their regular education and friendships.

That was part of why we decided to send our children to a Portuguese school. We hoped that learning through the Portuguese curriculum while spending each school day with classmates would help them build familiarity with the language.

Private vs. Public Schools in Portugal?

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Opinions shared are my own, and I only endorse products I support. By clicking on any of the links below, I may get a small commission if you purchase at absolutely no additional charge to you. I appreciate your support.*

Both public and private schooling options were available to us as we researched our move. In 2022, I was impressed by the schools we visited and compared them with the Western US school experiences our family had known.

When we enrolled, the tuition I recorded was about 300€ per child per month. We chose the school because all five of our children, then ages 14 to 4, could attend the same place. We also valued the class sizes, environment and staff we met. Tuition and admissions are time-specific, so this figure describes our 2022 experience, not a current quote.

Since enrolling, we experienced some teasing and bullying related to being foreign. That was painful, and I felt grateful for the support we had at our school. It was our experience; I can’t use it to compare bullying across private and public schools generally.

How I Will Learn Portuguese As The Mom

As a mother and digital nomad working in our American business, I found the challenge of learning Portuguese real. I didn’t have much time or confidence to use conversations with other school parents as my language practice, and I often felt pressure to keep moving through the day.

We do attend church each week and love our church family.  Many women there would love to practice their English and help me to learn Portuguese.  However, where would I even start?  Only so much friendship can develop when all you can say is, “Hello, how are you?”

Intensive European Portuguese Language Course

With a bit of an analytical and academic personality, attending in-person classes is exciting!  I’m a school learner and always enjoy the opportunity to push myself mentally.

I found many Portuguese-learning resources, online and in person. During my research, one distinction quickly became important to me:

You must decide if you are learning Brazilian Portuguese or European Portuguese.  Yes, they are different!

When I researched learning materials, I found many that focused on Brazilian Portuguese. Brazil has a much larger Portuguese-speaking population than Portugal, but the materials I found varied by dialect and intended learner.

For me, European Portuguese pronunciation and grammar took adjustment. I learned that materials designed for Brazilian Portuguese did not always match what I was hearing and studying in Lisbon.

Of course, living in Portugal means we want to learn European Portuguese.  

Portuguese Connection School In Lisbon

I reached out to a few language schools in Lisbon and ultimately decided to go with Portuguese Connection School.  Why?

1. I love the location.  The school is located right downtown in a touristy, fun location.  I loved going to class each day and experiencing the city! There are plenty of cafes to visit during breaks, and the beautiful park across the street often has street vendors or art stalls to visit.
2. They do weekly walking tours around the city.  We are still struggling to be tourists in our own homes, and these weekly adventures helped get me out to see more of Lisbon while practicing conversation.
3. The teachers are excellent!  The staff at Portuguese Connection School has always been super friendly from my first email, and I’ve loved everyone I’ve interacted with.

Classes at Portuguese Connections

When I contacted the school in 2022, I received a placement test to help identify my starting level. My classmates came from several countries and language backgrounds; knowing a related language such as French or Italian sometimes helped with vocabulary.

I was placed in the beginning course, and Chris, who lived two years in Brazil, was placed at a B1.1 level.  

Daily Intense Classes

In my 2022 course, class ran from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We used several classrooms and stayed with the same class and teacher during the week. Schedules can change, so check the school’s current course information before planning around these hours.

In our course, we received books and learning materials, and lessons were taught in Portuguese from the first day. I had some Spanish background and had lightly studied Portuguese with Duolingo and other resources during the previous year, but the class challenged me right away.

On the first day, we learned how to introduce ourselves and got to know each other a bit.  This added much value to the class, as you may stay with your classmates for several weeks.

I also chose to add a 1-hour private lesson each afternoon following class.  I think this added a ton of value to my experience, and I plan to continue on with this program.  Each afternoon, I was forced to use the concepts learned that day in conversation.  It has helped my Português develop at a rapid pace.

Other Class Options with Portuguese Connection School

At the time, the school also discussed private lessons and other class formats with me. Current course formats can change; the school’s current pages are linked below.

My husband and I work US hours, so the daytime classes here work perfectly.  It does make for very long days, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.  Most other students in my class are retired, students, or in between jobs, so their main focus is on the course.  I’ve connected with various ages, personalities, and nationalities in my four weeks here.  I’ve been the only American in my classes so far!

What Are Classes Like Each Day At Portuguese Connection?

In my class, we often began with about 20 minutes of conversation about the previous lessons and one another. Then we worked through grammar and vocabulary books, usually focusing closely on two or three topics.

Our class mixed bookwork, listening exercises, group activities and a lot of speaking practice in Portuguese. During a week of classes, I estimated that I listened to more than 24 hours of Portuguese, and I felt my comprehension improving as I continued.

We were assigned homework each day. In my experience, the longest assignment during the first weeks took about 45 minutes, and the teachers told us that later levels could involve more work.

How Do Levels Progress in Portuguese?

“Levels” of Portuguese at the school are broken into the following segments:

• A1.1
• A1.2
• B1.1
• B1.2
• C Levels

The course sublevels I saw in 2022 were the school’s own way of organizing classes, not a complete list of CEFR levels. The Council of Europe framework has six main levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. See the Council of Europe CEFR overview for the framework; the school’s current course list may differ from what I saw then.

At the time, I understood that a level often took about four to six weeks, with progress depending on readiness and the class. Those were the expectations explained to me in 2022; the school’s current placement and course progression may differ.

When I took the course, I understood that the school offered instruction through C-level courses. I had hoped that level would meet my own goals, but proficiency and what is “sufficient” depend on each learner’s aims. Check the school’s current course list for its latest levels.

