Complete A1–A2 Course
European Portuguese
A grammar-first course aligned with CEFR, Camões Institute, and CAPLE/CIPLE standards. From zero to A2 certification.
Frase do Dia — Phrase of the Day
Como se chama?
What is your name? (formal)
請問貴姓？
First Steps
Primeiros Passos
Sounds, alphabet, greetings & numbers
Why EP is Challenging
Desafios do Português Europeu
European Portuguese requires Cantonese speakers to tackle five fundamentally different structural principles: stress vs. tone, grammatical gender, verb conjugation, articles, and alphabetic script.
The Portuguese Alphabet
Alfabeto e Numerais Cardinais
To spell words and communicate precisely, you need the Portuguese alphabet and its special characters. Portuguese uses all 26 letters of the Latin alphabet plus diacritics (accents and tildes) that change pronunciation.
Greetings & Introductions
Cumprimentos e Apresentações
Master essential greetings, self-introduction patterns, and courtesy expressions. These are the building blocks of every Portuguese conversation.
Counting in Portuguese
Números
Portuguese numbers have unique forms for 0–19 and systematic rules for compound numbers. Hundreds are gendered (200+ changes based on masculine/feminine). Understanding numbers is essential for expressing age, time, prices, and quantities.
Core Grammar
Gramática Essencial
Pronouns, gender, articles, key verbs & negation
Personal Pronouns
Pronomes Pessoais
Before you can conjugate any verb, you must know who is acting. Portuguese distinguishes between formal and informal 'you' and has gendered pronouns for 'they'.
Gender & Articles
Género e Artigos
Portuguese is a gendered language. Almost every noun and adjective must be tagged as Masculine or Feminine. Articles act as 'flags' to indicate gender, and adjectives must agree with the noun they describe.
The Verb Ser
O Verbo Ser
Sou is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb ser (to be). So sou = 'I am.' Portuguese often drops the subject pronoun eu (I) because the verb form already tells you who is speaking. 'Sou portuguesa' is more natural than 'Eu sou portuguesa' in everyday speech.
The 5 Key Verbs
Os 5 Verbos Essenciais
In English, you use 'to be' for everything (I am John, I am American, I am 20). Portuguese splits this into distinct verbs: chamar-se for names, ser for permanent traits, estar for temporary states, ter for possession/age, and regular -ar verbs for routines.
Negation
A Negação
In English, you put 'not' after the verb (I am not). In Portuguese, negation is a barrier that stands before the verb. Place não immediately before the verb to negate any sentence.
Asking Questions
Interrogativos
To extract information, use specific question words. Each question word pairs naturally with a verb from Lesson 3. Portuguese does not use auxiliary verbs like 'do/does' — word order and intonation form questions.
Verbs & Sentences
Verbos e Frases
Prepositions, verb conjugation, adjectives & vocabulary
Prepositions & Contractions
Preposições e Contrações
Small words glue together. When the preposition em (in/at) meets a definite article (o or a), they contract into a single word. You cannot say 'em o' — it must become 'no'.
-er and -ir Verbs
Verbos em -er e -ir
In Unit 1, you learned the -ar verb family (like morar). Portuguese has three verb families. Unit 2 introduces the rules for the other two: -er and -ir. Their endings are almost identical, except for the Nós form.
Noun & Adjective Agreement
Concordância de Nomes e Adjectivos
In Portuguese, an adjective is a mirror. It must perfectly reflect the Gender (Masculine/Feminine) and Number (Singular/Plural) of the noun it describes. This applies to all descriptive words, including colors.
Ser vs. Estar
Ser vs. Estar — Permanente vs. Temporário
English uses 'To Be' for everything. Portuguese splits 'To Be' into two completely different verbs based on time. Ser is for permanence (the essence); Estar is for temporary states (the current condition).
Core Vocabulary
Vocabulário Essencial — A1 & A2
A comprehensive European Portuguese vocabulary covering CEFR levels A1 and A2. Over 500 words across 25 topics — from greetings and family to travel, health, and work. Portuguese nouns have gender, so learn each word with its article (o/a).
Reading Comprehension
Análise de Texto
Now that you possess the rules from Phases 1–5, you can decode real Portuguese text. Every word maps back to a rule you have already learned.
People & Feelings
Pessoas e Sentimentos
Physical states, descriptions, social formulas & reading
Physical States & Feelings
Estados Físicos e Sensações
In Portuguese, you do not 'be' hungry or cold. You are either 'with' hunger, or you 'have' hunger. The equation is: Estar com + [Noun] = Ter + [Noun].
Describing People
Descrição de Pessoas — Vocabulário
To describe people in Portuguese, you need three verb tools: Ser for permanent traits and character, Estar for temporary states, and Ter for physical features like hair and eyes.
Reading: Fernanda
Análise de Texto: A Fernanda
Now that you possess the rules from Phases 1–5, you can decode real Portuguese text about describing people. Every word maps back to a rule you have already learned in this unit.
Social Formulas
Fórmulas Sociais
Portuguese has distinct formal and informal registers for greetings, introductions, and farewells. Choosing the right expression depends on the social relationship between speakers.
