Learn Portuguese from English with Native Speakers at PBC Languages
Free Portuguese practice with native speakers at PBC Languages: small group classes plus 30/30 one-on-one exchanges. No filler, just what actually works.
Create your free accountNo card needed. Exchanges between members are always free.
If you speak English, Portuguese gives you a head start on vocabulary: thousands of words share Latin roots, so 'informação' and 'importante' are almost free. Word order is close enough to English (subject-verb-object) that early sentences come out right without much translation gymnastics. Reading a menu or a news headline in Portuguese feels achievable within weeks, not months.
Listening is where things slow down. Brazilian Portuguese swallows unstressed vowels, so 'de' sounds closer to 'dji' and 'está' collapses into something like 'stá'. Nasal vowels in words like 'não', 'mãe' and 'pão' don't exist in English, and the 'lh' in 'filho' or 'nh' in 'amanhã' need a palate position most English speakers never use. On top of that, false friends trip people up constantly: 'pretender' means to intend, not to pretend, and 'puxe' on a door means pull, not push.
Where you'll move fast: building a working vocabulary and basic sentences, especially anything tied to cognates. Where you'll need real speaking time to break through: getting your ear used to natural speed, and unlearning literal translations like 'gostar de' (you like OF something, always with the preposition). That's exactly the gap the one-on-one exchanges are built to close — half an hour where a Brazilian or Portuguese native corrects your ear in real time, not just your grammar.
Words you will actually hear
| Here | Elsewhere | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| pretender | pretend | pretender means to intend or plan to do something, not to fake it — that's 'fingir'. |
| puxe | push | puxe is written on doors that you pull, the exact opposite of push. |
| pasta | pasta | in Portuguese pasta means folder or briefcase; the food is 'massa'. |
| fábrica | fabric | fábrica means factory; cloth or fabric is 'tecido'. |
| atualmente | actually | atualmente means currently or nowadays, not 'in fact', which is 'na verdade'. |
| parentes | parents | parentes means relatives in general; your mother and father specifically are 'pais'. |
| constipado | constipated | constipado means having a cold; the English meaning is 'preso do intestino'. |
| novela | novel | novela is a soap opera on TV; a novel (book) is 'romance'. |
| informação | information | a real cognate — spelling and meaning line up almost exactly, useful for fast reading. |
| importante | important | another direct cognate that speeds up recognition in text and conversation. |
Classes coming up
Times in your own time zone. This list changes every day.
Exchanges looking for a partner
How it works here
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Sign up and say your level
Two minutes. If you do not know your level, we place you in the first class.
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Pick a class or an exchange
Classes are led by a native teacher. An exchange is with another member: half the time in their language, half in yours.
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Join by video, nothing to install
From your phone or your computer. If you cannot make it, cancel and get your place back.
Questions about this
How long does it take to go from zero to holding a conversation in Portuguese?
It depends on how often you show up, but the recognizable vocabulary from Latin cognates means many English speakers can follow simple written Portuguese within a couple of months. Speaking comfortably usually needs several months of regular exchanges, because the ear adjustment for vowel reduction and nasal sounds takes real listening hours, not just study.
Is the one-on-one exchange actually free?
Yes. You give half an hour in the language you already speak well and get half an hour of Portuguese in return, matched with a native speaker. Nobody pays for that time — it's a trade, not a paid lesson.
What level do I need to join a group class or an exchange?
For the exchanges, even absolute beginners can start, since your partner adjusts and the other half of the swap is in your strong language. For group classes with a native teacher, check the specific level of the class before joining, since they're organized by stage rather than open to all levels at once.
How exactly is the 30/30 split managed during the exchange?
You agree on the split with your partner before starting — typically the first half in Portuguese, the second in English, switching at the midpoint. Most pairs use a timer so neither language eats into the other's time.
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