The 10 Most Common Mistakes When Learning Brazilian Portuguese

Introduction

Learning Brazilian Portuguese is a fun and enriching experience, but it comes with challenges. Many learners make similar mistakes that slow down their progress. Understanding these common pitfalls will help you avoid them and improve your fluency faster.

Let’s dive into the 10 most common mistakes and how you can overcome them!

1. Translating Word-for-Word

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is translating directly from their native language. However, Portuguese sentence structure and word usage often differ from English.

For example:
❌ “Eu sou quente.” (I am hot.)
✅ “Estou com calor.” (I feel hot.)

In Portuguese, saying “Eu sou quente” means “I am a hot person” (as in attractiveness), not that you’re feeling warm!

To avoid this mistake, focus on learning phrases rather than individual words.

2. Ignoring Pronunciation Rules

Brazilian Portuguese has unique pronunciation rules that can trip up learners. Nasal vowels (like in “pão”) and the “lh” and “nh” sounds (“filho,” “banho”) require special attention.

To improve pronunciation:

• Listen to native speakers
• Practice with tongue twisters
• Record yourself speaking and compare it to native speech

3. Overlooking Informal and Colloquial Speech

Textbook Portuguese is useful, but Brazilians often use informal speech in daily life. If you only learn formal Portuguese, you might struggle in real conversations.

For example:

• Instead of “Está tudo bem?”, Brazilians often say “Tudo bom?”
• Instead of “Você está indo?”, they might say “Cê tá indo?”

Listening to Brazilian music, watching movies, and chatting with native speakers will help you adapt to real-life Portuguese.

4. Neglecting Verb Conjugations

Portuguese verbs change based on tense, subject, and mood, which can be overwhelming.

For example:

• Eu falo (I speak)
• Você fala (You speak)
• Eles falaram (They spoke)

A great way to master conjugations is to focus on patterns instead of memorizing individual forms. Flashcards and verb drills can also be helpful.

5. Confusing Ser and Estar

Both mean “to be,” but they’re used differently.

• Ser is for permanent things: “Eu sou brasileiro.” (I am Brazilian.)
• Estar is for temporary states: “Eu estou feliz.” (I am happy.)

A trick to remember: Use “Ser” for identity and “Estar” for emotions or locations.

6. Misusing Prepositions

Portuguese prepositions don’t always translate directly from English.

Common mistakes:
❌ “Pensar sobre” (Think about) → ✅ “Pensar em”
❌ “Casar com ela” (Marry with her) → ✅ “Casar-se com ela”

To master prepositions, read in Portuguese and note their usage in context.

7. Not Using the Right Word Order

English and Portuguese have different sentence structures. Direct object placement, for example, can trip learners up.

❌ “Eu vejo ele.” (Incorrect)
✅ “Eu o vejo.” (Correct)

While “Eu vejo ele” is often spoken informally, in formal settings, using object pronouns correctly will make you sound more fluent.

8. Overlooking Gendered Nouns and Adjectives

Every noun in Portuguese has a gender, which affects adjectives.

• O carro vermelho (The red car – masculine)
• A casa vermelha (The red house – feminine)

If you forget the gender, your sentence can sound unnatural. Practice by learning nouns with their definite articles (“o” or “a”).

9. Not Practicing Listening and Speaking Enough

Many learners focus too much on reading and writing but struggle with listening and speaking. Since Brazilian Portuguese has a rhythmic, fast-paced speech, this can be a challenge.

To improve:

• Watch Brazilian TV shows and movies
• Listen to podcasts and music
• Speak with native speakers, even if you make mistakes!

10. Being Afraid of Making Mistakes

Many learners hesitate to speak for fear of getting things wrong. But mistakes are part of the learning process!

Brazilians are generally patient with learners and appreciate the effort. The more you practice, the faster you’ll improve.

Conclusion

Learning Brazilian Portuguese takes time, but avoiding these common mistakes will speed up your progress. Focus on real-life usage, practice often, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes!

If you want to avoid these mistakes and improve your Portuguese faster, join one of our interactive courses at The Brazilian Ways:

Learn Portuguese the Brazilian Way! 🇧🇷✨

At The Brazilian Ways, we believe language learning should be fun, immersive, and deeply connected to culture. Our unique courses help you speak Portuguese naturally while experiencing Brazil through its music, films, literature, and dance.

🎶 The Brazilian Music Club – Learn Portuguese through the rhythm and lyrics of Brazilian music.
🎬 The Movie Club – Improve your Portuguese while exploring the best of Brazilian cinema.
📖 The Short Story Club – Enhance your skills by diving into Brazilian literature.
💃 Portuguese for Zouk – Connect with the Zouk dance community while learning Portuguese.

✨ Join a vibrant community of learners and experience Brazil through language!
👉 Explore our programs and start today! 🚀