Practice Portuguese

What do Portuguese people eat for breakfast? Why do we greet women with two kisses on the cheek? And who eats 'Bolas de Berlim' at the beach? In this live-recorded episode, Rui and Joel discuss some of Portugal's most interesting habits.

Joel sits down with João, a fellow musician and also a music teacher. Explore music-related vocabulary as João related to his passion for music, shares his first steps into the music world, and even gives a brief theory lesson!

By popular demand, Rui and Joel return to one of their classic podcast formats. They feature one of the 600+ “Shorties” available on our platform and explore vocabulary and expressions. Later, Rui helps Joel fix some of his more subtle pronunciation errors in European Portuguese – are you making the same mistakes?

Damiana and Rui chat about what they like to do during different seasons of the year in Portugal. (Recorded in September 2024)

Happy International Podcast Day! It’s a podcast about podcasts! 🤯

Rui and Joel talk about their experiences and personal preferences when it comes to camping in Portugal.   *A note to clarify the difference between pilha and bateria: pilhas: Usually smaller/simpler batteries like AA, AAA, 9V, or coin-shaped batteries. Used in things like remote controls, watches, flashlights, toys, etc. May or may not be rechargeable. baterias: Usually larger, more complex batteries. Used for more sophisticated devices that need consistent/higher power, such as laptops, smartphones, smartwatches, digital cameras, electric vehicles, portable power tools, external power sources, etc. Almost always rechargeable.

Damiana and Joel discuss the 2024 Olympics!

Rui and Joel discuss the cultural differences in conversation styles between Portugal and North America. Help them resolve their “argument” so that they don’t have to go to couples therapy. 😜

Joel and Rui discuss some of Joel’s views on adapting to life in Portugal, from the lack of “real salads” to the differences in work culture.

Joel talks about career choices and adapting to life in Portugal. (Listeners: Rui & Joel are outside filming, so the sound in the background is a nearby water feature.)

Damiana’s advice on how to be a good Portuguese student!

Rui and Joel discuss how their lives have changed after kids.

A special guest from our Practice Portuguese team, Joana, talks to Joel about her Alentejo culture and traditions. Discover essential vocabulary related to regional differences and expressions unique to the Alentejo region.

Joel and Rui discuss their social media habits and entertainment choices. Who is more addicted to Instagram? Reddit? Do they prefer in-depth documentaries, or trash TV?

Rui and Joel explore the pros and cons of living in Lisbon, their favourite areas to live and where to find the best places in Portugal to actually Practice Portuguese with natives!

Do you prefer dining out or ordering in? Join us for a conversation about food, drinks, and dining in Portugal, with a special appearance from Rui's mom who shares a story about the ultimate Portuguese food faux pas.

Buckle up and join Joel and Rui for a conversation about car preferences and driving experiences. Check out our Driving unit for even more European Portuguese vocabulary and expressions related to cars and driving!

Estamos de volta! Returning to the roots of where this all started back in 2013, Rui and Joel are reviving our flagship Podcast! Although we’re releasing video episodes, we’ll also keep our audio-only listeners in mind, so you can subscribe to our podcast feed in your favourite app and listen while on-the-go. In this episode, we dive into the art of gift-giving – all in European Portuguese, claro! We also discuss our favourite gifts to receive, and strategies for offering them to others. Thanks for being with us, and for encouraging us to return to this Podcast format. We’ve missed you too!

We didn’t know what to talk about, so Practice Portuguese team member, Molly, gave us a list of questions to answer! Topics include: pet peeves, where else in the world we’d live, binge-watching habits, favourite cuisine, biggest fears and much more! We also reveal some behind-the-scenes news of what the Practice Portuguese team has been up to these past few months.

Did you know the verb “dar” has at least 60 different meanings in Portuguese? 😱 The simplest translation is “to give”, but it also has many idiomatic meanings, which depend on the context. Today, Joel and Rui take a deep dive into “dar”, with some help from one of our Shorty episodes: Dar Uma Mãozinha. Joel also shows off his own study routine for vocabulary building, using Practice Portuguese’s latest “Smart Review” enhancements.