How many of you have learned Portuguese?

How many of you have learned Portuguese? I have been taking it very seriously the past 30 days and am making traction in reading and writing. Still very hard to listen and understand when people speak fast and when I try to speak I immediately get nervous and start sweating like a nervous teenager trying to speak to a girl.

Any tips? Phone Post 3.0

I learned it through my wife and friends. Never took classes, but I wish I would have. Phone Post 3.0

andre - I learned it through my wife and friends. Never took classes, but I wish I would have. Phone Post 3.0
I looked for classes but have none locally. I am using Rosetta Stone and numerous other audio and app based programs. Seems to be working except when I sit with Brazilian friends (which are very few in my area) they don't really know how to teach me anything.

So basically I need to get a divorce and find a Brazilian girl? Is that your advise Andre?

Esposa têm as irmã? Phone Post 3.0

Oh and I went ape shit with a label maker and labeled everything in my house in Portuguese. Sim, meu esposa amo que. Phone Post 3.0

I keep thinking about it but have not pulled the trigger just yet.

Try the hellotalk app. There are a lot of Brazilians on there. I get 10+ messages a day.

http://www.hellotalk.com

I use/used the DuoLingo app for iPhone and used it whenever I was idle someplace (waiting for a bus, in line at the grocery store, etc.). I was decent at Spanish years ago so I already knew some basics and how to conjugate verbs in a similar language so it was a nice handy little tool for me to jump right in with.

I also downloaded the Pimsleur audio lessons and listened to them on my iPhone at the gym, in the car, etc.

I haven't kept up with it, but after about 6 months of doing these things I was able to learn enough to get around in Brazil when I went down and have simple conversations with people.

green_machine - I use/used the DuoLingo app for iPhone and used it whenever I was idle someplace (waiting for a bus, in line at the grocery store, etc.). I was decent at Spanish years ago so I already knew some basics and how to conjugate verbs in a similar language so it was a nice handy little tool for me to jump right in with.

I also downloaded the Pimsleur audio lessons and listened to them on my iPhone at the gym, in the car, etc.

I haven't kept up with it, but after about 6 months of doing these things I was able to learn enough to get around in Brazil when I went down and have simple conversations with people.
I am using both of those as well. Thanks for the response. Phone Post 3.0

paperplate - Try the hellotalk app. There are a lot of Brazilians on there. I get 10+ messages a day.

http://www.hellotalk.com
Thanks!! I will check it out right now. Phone Post 3.0

PittBJJ -


I keep thinking about it but have not pulled the trigger just yet.

That's not very boa of you Phone Post 3.0

GaspareBJJ -
PittBJJ -


I keep thinking about it but have not pulled the trigger just yet.

That's not very boa of you Phone Post 3.0
Não muito bom senhor... Phone Post 3.0

I never understood the need that some people have to be as Brazilian as possible just because they do jiujitsu. Learning Portuguese always seemed to be the next step in deciding you suddenly love Acai, and have taken the calling it "the gward" as far as you can.

For time invested vs. life return, learning Spanish seems like a far better payoff personally. But hey, whatever language you enjoy learning should be the one you pursue. Just don't get it when people try to tie it into their jiujitsu as a "jiujitsu thing".

I've been wanting to learn a second language. I think I'm gonna start with Spanish tho. From what I understand portuguese and Spanish share quite a few common words and phrases. So hopefully one will help with the other. Phone Post 3.0

Great thread and thanks to those with some advice....

My wife is portuguese and my 4 yr olds speak portuguese b/c I got them a brazilian nanny and asked her to speak portuguese to them when she first started when the kids were infants.

I used to be pretty good at Spanish but that faded a long time ago. Portuguese is definitely more complex at least to the ear. I've picked up books, CDs, etc over the years but never really stuck to it. I used to label everything in the house with yellow post it notes too! I think consistency is the key. I have a friend who takes online lessons every morning over skype with someone in China to learn Mandarin.... He seems to be making a lot of progress.

andre - I learned it through my wife and friends. Never took classes, but I wish I would have. Phone Post 3.0


putting your ear next to your wife's vag after sex does not constiture learning portuguese. you cannot learn it via osmosis.



 



:P

Josh Mancuso -
GaspareBJJ -
PittBJJ -


I keep thinking about it but have not pulled the trigger just yet.

That's not very boa of you Phone Post 3.0
Não muito bom senhor... Phone Post 3.0
No idea what you're saying lol Phone Post 3.0

EvilGumby - I never understood the need that some people have to be as Brazilian as possible just because they do jiujitsu. Learning Portuguese always seemed to be the next step in deciding you suddenly love Acai, and have taken the calling it "the gward" as far as you can.

For time invested vs. life return, learning Spanish seems like a far better payoff personally. But hey, whatever language you enjoy learning should be the one you pursue. Just don't get it when people try to tie it into their jiujitsu as a "jiujitsu thing".


You don't understand why I person who traveled to a foreign country, enjoyed his experience, and wants to return would like to learn the language of that country to enhance his experience on his next trip?



 



Also, acai is delicious.

I learned most of what I know from watching Globo I think. I also used Rosetta Stone but quit after awhile. I'm not completely fluent but I think I can get by. My wife's brazilian but a horrible teacher, so she hasn't been a ton of help but sometimes I ask her for translations of words or slang. Her enlish is even better than mine, and it's my first language...

I always make it a point to talk in Portuguese when I can, whether it be with my in-laws or with my kids, or when I'm with Brazilians. They always seem to be happy to hear from someone speaking portuguese and they love to work their english as you work you portuguese. Just try to use it as much as possible.

Tio Te - 
EvilGumby - I never understood the need that some people have to be as Brazilian as possible just because they do jiujitsu. Learning Portuguese always seemed to be the next step in deciding you suddenly love Acai, and have taken the calling it "the gward" as far as you can.

For time invested vs. life return, learning Spanish seems like a far better payoff personally. But hey, whatever language you enjoy learning should be the one you pursue. Just don't get it when people try to tie it into their jiujitsu as a "jiujitsu thing".


You don't understand why I person who traveled to a foreign country, enjoyed his experience, and wants to return would like to learn the language of that country to enhance his experience on his next trip?



 



Also, acai is delicious.



This.



 I loved my visit to Rio and plan on returning once a year, but also because Brazilian culture has become a somewhat large portion of my life. I have the need to speak portuguese much more often than spanish. Also learning a new language has given me insight to other cultures, and showed me how important it is to be pateint with foreigners. 



 



Acia is fucking delish. Go to Rio and tell me you don't eat that shit 2 times a day.

I have honestly learned more Japanese than Portuguese. We have 5 or 6 Brazilians training at our academy (instructor included) and they often speak to one another in portuguese. I can't understand shit.

However, I do understand some of the basic Japanese like Hajime, Matte, Rei and other terms associated with throws (Goshi, Tsurikomi, etc).