Have you considered learning the Portuguese language?
Need some convincing reasons to learn Portuguese in India? Besides the apparent benefits of a foreign tongue, studying Portuguese can do a lot for you and improve your life in many ways.
Here are 12 significant advantages.
We live in a technology-driven world that is fast becoming a global village. The days of relying on your native language to thrive in communication and business dealings are long gone.
There is an abundance of reasons to learn a new tongue. Language-based careers, immigration, study abroad, travel, health benefits, and hobbies are key advantages of this journey.
When choosing a useful language to learn, most prefer French, Spanish, German, or challenging languages such as Japanese, Mandarin, Korean, or West Asian languages.
Unlike these languages, Portuguese is rarely taught as a foreign language in India or any English-speaking country.
Well, it is one of the foreign tongues you can rely on. But why learn Portuguese instead of Spanish?
“Um idioma novo é uma vida nova.”
“A new language is a new life.”
12 Benefits of Learning the Portuguese Language
“You mean Portuguese? Oh, my gosh! It’s not worth it!”
If that is what you think, I will prove you wrong. It is so much more than just Portugal.
Here are twelve genuine benefits of studying Portuguese as a foreign language.
1. Portuguese is a Language of Immense Popularity
While Portugal is a small country in size and population, its influence is widespread.
It may surprise you that Portuguese is an official language in 9 countries across four continents.
Portuguese is widespread in Brazil, Portugal, East Timor, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Angola, São Tomé, and Príncipe. It is also one of Macau’s official languages.
These countries, particularly Brazil, account for more than 230 million native speakers.
Only Spanish has a larger native speaker population and a more prominent native speaker than most of the languages most commonly studied.
More people speak Portuguese as their mother tongue than German, French, Japanese, Persian, Russian, or Italian.
According to Ethnologue, it is the 7th most widely spoken native language worldwide.
The Lusophone (lusófonos) nations have more than 270 million Portuguese speakers worldwide.
In India, thousands of people also speak the Portuguese language in Goa, Daman, and Diu.
2. An “Underrated” Language of Rare Opportunity
Learning Portuguese will open new linguistic horizons and create professional opportunities.
Despite having many native speakers, Portuguese is one of the most overlooked languages among language learners.
While many people speak the language, only a few study it.
Do you know what that means?
If you learn Portuguese, you will be ahead of others studying more popular languages.
It will enable you to communicate with a larger population than other learners of popular languages can.
The better part is that it will look so cool on your resume.
So, when job opportunities come by, you would be the first to get the employer’s attention.
Since it is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, you can be confident that such opportunities will arise, especially as the global economy is recovering and Brazil is the 8th-largest economy.
3. It is Perfect for changing the environment.
If you are tired of living in your hometown or city where the cost of living is high, you want to change your environment and settle for a decent, enjoyable life.
Well, Portugal is one place to contemplate.
Portugal is a beautiful place to live in.
You can spend your life in cities such as Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and many others that are worth relocating to. Apologies for sounding a bit biased.
However, thanks to Portugal’s low cost of living, fantastic weather, great food, and laid-back lifestyle, you can’t help but list it as your number one spot.
That is why expatriates, entrepreneurs, retirees, digital nomads, tech specialists, and many others are relocating to Portugal.
Learn Portuguese, and you will be able to settle down and enjoy a new life in the land of Magellan.
You can also travel to Brazil, the country with the largest number of Portuguese speakers globally and a popular tourist destination.
4. It Is A Gateway To Other Romance Languages
Learning how to speak Portuguese has an extended effect when you decide to learn any other Romance languages.
Portuguese originates from Latin, and its vocabulary, grammar, and conjugation are somewhat related to those of other Romance languages, such as Spanish, French, Italian, and Romanian.
Knowing one of these languages makes it easy for you to pick up and fully comprehend any of the others quickly.
They all came from Latin and shared similar syntax.
5. Portuguese Is A Beautiful Language
One factor that motivates people to learn a language is the pleasure they derive from it.
Portuguese has everything needed to make the learning process enjoyable and engaging.
The phonetic structure of Portuguese, when spoken, is highly intriguing.
Romantic characteristics make the words run together in a mesmerizing flow. It is as beautiful as French and Italian.
The nasal tones are out of this world. At the end of a word, “M” sounds like “ng” in “sung.
Portuguese is a language that is particularly well-suited for Slavic speakers.
6. It Opens The Door To A Rich Culture
Portuguese culture is rich and fascinating.
Portugal is a Southern European country ranked as the smallest. Still, it has the most World Heritage Sites.
It has 21 in total for its size!
Portugal’s cultural heritage can make you feel at home if you love architecture, harmonious music, and breathtaking landscapes.
The evidence lies in the cities of Serra and Sintra, which are known for their cultural landscapes, impressive architecture, and natural parks.
It reveals the astonishing secrets of Portugal’s history and its glorious presence.
Gastronomy is another reason to learn Portuguese. While French cuisine is well known, Portuguese cuisine is not far behind. Thanks to its bold flavors, it is recognized worldwide.
UNESCO has designated Portuguese gastronomy as a guarantor and provider of the Mediterranean diet. The Cataplana is a fish dish.
The divine cake or pasta de data is available for you to enjoy on Sunday mornings. Its perfect port wine is known to so many people.
