How to Learn Portuguese in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Packed with nightlife, cultural attractions, parks and some 17 million inhabitants, Sao Paulo is also Brazil's financial and cultural capital. The city offers rich opportunities to study the Brazilian Portuguese language for business or social use. Given so many choices for language learning in Sao Paulo, the challenge will be in finding a school that suits your time, budget and learning objectives. To round out your classroom studies, immerse yourself in Brazilian life and language by taking excursions or participating in cultural activities.
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Instructions
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Schools and Language Partners
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Compare the offerings of several language schools. Prices and courses can range widely. For example, as of January 2011, the Fast Forward School of Portuguese Language for Foreigners in Sao Paulo offers one to four weeks (or more) of group or individual instruction. Beginners start on specified dates every month. Groups include no more than six students per class. Private instruction is also available.
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Explore alternatives to the typical classroom model of language instruction. For example, schools such as London-Brazil offer "concierge"-type services where they help you find accommodations, arrange paid internships and help you to acclimate to your new life in Sao Paulo. This is in keeping with the "cultural immersion" model described in Section Two that aims to expose students to another language in all aspects of everyday living.
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Find "language partners" online who may help you practice Portuguese in exchange for your feedback as they practice English. Language schools or community centers might be able to recommend such partners.
Cultural Immersion
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Stay with a Portuguese-speaking household. Ask your school for assistance in matching you with a host family, which might be more economical than staying in a hotel where you will not have the opportunity to speak Portuguese consistently.
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Use every opportunity to practice Portuguese in social and business situations. Speak Portuguese in restaurants, in shops, and at the post office. Watch television and listen to the radio to familiarize yourself with intonation, even though you may not understand every word you hear. Watching Portuguese-language movies with English subtitles can help with your comprehension.
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Volunteer in community programs to experience a new dimension beyond book learning.
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References
- Photo Credit city view image by ZUMK from Fotolia.com
