Best Portuguese Courses Online 2024

Best Portuguese Courses Online 2024 – Brazilian & European

Thanks to the internet, learning Portuguese has never been more accessible. Whether for visiting exotic travel destinations such as Brazil, Macau, or Cape Verde, or to stand out professionally, there are numerous benefits to learning Portuguese online.

To help you sort through the options, we have curated a list of some of the best Portuguese courses online. They are suitable for beginners and intermediates alike.

Portuguese Courses Online – Overview

With over 236 million speakers, Portuguese is the world’s eighth most widely-spoken language. And while on the surface Portuguese can seem difficult, it’s more similar to English than you think. Portuguese is one of the Romance Languages, along with French, Italian, and Spanish, meaning that it is derived from Latin.

In English, many of our words come from Latin. For example, take “chance” or “animal” which in Portuguese are “chance” and “animal”. There are many differences between the languages though. One of the biggest differences between English and Portuguese is the fact that in Portuguese nouns and their adjectives are either masculine or feminine.

To help in the process of learning, the Council of Europe devised the CEFR scale–a scale that measures language proficiency from A1 Beginners through C2 Proficient.

Most A1 Portuguese courses online start by learning vocabulary, basic grammar, and pronunciation rules. Once you get to the B1 or C1 level you will be ready to start reading, listening, writing, and speaking in Portuguese in a more natural way.

When deciding whether to study Brazilian or European Portuguese keep in mind that Brazilian Portuguese is considered more phonetically. It is pleasing to the ear with its open vowels and is generally thought of as easier to learn.

European Portuguese is spoken in a way that can sound a bit garbled. However, it is obviously important if you plan on living or working in Portugal. Either way, the differences are similar to those between American and British English.

While the path to fluency may seem long, all that’s required is consistency and a good learning method. Let’s now take a look at some of the best Portuguese courses online.

Best Portuguese Courses Online 2024 – Top Picks

StoryLearning Portuguese Uncovered	Rocket Languages Learn Portuguese	Udemy Portuguese Courses	Rosetta Stone Learn Portuguese
$297	from $99/Level 1	from $11.99/course	from $7.99/month
★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★
Free trial. Discounts.	Free Trial. Discounts.	Up to 95% off.	Free trial. Discounts.
Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website

*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure at the end of this post.

Note: This review aims to give an overview of the best Portuguese courses online. We cannot claim comprehensiveness as there are many other Portuguese classes available.

1. Rocket Languages – Portuguese Courses

The Rocket Portuguese courses (visit website) differentiate themselves from many classes by specifically focusing on the cultural aspect. With the goal of understanding the language and culture like a local, the program takes beginners through to the intermediate level and aims to help them reach a good conversational ability.

Enrolling in Rocket Portuguese comes with more than 3,000 voice recognition words and phrases. You will also get 138 hours of material that includes audio lessons, language lessons, and cultural lessons, as well as 31 practice conversations.

Through these practice conversations, RocketLanguages applies the method of on-the-spot speaking. Thus, while using their voice recognition software you can practice both sides of a conversation and check your pronunciation even when alone.

Beyond that, the course uses algorithms to identify where you have difficulties with the language so you can practice and remember problem words and phrases as you go. This is one of the best Portuguese courses online for beginners and intermediates alike.

User Reviews: 4.8 ★★★★★ | Info: Visit website. Free trial + discounts.
Pricing: Level 1 from $99 | Level 1/2 from $249.90 | Level 1/2/3 from $259.90

2. Brazilian Portuguese Uncovered – StoryLearning

StoryLearning’s Portuguese Uncovered (visit website) is an immersive language program that features two consecutive online Portuguese classes that cover the Brazilian type of the language. The Level 1 course is best suited for beginners, while the Level 2 class targets pre-intermediate students. The program aims to get you to the B1 level.

Each class consists of a story with twenty chapters, plus recorded lessons that pick apart the language used in the story. This way you will intuitively learn about grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary in the same way children learn their mother language.

Storylearning’s Portuguese courses will allow you to improve your experience traveling in Brazil, experience Carnaval like a local, learn about Brazilian culture, communicate better with friends or community members, and demonstrate your skills on Portuguese exams.

To access the Level 2 Portuguese course, students need to complete Level 1. This makes Brazilian Portuguese Uncovered most appropriate for those who are completely new to the language. Overall, it is one of the best Pourtuges online courses to learn it intuitively.

Provider: StoryLearning | Level: A1-B1 CEFR. Vocab, Grammar, Pronunciation.
Price: $297 Lifetime | Trial: Yes. 7-days full access. | Rating: 4.9 ★★★★★
Info: View course page. Browse all online Portuguese courses from StoryLearning.

