What makes a language easy? A simple and logical grammar engineering? The number of words? Pronunciation? Similarities between the new language and your native language?
Does it depend on what native language the student speaks? So, for Spanish speakers, learning Portuguese is easier than it may be when learning English? Is this true?
The Editor of linguim.com listed Portuguese as the 4th easiest language to be learned by an English speaker.
Although there is no hard evidence provided by the editor to support this claim, his/her thoughts on the theme are very interesting:
Although there is no hard evidence provided by the editor to support this claim, his/her thoughts on the theme are very interesting:
"Portuguese is yet another romance language that shares similarities with English, yet contains fewer prepositions. However, Portuguese prepositions do not always mimic their English counterparts, so a slight learning curve is in store. Learning to pronounce Portuguese words is usually easy for English speakers; however some of the vowel sounds may take some getting used to. In many languages learning how to ask a question in proper context is difficult, but posing a question in Portuguese is as easy as speaking the words. Individuals that have already learned some Spanish may find it even easier to learn Portuguese. Most people rank Portuguese as easier to learn than French, but not as easy as Italian or Spanish. It is important to note that there are two very different variations of Portuguese – Brazilian and European. Of the languages on this list, Portuguese shares the most similarities with Spanish, but most agree that Portuguese pronunciations are more difficult."
One thing I tell my students when they start taking Portuguese Lessons with me is that once they feel comfortable with the Portuguese language, they will notice that most of the words in Spanish will not seem so unknown. Spanish and Portuguese are "sister" languages, although Portuguese pronunciation swings more towards French and Catalan whereas Spanish pronunciation will be closer to Italian language. Portuguese has a wider number of phonemes (the sound units in a language) than Spanish does, therefore, it is easier for a Portuguese speaker to understand a Spanish speaker than vice-versa.
Doubt it?
So ask a native Spanish speaker to say this pair: "meu avô; minha avó" and then, ask a native Portuguese speaker to do the same. Can you spot the difference? If the Spanish speaker likes football, ask him/her to say the name of the best footballer in all times. No, not Maradona! It is Pelé! ;p Now ask a Portuguese speaker. Pay attention to how the "é", in Pelé, will be pronounced. These are just some quick examples, of course.
Spanish and Portuguese also share loads of similar words, the cognates, but with different meaning, the famous false-cognates, or, "false friends":
My favourite false-friend is the word: "esquisito" --- The most common meaning of Esquisito in Portuguese is "weird", "strange" , in Spanish (written - exquisito) it means "excellent", "delicious". So you can imagine what a confusion it is if you decide to compliment the food your Portuguese host has prepared to you by saying: "Oh, que exquisito!"
Check some false-cognates Portuguese -Spanish below:
Portuguese Spanish
| Ninho: bird nest | Niño: child, boy |
| Engraçado: funny, gracious | Engrasado: greasy |
| Borracha: eraser(rubber) | Borracha: drunk |
| Esquisito: rare, weird, strange | Exquisito: excellent, delicious |
| Fechar:to close, shut | Fechar: to write the date |
| Ganância: ambition | Ganancia: profit, earning |
| Oi: Hi | Hoy: today |
| Latido: the "barking" of a dog | Latido: heart beat |
| Ligar:to call on the phone, to link, match | Ligar: to flirt |
| Logro: cheat | Logro: success |
| Mala: valise. | Mala: má. |
| Oficina: mechanics, garage | Oficina: office |
| Osso: bones | Oso: bear |
| Polvo: octopus | Polvo: dust |
| Prender: to deter, arrest | Prender: to lit |
| Rato: mouse | Rato: short period of time |
| Reto: straight (no curves) | Reto: challenge |
| Risco: danger | Risco: cliff |
| Saco: Purse, Sack, Bag | Saco: jacket (with a tie) |
| Salada:salad | Salada: salty |
| Solo: ground, earth, soil | Solo: alone, on your own |
| Taça: special glass for wines | Tasa: tax |
Source: http://transportuguese.com/blog_traducao/algumas-diferencas-entre-o-espanhol-e-o-portugues/
Can you identify some English words in there as well? Like, "salad" for salada, in Portuguese? So now you know that "salada" means salty, in Spanish.
Next post, I will explore a little bit the differences between European and Brazilian Portuguese. Don't miss it! :)
Do you have a twitter account? Add our account, so you don't miss any new article in Em Português!, blog: @portugueseondem
Can you identify some English words in there as well? Like, "salad" for salada, in Portuguese? So now you know that "salada" means salty, in Spanish.
Next post, I will explore a little bit the differences between European and Brazilian Portuguese. Don't miss it! :)
Do you have a twitter account? Add our account, so you don't miss any new article in Em Português!, blog: @portugueseondem
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