Teachers told us that speaking practice increased as students moved through the levels. In my early class, we did a lot of listening and comprehension work; I understood that later B-level classes placed more emphasis on conversation alongside grammar.

How Has My Experience Been With Portuguese Connection?

Honestly, I’ve loved every day I’ve gone to class.  I was anxious on my first day and unsure of what to expect.  Now, I crave going back and continuing my progression in Portuguese.

I felt a lot of insecurity and self-doubt when I could not communicate in Portuguese the way I wanted to. It made me shy, nervous and fearful.

Going to class and building my skills in Portuguese has helped build my confidence.  I no longer dread going to the checkout counter at the store, and I embrace every opportunity to practice a little bit of conversation.

Classes are fun and move quickly.  Taking these classes while working full-time is a real challenge for my family and me. But each day, I find the energy and truly enjoy it.  I’ve made some new local friends as well, which fuels me!

So far, I’ve completed A1.1 and am working on learning some new tenses, like past tense.  I can’t wait to unlock this part of my skills.  I already have about 60-80% comprehension in most of my conversations with locals, can understand almost all signs and directions, and have no trouble with basic exchanges. I am thrilled with my learning so far!

What I’ve Learned From Doing Intensive Language Courses

• It’s very helpful to learn a new language in a way that breaks down the components of that language and makes them digestible.  When we learn our “mother tongue,” as the Portuguese say, we don’t understand why we use the language the way we do.  We know what sounds right and what sounds wrong.  When learning a new language, I often inquire, “why does it work that way?”  The teachers have made these lessons digestible and understandable.  We learn rules, like regular and irregular verbs, that make learning easier overall.

• It helps to be in an environment with other people like you.  Stumbling over a new language can be a humbling experience.  I find comfort in watching others learn and make mistakes alongside me.

• Learning the language of a new country is worth the effort.  I’ve spoken to a few classmates who have lived internationally and never learned a foreign language.  It’s easy to skimp by using English and not putting in the effort.  However, you can’t fully assimilate into a new place without knowing the language.  You are doing yourself a disservice by choosing to bypass this.

• Learning a second language can help you to understand your language in new ways.  You’ll also find translations to be incredibly cool.  For example, in Portuguese, “to give birth” is literally “to give a light,” like giving light to a new life.  That one made me cry when I heard it!

• Conversation is key.  The teachers in class speak very clearly and slowly, making you feel like a rockstar!  However, a real-life conversation is quite different.  Feeling deflated when you get out into the real world and feel like you can’t understand anyone is normal, but this practice is critical.  Thankfully, we have a couple of people who help us at home that speak Portuguese, so I can practice a bit each day.

• Keep in mind that even in your native language, people have different accents and ways of speaking.  You’ll find this is true of your new language as well.  Sometimes even native Portuguese speakers can’t understand each other!

• You will sound like a toddler for a while.  The more I’ve thought about this process, the more I relate it to my 4-year-old daughter.  Sometimes, she will say things in English that make me giggle, such as the incorrect gender of a person or a simple mispronunciation.  I make similar mistakes in Portuguese, but I’m not a cute toddler!  Haha.  Thankfully, everyone here is really patient with those of us still learning.  When others correct you, recognize that it is actually an excellent service to you!  Welcome it.

• Learning a new language has been a rewarding challenge for me. Stretch yourself, get uncomfortable and give yourself time to learn; I have found the effort worth it.

Beginner Tips For Learning European Portuguese

In addition to taking formal classes, here are a few tips from me!

• If you haven’t learned a Romance language before, it may take time to get used to grammatical gender. In Portuguese, nouns have grammatical gender; I found examples like “car” and “suitcase” unusual at first. I learned them through practice and memorization, and gradually got more comfortable with the patterns.

• Start your learning with pronunciation. I did this in my first week with Portuguese Connection and it has helped a TON. Even if I don’t know what a word means, I can say it decently so others can understand.

• Watch TV. I’m typically a big advocate for a screen-free life. Really! I spend more than enough time in front of a computer each day for work. I’ve asked Portuguese people why their English is so good, and some have mentioned watching a lot of TV in English. That was their experience, and it made me think about listening practice. Music can also be enjoyable.
  RTP Play is RTP’s streaming platform for radio and television, with live and on-demand programming. Some content may be restricted outside Portugal. My biggest challenge is finding time to listen, but my kids watch Portuguese cartoons most days, and I enjoy having Portuguese subtitles on when I watch something to relax.

• Try to learn just a few words a day. The entire process of learning a language can overwhelm the best of us. However, we set a goal to just learn 5-10 words, or a few sentences, each night at dinner. Small goals like this add up quickly and prevent total overwhelm.

• It’s best to speak Portuguese in your home, but I’ll be honest… we don’t. We throw a few words in, but my kids are exhausted after their 10-hour school days in Portuguese and have no desire to continue. I’ve just embraced this and figure I’ll help keep up their English skills for now.

Overall, I give my hearty and honest recommendation for learning Portuguese and using Portuguese Connections School to do so!  I’ve been so appreciative of their efforts to work around my ever-changing schedule, their fun personalities, and making this difficult experience enjoyable.

If you are interested in learning this language, visit Portuguese Connection School’s website to learn more!

Boa Sorte,

Leslie

[show-map id=’19’]

Additional Reading

MOVING YOUR FAMILY TO PORTUGAL FROM THE UNITED STATES: WHAT TO KNOW

WHY WE ARE UPROOTING OUR FAMILY AND MOVING TO PORTUGAL

HOW TO OBTAIN A PORTUGUESE D7 VISA FOR YOUR FAMILY: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW