Lia Maciel

What I like the most about teaching Portuguese is seeing my students gain confidence and start communicating naturally. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch them progress from struggling with basic phrases to expressing themselves fluently. I also love sharing Brazilian culture — the music, food, and traditions — because language is much more than just grammar and vocabulary; it’s a way to connect with people and their stories. Every class feels like a new adventure, and I enjoy making learning fun, practical, and meaningful.

I started teaching Portuguese in 2022. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of working with students from all over the world, helping them discover the beauty of the language and culture while improving their communication skills step by step.

Family and Relationships: Some learners have Portuguese-speaking relatives or partners and want to strengthen those personal connections.

Academic Purposes: Others study Portuguese to pursue higher education or research opportunities in Brazil.

For Spanish, Italian, or French speakers, Portuguese is often easier to learn because of the many similarities in vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. However, pronunciation and nasal sounds can take some time to get used to.

For English speakers, Portuguese is considered a moderately difficult language. It has some complex grammar (like verb conjugations and gendered nouns), but the logic behind it is consistent, and many words have Latin roots that are familiar.

Brazilian Portuguese tends to be more melodic and open, with clearer vowel sounds.

Slang and informal expressions vary greatly by region

Brazilian Portuguese tends to be more informal and flexible in tone, even in professional settings.

Brazil has many regional accents — from the soft, sing-songy accent in Rio to the sharper sounds of the South.

Brazilian music is a big attraction — especially genres like samba, bossa nova, and MPB (Música Popular Brasileira). Students are often curious about traditional Brazilian dishes like feijoada, pão de queijo, brigadeiro, and açaí. They love talking about Brazilian flavors and sometimes want to cook these dishes themselves! Many learners admire the warmth, friendliness, and expressiveness of Brazilian people

One of the hardest parts of being a Portuguese teacher is adapting to each student’s unique pace, background, and learning style — especially when teaching a language with as many irregular verbs, gender rules, and regional variations as Portuguese.

A good Portuguese student isn’t necessarily the one who learns the fastest — it’s the one who shows curiosity, consistency, and a willingness to make mistakes. Here are a few key qualities that make a great Portuguese learner: consistency, curiosity, confidence to make mistakes, active participation, clear goals.

The hardest part of learning Portuguese often depends on a student's native language and learning style, but here are some challenges that many learners face:

1. Verb Conjugations

2. Pronunciation and Nasal Sounds

3. Gender and Agreement

4. Prepositions

5. Listening Comprehension

If you’re struggling to learn Portuguese, don’t worry — that’s normal! Every language learner hits tough moments. Here’s my advice to help you keep moving forward:

1. Be patient with yourself

2. Practice a little every day

3. Speak, even if you make mistakes

4. Surround yourself with Portuguese

5. Set small, clear goals