Social Vocabulary
Vocabulário Social
Essential vocabulary for social interactions in Portuguese, including words for invitations, meetings, farewells, and the distinctive sounds of Portuguese pronunciation.
Daily Life
Vida Quotidiana
Reflexive verbs, time, routines & getting around
Reflexive Verbs
Conjugação Pronominal Reflexa
Portuguese reflexive verbs use pronoun clitics (-me, -te, -se, -nos, -se) that attach after the verb in affirmative sentences, but move before the verb after words like não, como, nunca, também, and só.
Time & Calendar
Horas, Dias e Meses
Portuguese uses the verb 'ser' to tell time. Singular 'É' is used for 1:00, noon, and midnight; plural 'São' for all other hours. Days of the week are feminine (except sábado and domingo) and months are not capitalized in everyday writing.
Daily Routines
Rotinas do Quotidiano
Describing daily routines uses the present tense with time expressions. The verb 'costumar' (to usually do) emphasizes habitual actions. Reflexive verbs are common for personal routines (levantar-se, deitar-se).
Daily Activities Vocabulary
Vocabulário do Quotidiano
Essential vocabulary for describing daily habits, personal hygiene, commuting, and meals. Many daily activity verbs are reflexive (ending in -se) because the action is done to oneself.
Prepositions of Movement
Preposições de Movimento
Portuguese uses four main prepositions for movement: 'a' (short trips), 'para' (long stays/destinations), 'por' (routes/through), and 'de' (origin). These contract with articles to form words like 'à', 'ao', 'pela', 'pelo'.
Past, Future & More
Passado, Futuro e Mais
Irregular verbs, past tenses, future, modals & comparisons
Irregular Verbs
Verbos Irregulares
Many common Portuguese verbs are irregular in the present tense, especially in the first person singular (eu). These verbs are grouped by their infinitive ending (-ar/-er and -ir) and must be memorized individually.
The Past Tenses
Os Tempos do Passado
Narrating the past is the defining skill that separates A1 from A2. European Portuguese has three past tenses you must control: Pretérito Perfeito, Imperfeito, and Perfeito Composto.
The Future
O Futuro
Express future plans, predictions, and polite requests using four key structures: IR + infinitive, Simple Future, Haver de + infinitive, and the Conditional.
Modal Verbs
Verbos Modais
Express ability, obligation, permission, and necessity using modal verb constructions: poder, dever, ter de, precisar, conseguir, saber, and deixar.
The Imperative Mood
O Modo Imperativo
The imperativo is how you give commands, directions, advice, and instructions in Portuguese. At A2 level, mastering the imperative lets you navigate cities, follow recipes, and give polite requests — essential survival skills.
Comparisons
Comparativos e Superlativos
Comparing things is essential for describing preferences, making choices, and giving opinions. Portuguese uses mais...do que, menos...do que, tão...como, and irregular forms like melhor and pior.
Advanced Portuguese
Português Avançado
Object pronouns, subjunctive, complex sentences & culture
Pronouns
Pronomes Pessoais Complemento
Beyond subject pronouns, you need object pronouns (direct and indirect) and possessives to build natural sentences. Clitic placement rules are essential for European Portuguese.
Complex Sentences
Frases Complexas
Moving from simple sentences to complex ones requires conjunctions (porque, mas, quando, se, embora) and the future subjunctive — a verb form that only exists in Portuguese.
The Personal Infinitive
O Infinitivo Pessoal
The personal infinitive is unique to Portuguese. It is an infinitive that conjugates to agree with its subject, allowing clear, concise subordinate clauses without needing que + subjunctive.
The Subjunctive Mood
O Modo Conjuntivo
The subjunctive expresses doubt, wishes, emotions, and hypothetical situations. It appears after specific trigger words and is essential for natural A2-level Portuguese.
Pragmatics
Pragmática e Cortesia
Knowing grammar is not enough — you must also know how to be polite, how to make requests, and how to navigate formal vs. informal register in European Portuguese.
Idioms & Cultural Markers
Expressões Idiomáticas
Recognition of common idioms marks the boundary between a mechanical A2 and a communicatively fluent A2. These idioms appear frequently in everyday Portuguese speech and in CIPLE listening texts.
Practice & Review
Prática e Revisão
Reinforce your learning with vocabulary lists, flashcards, and hundreds of essential phrases drawn from every lesson in the course.
Key Differences for Cantonese Speakers
Tone vs. Stress
Portuguese is stress-timed. Pitch does not change word meaning — focus on which syllable is louder and longer.
Grammatical Gender
Every noun is masculine or feminine. Always learn nouns with their article: a mesa, o livro.
Verb Conjugation
Verbs change for every person. The ending carries subject info — pronouns are often dropped.
The Silent E (/ɨ/)
Unstressed ‘e’ nearly disappears in EP. Tarde sounds like ‘tard’, leite like ‘layt’.
Aligned with CEFR · Camões Institute · CAPLE/CIPLE Standards
BOA SORTE NO CIPLE! 加油!