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Tips for Portuguese Speakers

Português

Portuguese speakers know many English words already. Focus on false friends, subjects, prepositions, and some common pronunciation habits.

Common Challenges

False Friends

Some words look similar but have different meanings.

Example: "Pretend" means "fingir", not "pretender" (intend). "Push" means "empurrar", not "puxar".

Missing Subjects

Portuguese often drops the subject. English needs it.

Example: "It is cold today" not "Is cold today".

"Have" for "There is"

Brazilian Portuguese uses "tem" for existence. English uses "there is/are".

Example: "There are many people here" not "Have many people here".

Prepositions

Some prepositions do not translate directly.

Example: "Depend on" not "depend of". "Married to" not "married with".

For and Since

Portuguese uses the present tense with "há" or "desde". English uses the present perfect.

Example: "I have lived here since 2018" not "I live here since 2018".

Extra Vowel Sounds

Many Brazilians add an "i" sound after final consonants.

Example: "Big" not "bigee". "Facebook" not "Facebookee".

Grammar Focus Areas

Articles

Do not use "the" with possessives or general ideas: "my book", "Life is short".

Present Perfect

Use it for experience and for actions that continue to now: "I have worked here for five years."

Conditionals

Do not use "will" in the if-clause: "If it rains, we will stay home."

Question Tags

Match the tag to the verb: "You like coffee, don't you?"

Make vs Do

Portuguese "fazer" can be "make" or "do": "make a mistake", "do homework".

Uncountable Nouns

Do not add -s to "information", "advice", "furniture" or "news".

Vocabulary Advice

  • Keep a list of false friends: pretend, push, actually, exquisite, parents (pais, not parentes)
  • Learn phrasal verbs, which are more common in English than in Portuguese
  • Learn collocations: "make a mistake" not "do a mistake"
  • Use cognates in formal writing, but check the meaning first
  • Learn words with their prepositions
  • Read and listen to English every day to see natural word choice

Exam Strategies

  • Include a subject in every sentence
  • Check preposition use carefully in writing
  • In speaking, practice the "th" sound and the "h" at the start of words
  • In speaking, avoid an extra vowel after final consonants
  • Check "there is/are" whenever you describe what exists
  • Use varied vocabulary to show range

Você consegue! Sua base em português vai ajudar muito no aprendizado do inglês.

Our site is also available in Português! Practice with exams and instructions in your native language.

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English Exam Tips for Portuguese Speakers

Portuguese speakers know many English words already. Focus on false friends, subjects, prepositions, and some common pronunciation habits.

Common Challenges for Portuguese Speakers

  • False Friends: Some words look similar but have different meanings. Example: "Pretend" means "fingir", not "pretender" (intend). "Push" means "empurrar", not "puxar".
  • Missing Subjects: Portuguese often drops the subject. English needs it. Example: "It is cold today" not "Is cold today".
  • "Have" for "There is": Brazilian Portuguese uses "tem" for existence. English uses "there is/are". Example: "There are many people here" not "Have many people here".
  • Prepositions: Some prepositions do not translate directly. Example: "Depend on" not "depend of". "Married to" not "married with".
  • For and Since: Portuguese uses the present tense with "há" or "desde". English uses the present perfect. Example: "I have lived here since 2018" not "I live here since 2018".
  • Extra Vowel Sounds: Many Brazilians add an "i" sound after final consonants. Example: "Big" not "bigee". "Facebook" not "Facebookee".

Grammar Tips for Portuguese Speakers

  • Articles: Do not use "the" with possessives or general ideas: "my book", "Life is short".
  • Present Perfect: Use it for experience and for actions that continue to now: "I have worked here for five years."
  • Conditionals: Do not use "will" in the if-clause: "If it rains, we will stay home."
  • Question Tags: Match the tag to the verb: "You like coffee, don't you?"
  • Make vs Do: Portuguese "fazer" can be "make" or "do": "make a mistake", "do homework".
  • Uncountable Nouns: Do not add -s to "information", "advice", "furniture" or "news".

Vocabulary Advice

  • Keep a list of false friends: pretend, push, actually, exquisite, parents (pais, not parentes)
  • Learn phrasal verbs, which are more common in English than in Portuguese
  • Learn collocations: "make a mistake" not "do a mistake"
  • Use cognates in formal writing, but check the meaning first
  • Learn words with their prepositions
  • Read and listen to English every day to see natural word choice

Exam Strategies

  • Include a subject in every sentence
  • Check preposition use carefully in writing
  • In speaking, practice the "th" sound and the "h" at the start of words
  • In speaking, avoid an extra vowel after final consonants
  • Check "there is/are" whenever you describe what exists
  • Use varied vocabulary to show range

Você consegue! Sua base em português vai ajudar muito no aprendizado do inglês.