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You don't need to but it would be nice if you learned a few basic words.I speak some Spanish...but NADA PORTUGUESE.....does one need to??
You meant the normative accent (from Lisbon). There are still differences betwen North and South. I am fluent in Portuguese and can hardly understand two people from Algarve talking between them.I've been listening to this podcast: https://portuguesewithcarla.com/podcast1/
Even if you juts have it on in the background... it gives you a nice sense of the rhythm and accent of European Portuguese (most of the free stuff online is Brazilian).
You meant the normative accent (from Lisbon). There are still differences betwen North and South. I am fluent in Portuguese and can hardly understand two people from Algarve talking between them.
There is an interesting Portuguese language channel on YouTube with lot of info about the caminho Português. 9 deliveries. I love them !Oh dear, never realised it was so complicated! Anyway as I said there's not that much non-Brazilian free stuff online, so would be happy for links to 'northern' Portuguese material if you could recommend anything. In the meantime I don't think it would harm anyone to listen to the Algarve accent - this podcast was my only source of Portuguese before heading off to Portugal, and I seemed to do ok (at least it helped me sound a bit less Spanish!)
And my "motto" for ages is as you can see at my avatar" ninguém disse que era fácil Nobody said it was easy !Oh dear, never realised it was so complicated! Anyway as I said there's not that much non-Brazilian free stuff online, so would be happy for links to 'northern' Portuguese material if you could recommend anything. In the meantime I don't think it would harm anyone to listen to the central accent - this podcast was my only source of Portuguese before heading off to Portugal, and I seemed to do ok (at least it helped me sound a bit less Spanish!)
There is an interesting Portuguese language channel on YouTube with lot of info about the caminho Português. 9 deliveries. I love them !
I understand better northern Portuguese because I am Galician. It has some similarities with our pronunciation different to the normative, that they call archaisims.Oh dear, never realised it was so complicated! Anyway as I said there's not that much non-Brazilian free stuff online, so would be happy for links to 'northern' Portuguese material if you could recommend anything. In the meantime I don't think it would harm anyone to listen to the central accent - this podcast was my only source of Portuguese before heading off to Portugal, and I seemed to do ok (at least it helped me sound a bit less Spanish!)
it gives you a nice sense of the rhythm and accent of European Portuguese (most of the free stuff online is Brazilian).
If you start in Porto you'll only be in Portugal for about 5 days. During that time you'll mostly be talking to other pilgrims, who are a very international bunch, and once you get to the albergues communication shouldn't be a problem as all the hospitaleros speak fluent "pilgrim"
The level of English in Portugal is actually quite impressive, but as JCLima says, it's always a nice if you learn some basic phrases (and don't just try and speak Spanish with a Portuguese accent!!) I tried my very basic Portuguese out in a few villages, and got a lot of big smiles in return, as well as first hand experience of that famous Portuguese hospitality!
No, you don’t need to speak Portuguese at all. Good luck !Hi Everyone...new here and planning to do my first Camino on the Camino Portugues at the beginning of June this year. Just wondering...I speak some Spanish...but NADA PORTUGUESE.....does one need to??
Waiting for this book to arrive...but just curious in the meantime...
Thanks in advance...
German ?After Porto a knowledge of Portuguese is not necessary. In the section between Lisbon and Porto it is useful. I met only few people there, who spoke English, usually in the bigger cities and tourist places. If you get stuck in a small village it is more likely that you will find somebody speaking French or German.
BC
Alexandra
My Portuguese friends taught me to say "Eu nao falo portugues". And then I'd look at people with big eyes and say "English?" "Castellano?".
Everybody older than me said "Castellano", all the young people said "English, please".
And then we'd get by - in "portuñol" or English.
Most young people speak excellent English.
In my experience, it is much easier for a Portuguese person to understand castellano than for a Spaniard to understand continental Portuguese. I think some of the caution about not just speaking castellano right off the bat is that it is kind of insulting because it may give the unintended impression that you don’t care enough to distinguish Spain from Portugal. I don’t want to get into psychobabble, but I do think that there are many in Portugal who have a totally underserved sense of inferiority to Spain. But doing what Heidi suggests is perfect.
I listened to CD's I got from the library, Pimsleur Language Series, to try to get an ear for the Portuguese accent, since mine is Brazilian. It's even more different than I got from that. But I fully agree with others - it's not necessary, but would be appreciated if you knew a few basic phrases.I've been listening to this podcast: https://portuguesewithcarla.com/podcast1/
Even if you juts have it on in the background... it gives you a nice sense of the rhythm and accent of European Portuguese (most of the free stuff online is Brazilian).
Look at YouTube to "PracticePortuguese" and you'll find interesting vids about the continental Portuguese language. Here above in this thread I posted one of their vids about the caminho Português .so they serve you well about the language and as a bonus you get interesting information about the caminho .I have spent a lot of time in Portugal and consistently struggled with the language. Spanish is way more easier! European Portuguese sounds almost Eastern European to me, and quite different from Brazil. It's a shame that the many of the cool apps for learning are nearly always the Brazil version.
I found the level of English to be way higher in PT, even older people. I also found French to be popular too. There are many Portuguese who work in France and they have strong historical links.
Of course a few works makes a big difference. Must also try and not use any Spanish - this would probably insult them more than speaking in loud English.
Desculpa. I'm sorry.
Obrigado. Thank you!
Com licença. Excuse me.
Prazer em conhecê-lo. Nice to meet you.
Por favor. Please.
Olá. Hello.
Oi. Hi.
Bom dia. Good morning.
I always thought the same about Portuguese, that it sounds very Eastern European. I mentioned that once to a cousin of mine who studied Polish and Russian and other Slavic languages in university. He laughed and said whenever he heard someone on the bus talking in a language that he thinks he should be able to understand but he can't, it is sure to be Portuguese.European Portuguese sounds almost Eastern European to me, and quite different from Brazil.
Here's another Langfocus video; this time about Portuguese sounding Slavic.European Portuguese sounds almost Eastern European to me
German ?
It could be a chance of one to a million . Yes maybe in the far most south in the Algarve at a holidayresort or hotel but between Lisbon and Porto ?
I speak some Portuguese. It is nice and polite to do so and some people will be touched by your attempt. Practice a few phrases, but you don’t need to be fluent. English has become the Lingua Franca in the major towns and cities, less so in the countryside.You don't need to but it would be nice if you learned a few basic words.
Short sighted lady ! Lots of Spaniards come to Valença during the weekend days to do their shopping , fill the tank of their cars . Valença and other northern border are economical dependend from the Spaniards. I have never heard about that.With English and French (if you have some) you're good to go in many places. You might be okay with Spanish but...
A lady in the library at Valenca where I went to find maps told me (snappily) she was only prepared to speak Portuguese or English. You'd reckon with Spain just across the river a bit of Spanish wouldn't be unreasonable. But no Spanish for that lady! A bad gazpacho experience in childhood?
But Portuguese is fun. You get to nasalise like...like...like those cultured Australians.
A needle in a haystack I should call it, but you found itIt sounds strange, I know. But many people from Portugal go to work in Luxemburg or in France. Those working in Luxemburg for a long time may speak German which is one of the official languages used in Luxemburg (besides French and "Letzeburgisch" - which is very close to the local dialect of my home area in Germany).
I can remember a small bar in Azinhaga, looking more than a garage than a bar, where the owner spoke German. And in Valada the owner of the Café had lived in Switzerland for a long time and spoke German, too. And I can remember some more occasions where we met locals who spoke German which we did not expect at all.
BC
Alexandra
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