The Portuguese language is known for writers such as Saramago, Pessoa, and Luís Vaz de Camões. If you want to fall in love with another Romance-like language with thrilling music and art, Aprenda Português (learn Portuguese).
Portuguese stands out as one of the best and most recognizable musical renditions among Latin languages.
The atonic and tonic syllables provide a distinct, harmonious singing tone. Culturally speaking, fado music remains one of the most thrilling.
Portuguese-speaking countries offer great literature and other unique forms of entertainment. You can also watch some entertaining movies to improve your Portuguese.
It gives you a reason to love the world you are living in.
7. Learn Portuguese To Enhance Your Job Prospects
The global economy is growing, and Portuguese is the official language in some of the world’s rising, relatively prosperous economies.
Learning Portuguese as a second language can strengthen your resume.
It puts you a notch ahead of others who speak other popular languages, such as Spanish and French, when searching for a job.
For instance, Brazil is among the best and ten largest economies worldwide. It has become a major player in global business.
Are you involved in cross-border business dealings?
Learning the language will give you a competitive advantage in closing deals with businesses and companies operating in Brazil, Portugal, some countries in East Asia, and Africa.
Additionally, career opportunities are available in Portugal for Portuguese speakers.
Sectors such as service industries, restaurants, hotels, tourism, telecommunications, and computers offer an excellent range of job opportunities.
Also, in Africa, Angola, a Portuguese–speaking country, offers the best place to find a well-paying language job.
The country’s economy is thriving. It has attracted significant foreign investment, while many Portuguese nationals are finding employment there.
Plus, you can also work or do freelance jobs as a translator, an interpreter, or a tour guide for a decent income.
8. Career After Learning the Portuguese language in India
India and Brazil maintain close bilateral relations and work together in international forums such as BRICS, G-20, BASIC, IBSA, and G-4, as well as in broader multilateral bodies such as the UN, WTO, UNESCO, and more.
Today, Brazil is India’s most vital trading partner in the entire LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) region.
Today, there is a growing demand for Portuguese-language specialists in India across industries such as Technology, Finance, Education, Technical Support, IT/ITES, Tourism, and KPO and BPO.
The global economy is seeking Portuguese-language experts.
Proficiency in Portuguese will set you apart from everyone else who wants to bolster their resumes and enhance their job possibilities with more popular languages.
Additionally, there are job prospects in foreign embassies, international business, export houses, as language experts and language teachers, and in the ever-growing tourism sector.
9. It Enhances Your Love For Soccer
One of the world’s most famous and followed sports is soccer (football).
Learning Portuguese is another excellent way to enjoy the game, which is massive in Brazil and Portugal.
No other country has ever won the World Cup more than Brazil.
Portugal and Brazil produce some of the finest players in the game, including Pelé, Garrincha, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Zico. The two leagues in these countries are highly popular and followed worldwide.
Once you learn Portuguese, you will finally be able to follow your favorite football superstars on social media and elsewhere on the internet.
10. It Is A Language Of Rich Tourist Destinations
If you want to experience a different touch in your vacation or travel destination as a tourist, learning Portuguese can give you a different experience.
Do not forget that the language is spoken in different countries across four continents.
Some of these countries, particularly Goa (India), Macau (China), and Brazil, offer a wide range of vibrant, beautiful tourist attractions and features that are often on travelers’ bucket lists and in their itineraries.
You can now spend your holidays and vacations in style, as Brazil alone offers 7,000 square miles of beaches, numerous exotic resorts, and charming landscapes.
Learning to speak will help you enjoy this whole experience.
11. The Fifth Most Used Language On The Internet
New technological development is making Portuguese one of the most popular languages online.
About 84 million people surf the Internet and speak Portuguese, and the number of Portuguese-language web pages increases each year.
According to Internet World Stats, it is the fifth most widely used language on the Internet.
These points make Portuguese one of the most common and desired languages on the internet. It continues to attract new business and educational prospects.
12. It is an Easy Language to Learn
Although Portuguese originated is Portugal, Brazilian Portuguese is today the most widely spoken variant.
While language learning takes time, dedication, and years of hard work, Portuguese is a straightforward language to pick up.
Portuguese is descended from Latin and is closely related to Spanish, French, Italian, and Romanian.
Thus, if you already know how to speak one of these Romance languages, you’ll find it quite simple to learn Portuguese.
The grammar and sentence formation is straightforward.
Portuguese pronunciation may be a little tricky to master. However, with practical language-learning approaches, you will undoubtedly achieve a higher level of proficiency.
Are you learning the Portuguese Language in India?
You can appear and pass B2 for the Portuguese proficiency test, i.e., CAPLE (Centre for Evaluation of Portuguese as a Foreign Language) or the Brazilian Portuguese test (CELPE-Bras).
Affiliated with the Portuguese Embassy, the Camões Institute in New Delhi is the official test center.
Conclusion — Should You Learn Portuguese?
Learning a second language is essential in the 21st century, and Portuguese is one of them.
Its economic, social, and educational prospects are bright and rewarding now and in the future.
If you’re unsure about picking Portuguese, don’t hesitate—doing so will be worth it!
You can start taking Portuguese classes in Delhi, Goa, or other parts of India today.
It is a comparatively uncomplicated language to learn. If you have any questions, I would be glad to help. Just ask and get the answers you need.
Happy Portuguese language learning in India!