In my mind I was able to find five reasons for learning Portuguese. Of course, each person should find his or her own motivation for wanting to learn a language. But you can reflect on these:
1. It’s The Sixth Language Most Spoken in The World
Portuguese is the sixth language most spoken in the world. It is the national language of Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Principe. It is also the co-official language of Macau (China) and East Timor.
Currently, there are more 250 million native Portuguese speakers, and more than 10 million of those speak Portuguese as a second language. As that number continues rising, perhaps, you would like to join us.
2. To visit Brazil
Brazil is the largest Portuguese speaking nation in the world and the largest and the only Portuguese speaking country in the American Continent.
Contrary to what most people might think, not everyone in Brazil is able to speak English. So, if you’re planning on experiencing the next Olympics, which will be in Brazil, do your due diligence and learn at least the basics of this language to be better prepared.
3. It’s a Vocabulary Rich Language
Portuguese is a very vocabulary rich language. It’s full of beautiful and interesting words and expressions which reflect our cheerful and vibrant culture.
Above all, it’s great to be able to understand the Portuguese language for what it really is. Sometimes, it’s impossible to truly translate a word or expression of a language into another. For example, the Portuguese word saudades, which is mistakenly translated as miss in English, really means more than that because it combines the meaning of both miss and yearn in one word.
4. To Learn the Culture of Your Ancestors
Perhaps, you have great-grandparents or grandparents who immigrated from a Portuguese speaking country, and you are curious about their culture and origin. Learning Portuguese would be step number one towards discovering more about the cuisine, literature, music, art, and history of their country.
5. To Better Understand the Music
Portugal has a great musical style, Fado, and Brazil has Samba, Bossa Nova, Forró, and música Sertaneja which as very interesting as well. Knowing Portuguese will certainly help you appreciate Portuguese as well as Brazilian music much better.
