How long does it take to learn Spanish if you speak Portuguese?

It's the question we hear most. The honest answer: it depends. But you can understand what it depends on.

The Portuguese speaker's advantage

Portuguese and Spanish share a lot of vocabulary and a similar grammar. That's why Brazilians often understand quite a bit from the start. The bigger challenge is usually speaking naturally and avoiding false friends.

What affects your pace

• Your goal: ordering food on a trip is different from leading a business meeting.
• Frequency: studying a little several times a week usually works better than one long session now and then.
• Conversation practice: speaking and being corrected speeds up learning a lot.
• Exposure: series, music and podcasts in Spanish help train your ear.

How to plan

Set a concrete goal and a date, such as a trip or an interview. From there, a teacher can build a realistic plan for the time you have.

Want to know what your path would look like? Tell us your goal and we'll set up a free trial class.