robodelfy

Hi

I researched this a while ago. I am possibly moving to Portugal if various plans come together, and would start in Porto.

I would like to learn Portuguese, but I know from past experience, I will struggle to progress with short courses or doing it on my own. I found various language schools in Porto, but they are quite expensive and only go for up to a month.

I read somewhere else that there is possibly a University course for foreigners to learn Portuguese full time, but I never found that thread again! Does anyone know of any courses like this in Portugal? I have come across them in other countries I have lived, such as thailand, where you do 3 to 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. But it is a year course.

I'd appreciate any info if anyone has any

Thanks

GeniB

Hi robodeify I don't know about Porto But I believe you can take Portuguese at Faro University in the Algarve

robodelfy

Hi GeniB

I checked on the website, but I wasnt quite sure from what I saw. To be honest, I was planning to live in Porto as it will be close to a project that I will be heavily involved in but not for a couple of years. I would like to settle somewhere.

I am open to anywhere in the country though, but I am still struggling to find a full time Portuguese course. Which seems odd. I thought most countres offered university courses in their native language

Anyone else have any ideas?

dmu

You could start now, doing an on-line course, but make sure it's European Portuguese and not Brazilian, as you'd waste time unlearning certain aspects when you arrive in Portugal!

robodelfy

Thanks Dmu, I already have a fair amount of european Portuguese learning resources, but i find it very hard to sit endlessly at books and computers. I did like Duolingo for french though, its a shame they only do brazilian Portuguese

I am really looking for a course with other students, and longer than just a few weeks

dmu

I may have missed an episode, but are you in Thailand at present? If you expect to be in Portugal in 2 years' time, it's surely worth the effort to DIY beforehand? Does your partner speak English? In which case you could do the on-line courses together, for mutual encouragement?
As a Senior, I understand the problem of sitting regularly in front of the computer and/or reading grammar books. I myself gave up the Brazilian Portuguese courses (Babbel), but I simply wanted to communicate with the locals when visiting my daughter who was working in a Portuguese-speaking country. She's now back in France and I've no reason to continue, except as a challenge, to keep the grey matter active....

macliam

Meanwhile, take a look at https://www.practiceportuguese.com/ as I suggested to the forum some time back http://britishexpats.com/forum/portu...uguese-881080/

The site was set up by 2 guys in Lisbon, one Portuguese who speaks English and the other a Canadian, living here and wanting to learn Portuguese. As has been said, most of the "Portuguese" online is actually Brazilian - and that has similar differences in pronunciation, usage, grammar, vocabulary and spelling as America and UK English - "Two peoples separated by a common language", etc. etc. So they decided to set up a site for "european" Portuguese. There are free podcasts and also a premium service if you feel the need.

Good luck.

teejaydee

I think the previous thread that you mentioned in your first post mentioned Coimbra University. I have just looked at their website and they seem to offer a selection of different courses:

University of Coimbra - International Applicants - Learn Portuguese

I have not studied every option, but I think the "Annual Course" is the one best suited to your needs.

robodelfy

Thanks guys

I am not in Thailand now, Im in the UK. Well the project we are hoping works out wont be up and running in portugal for a couple of years, if it goes ahead. There is a lot of building and setting up to do.

So we were thinking of moving to Portugal first if we know its certain, and getting acquainted with the country, and mainly learning the language. I have met people in various countries who have done fairly immersive courses for a year in a language, maybe 20 hours a week at least and the progress has ben incredible, compared to trying to study alone. Thanks for the recommendations for website, I had come across it actually, its great. I also have the pimsleur course and various other bits.

TeeJayDee, thanks for that link. That Annual course looks perfect, thats exactly the kind of thing we were looking for. But we hadnt considered Coimbra as a place to live!

We just assumed that the most likely place for these kinds of courses would be in the bigger cities, and Porto was our first choice. I cant seem to find a similar course in Porto at a Uni, but there are plenty of very expensive language schools with short courses.

Maybe I should contact some of the big Universities in Porto and ask

GeniB

Sorry your having problems finding exactly what you want! puzzled by the lack of info at Faro as I know at least two people who have taken a course there
If money was no object then I would even recommend taking the course with the 'nuns' in Brabant, Netherlands..That school can teach you practically any language in double quick time (OH went there) however I will take a guess that costs come into it.. We have course from Michel Thomas which is absolutely excellent .On CD for the car. It is practical and you don't have to 'learn' a thing. You simple relax and listen..No homework etc. It's a special 'method' I was sceptical at first-- but indeed after listening a few times you do just soak it up.
Good luck finding what you want

robodelfy

Thanks

I think the plan would be to be in portugal so we would like to find a course there. As I said, ideally in Porto if one exists!

I thought the Mihcel Thomas portuguese course is Brazilian?

macliam

No, it's pukka Portuguese. See Start Portuguese with the Michel Thomas Method | Review.

You can listen to a snippet on their site: Learn Portuguese - Learn to Speak Portuguese with The Michel Thomas Method

But it does seem expensive (although less so on Amazon).... no wonder he was the language tutor to the stars!! Having said which, I'm sure recommendations from stephen Fry and Emma Thompson don't come cheap...

robodelfy

I have done the michel thomas french courses, and they were good for getting started, so I would like to use them for portuguese. Thanks, I really thought it was all for Brazilian portuguese.

GeniB

No It's Portuguese Portuguese.. but it does say that it will give the Brazilian version at the end of our course.. Haven't got there yet..

robodelfy

Great thanks