In readiness for the move, I have bitten the bullet and started the challenging task of learning portuguese.

However, a very hopeful 'shortcut' I have only found in one book is that instead of learning the numerous endings to verbs which is the main headache, the following is quite acceptable.

'I buy' is usually 'eu compro' or 'I am buying' is 'eu estou comprando' but there is an alternative 'eu estou a comprar'.

This lines up with the same format as the alternative future 'eu vou comprar' - 'I am going to buy'.

If this is acceptable it will make learning a lot easier as I need to simply learn the verbs.
Can anyone confirm this is ok?

regards

Ray

That is correct. As for the English present continuos 'I'm buying' - 'eu estou comprando' is rarely used in Portg from Portugal, it's more used in Brasil.
But, you sure have to be quite disciplined and like the language a lot to be patient about learning the verbs. Good luck, oh and if you come to live here, as you get started to listen to the locals speaking you will manage a lot better the language and buy books in portuguese or magazines, it's an advice I give you.

As local said 'eu estou comprando' is really only used by Brazilians, yes you would be understood but if I were you I'd take the time to learn the proper verb endings.

Eu estou comprando or estou a comprar gives the impression that you are in the act of buying something and that that action will continue for a while, like if you were to say he is sleeping, está dormindo, it is fine because he is asleep and likely to carry on being asleep for a while.

HTH
G

Anyone know of any on line courses for learning the language that are any good?

Whereas "estou a comer" is perfectly acceptable if you are actually eating at the time.

I wish learning the verbs were the main headache as we could discipline ourselves to do that. The thing is language isn't logical (although Portuguese pronunciation is supremely logical) Going out and talking and listening is really the only way and it doesn't matter what a fool you make of yourself as long as your brain is engaged.

Good point. The Portuguese (unlike the English) don't mind you mangling their language. It's one the good things about Portugal.

Any language course is unlikely to get you very far. As Anna said, going out there and making a fool of yourself is the quickest and best way.

Portuguese pronunciation takes a while to get used to. I watch the news every evening for 15-30 minutes (in headphones) and just beginning to understand what they are saying (took 4 months). I also read books (about 20 pages every day). With a bit of luck, expect to be able to communicate in about 6 months. It's going to be my 11th language and I learned the other 10 pretty much the same way.

Ok....

It all depends....

It depends on where exactly in PT you are from....

It depends on what the situation is exactly.

It depends on what you are trying to emphasize in that particular situation.

(It is a romance language).

The other posters are correct. There is NO WAY you can learn Portuguese from a book.

Go there and just try. If you try the Portuguese will help you the rest of the way. They don't mind at all that you speak Portuguese poorly and they really appreciate your effort.

Things to understand about Portuguese.

1) EVERY WORD HAS A SEX. Table is a female while car is a male, etc. This is the most common miss-pronunciation from foreigners.

2) Portuguese often GLUE two words together or even letters to create an abbreviation. For example GNR we say gannEerr all one very fast glued together word.

3) Friendliness is often injected into conversational Portuguese by diminutive. Olha, uma CASINHA tao boa..... Look what a nice house... NOT look what a nice SMALL HOUSE....

4) There are many diverse dialects of Portuguese WITHIN continental Portugal. For example people from the Porto region EXCHANGE B with V so a VACA becomes a BACA and eu veijo (I see) become eu Beijo, so using your book you would think they were referring to kissing while the person was simply stating he could see.

5) Portuguese is a VERY LITERAL language.... Never say to a Portuguese something like "Park the car over there against the wall"...... Not unless you are interested in removing the door handles.

Great post cav, crying out for a star.

I listen to PT radio all the time....

http://www.multilingualbooks.com/onl...ortuguese.html

Obrigado muito !

Very useful replies. I plan to get the basics learnt then come to a language school in Portugal for a week or two.

I pick up on a point Anna makes about Portuguese being logical. Regretfully English is quite illogical e.g. I am hungry. Surely 'am' should be about who you are? In Portuguese ( I understand!) is 'eu estou com fome' - I am with hunger or 'eu tenho fome' - I have hunger. That seems to makes more sense. Perhaps Portuguese is just a different logic?

'Eles' (m) and 'elas' (f) is they in English. Which do you use if you refer to say both male and female. e.g. Janet and John went up the hill - they went up the hill?

On listening to Portuguese spoken it sounds like some of the smaller words are 'lost' Is that so? e.g. 'está aqui' is spoken as one word 'starkey'.

I like the car parking example - must remember that one! Any more tips will be greatly appreciated


adeus


Ray

Hi Ray, my understanding (limited though it is is that the masculine always takes precendence. You could have 99 women and one man walking up the hill, but they would be termed as eles and not elas.

could be wrong though . . . its not unusual

Saz1

Also it is a very common Engish mistake to say "eu tenho fome", this sounds really strange to the Portuguese as by saying "tenho" you've already told them it's eu. Tenho fome, tenho dinheiro, tenho tempo. I find that hard as when you translate in your head you start with I = eu, but you don't need it (unless of course you really want to emphasise the eu).

As has been said before the best way is just get out there and try. The Portuguese people I have found to be very friendly and helpful especially so when you speak or at least try to speak their language.

Find something new - ask them what it is called. Ask them to say it slowly and repeat it back to them a few times. They will help you. Sometimes I have found it helps me remember if I ask them to write the phrase down - it also shows that you are genuinely interested too.

I have had great "conversations" in the drogaria trying to get things which when they speak no English means you are committed and you have to find words to descibe things. You get a great dela of satisfaction coming out of teh shop with what you want! It makes fiends too - the number of people who now wave to me and say hello when we are out (we don't yet live In Portugal yet - is amazing and my wife often says who is that?

On accents it does vary a lot - the Alagarvians tend to lose the ends of words or phrases!

And as you get more confident and speak more be ready for the reply at a 100mph. Not that many Brits make the effort so when they find someone who can speak a little sometimes it comes a little fast - so just ask them to slow down a bit.

Good Luck! I love trying and I am very slowly getting better. (I hope!)

My Portuguese is hilarious,but I get by.
I have no choice,there are no english speakers in my village at all!!!
Of course my grammar etc is awful,but I can communicate well enough,I even now understand my 159 year old neighbour when she talks to me at breakneck speed(well enough to get the gist)
I agree,the best way is to get amongst the Portuguese,they love helping,and I also give them a good laugh