Learning Portugese- tools needed

I have decided to go to Brazil next June (2014), and want to dedicate the next year plus to getting a handle on speaking Portugese. Going to see the madness of the World Cup. :biggrin:

I already am pretty solid with Spanish, and used some tapes to pickup basic Italian a few years back.

Anybody learn to speak Portugese from online or audio based programs? I dont have a college nearby or anything formal that I could utilize. So I am going to need to rely on something book/audio based.

Rosetta Stone? other similar tools that have worked well for you? I have a good amount of time before I go, so I figure with some dedication I could get a pretty good handle on things. Best tool for the job?

thanks- :smile:

Find a hot Brazilian girlfriend?

not yet

figured speaking some might help...

I think pretty highly of Rosetta Stone for Latin alphabet languages. I can't even begin to explain my frustration with RS for learning Russian. How it refuses to introduce learners to Cyrillic makes my head want to explode.

wow, i just looked into the Rosetta Stone program, i had no idea its was so much $$$$

and quite a few negative reviews on amazon-

anything else folks have used to pick up the basics of a foreign language??

There is an app I have, Livemocha. Check it out. Learning Italiano and it was gratis.

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Originally Posted by HansJob

There is an app I have, Livemocha. Check it out. Learning Italiano and it was gratis.

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Wow, thanks for that!

Just go hang out in Fall River or New Bedford Mass. for a couple days, you'll pick it up. Probably lose your wallet, your watch and your innocence but have some good meals too.

I'll pass on Mass, all around.

Figure I'll lose at least two of the three in Rio though.

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Originally Posted by iceman

Just go hang out in Fall River or New Bedford Mass. for a couple days, you'll pick it up. Probably lose your wallet, your watch and your innocence but have some good meals too.

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Hudson is the Portuguese capitol of MA. And since I live in Lynn now I want to learn spanglish so I can understand all the conversation I hear around me.

Well New Bedford has the nickname "The Portuguese Capital of America" and a Portuguese consulate, and Fall River is 12 miles away, and each is 5 times bigger than Hudson, so I'll stick with Door A, but thanks for playing.

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Originally Posted by iceman

Well New Bedford has the nickname "The Portuguese Capital of America" and a Portuguese consulate, and Fall River is 12 miles away, and each is 5 times bigger than Hudson, so I'll stick with Door A, but thanks for playing.

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It was kind of a joke, serious mcserious. But after being delighted with your insight on the Portugese population of towns in Massachusetts I did some research and was shocked Fall River was 47% Portuguese.

I'm tellin ya, shit ton a Portagees ovah theyah

Lots of Azorean as well, who also speak Portugese, but have slightly different food.

get a Portugese housekeeper that just won't shut up while she works.
2 fer 1 if she is good:wink:
bF

You only need one book. Get Barron's Verbs. Follow this recipe for a simple, self-focused design-

Build vocab-
Make your own flashcards with simple drawings on index cards like a child. Word and image together on one side. One-week memory can increase by 22% if the learner sees an image (or understands the meaning of the word) the moment they are first exposed to the word. (I tested this.) Another 11% increase can occur if you walk instead of sit during memory activities. (I tested this, too.) Use flip-over flashcards for later review, not for initial learning.

Conjugate until you know it inside out. Write by hand. Sadly everything above is rote learning. Boring and tedious.

Write-
Use the examples at the bottom of each verb's page to write your own sentences. Repetition will make you comfortable with grammar structures. Read those sentences and examples aloud, routinely. Listen to yourself speak. [rote becoming constructive]

Advanced writing-
Write daily journal entries. Find native speaker to edit your grammar. Then- memorize those journal entries. Don't memorize faulty grammar.

All textbooks available are designed around a curriculum and a set of objectives. Those objectives are generic to a wide audience. Buy study programs at risk, but finish whatever you start. The only thing worse than a generic curriculum is an unfinished generic curriculum.

And- extroverted language learners excel far beyond the introverted. Take control of your studying, dork-out, do whatever feels right and finish your goals. Keep each study session short, around 20 minutes. You want to remain curious and prevent becoming overwhelmed or frustrated.

20 minutes 3 times a day is far more efficient than 1 hour once a day. I teach foreign language to about 250 teens a year. Those (few) who manage to stay on the above formula kill it and can sit down with me and chat about everyday stuff. Those who don't, can't.

Might want to learn how to spell in English first. :the_finge:

this guy.... portugese...

but really, I'm jealous. Rio and the WC will be sick for sure.

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Originally Posted by jahoney

Might want to learn how to spell in English first. :the_finge:

this guy.... portugese...

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I'm saying I need help here with language
WTF can't edit the thread title...
Really speaking is the part I'm aiming for
portugese, portuguese all sounds the same to me (is one of those right I hope?)
like spanish through a kazoo, or so I've heard said.

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Originally Posted by gaijin

Follow this recipe for a simple, self-focused design-
The only thing worse than a generic curriculum is an unfinished generic curriculum.
Those (few) who manage to stay on the above formula kill it and can sit down with me and chat about everyday stuff. Those who don't, can't.

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Right here is the gold in the coal mine.

arigato gaijin, wakarimas

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Originally Posted by ate'em

Right here is the gold in the coal mine.

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I dunno, sounds like work. Just go over there with $100 in your pocket and no credit cards or cellphone. You'll figure it out pretty quick.

so pretty quick over there you have nothing in your pocket, to go with your no phone and no card.

and then?

any more great ideas wise one?

I guarantee you will learn the language in no time in that situation. i certainly wouldn't do it myself, of course.

Brazilian Portuguese is all about style. Learning some parrot style phrases will really help FYI.

its a toucan, dumbass

unless you really know how to talk like a parrot?

or i'm missing something
that happens too