3. Udemy Portuguese Courses

Udemy (visit website) offers some of the best Portuguese courses online for beginners at a low cost. When looking for a course you can filter by average rating, time, subcategory, price (paid or free), and features such as subtitles, quizzes, practice tests, etc..

You also have the option to sort the online Portuguese courses by most popular, highest rated, or newest. When sorting by most popular classes, the top three listed are the 3 Minute Portuguese Course, the Brazilian Portuguese Language Course #1 for Beginners, and the Complete Portuguese Course: Portuguese for Beginners.

The 3 Minute Portuguese Course includes three-minute lessons that teach a tiny bit of Portuguese meant to build up over time. In the Brazilian Portuguese Language Course #1, you watch short videos from a native Brazilian in a method that is free of translation.

Finally, the Complete Portuguese Course teaches European Portuguese and focuses on learning the grammar and necessary Portuguese vocabulary for situations relative to daily life. If you want to use Portuguese for traveling or simple conversations, Udemy certainly has some of the best Portuguese classes online. And, they don’t cost a lot.

Portuguese courses: 125+ | Rating: 4.5-4.7 ★★★★☆
Info: Browse category for all Portuguese Courses on Udemy. From $11.99. Up to 95% off.

4. Rosetta Stone – Brazilian Portuguese

Rosetta Stone’s Portuguese course (visit website) aims to make learners feel confident speaking and understanding the language in real-world situations. Their app takes Portuguese learners through five levels and is entirely in Portuguese. Thus, you begin speaking Portuguese from day one rather than translating.

More specifically the course uses its Dynamic Immersion® method. It focuses on using audio and visual cues to develop both spoken and written language skills in context. A subscription to Rosetta Stone comes with access to their app and a 25-minute group live tutoring session with a native speaker after you complete each Portuguese lesson.

Private live tutoring sessions are available as well. A subscription to Rosetta Stone enables you to complete lessons on both the mobile and desktop app. Any of the online Portuguese classes and lessons from the app can be downloaded and done offline.

Languages: 60+ | Review: ★★★★★
Pricing: from $7.99/month. Visit website.
Deals: $179 Lifetime. Access all languages. View deal.

5. Preply Online Portuguese Tutors

Preply (visit website) is an online platform where you can access 50-minute private lessons with fluent and native speakers of Portuguese. While the vast majority of tutors on the site are Brazilian, tutors from Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, and other Portuguese-speaking countries are also available.

To find online Portuguese tutors you’re interested in simply filter through the options. Those include whether they’re a native speaker, the price per lesson, the availability during the day, the days of the week they work, their country of birth, and any teaching specialties like Brazilian Portuguese, Business Portuguese, etc.

Scrolling through the profiles of the Portuguese teachers you can see their ratings and reviews, the number of active students, and how many lessons they’ve taught. There is more info on teaching style and class topics. Ultimately, if you see a tutor that you like you can first book a trial lesson or send a message for further information.

Tutors: Various tutors to learn Portuguese online. 1-on-1 format. Native speakers.
Rating: ★★★★☆ | Pricing: From $15/hour.
Info: Browse tutors on Preply. Visit website and discounts.

6. Mia Esmeriz Academy – European Portuguese

Mia Esmeriz Academy is 100% focused on European Portuguese. Whether looking to learn Portuguese for work or personal life, the goal of the Mia Esmeriz Academy is for users to speak and communicate in European Portuguese without feeling shy or intimidated.

Course options vary, exploring different topics such as grammar, vocabulary, Portuguese culture, pronunciation, and listening. And while you can purchase the Portuguese courses individually, you can also buy the full range of classes as an all-in-one option.

Through a mixture of video lectures, exercises, and quizzes at the end of each lecture, the courses were put together to follow the European Framework of Reference from the A1 to the B2 level. With lifetime access, the online Portuguese classes are flexible and can be done at your own pace, and help throughout the course is available directly from Mia Esmeriz by email or in the community group.

Rating: 4.8 ★★★★☆ | Price: from $99/class. Various Portuguese courses.

7. Pimsleur – Brazilian Portuguese

Pimsleur’s Brazilian Portuguese course (visit website) uses the Pimsleur Method™ which aims through research and essential vocabulary to create a completely intuitive process to get you speaking Portuguese from the first day.

The Portuguese language program consists of five levels. It applies a set of scientifically proven principles with the goal of going to the heart of Portuguese and avoiding information overload. Beginners start with basic phrases, Portuguese vocabulary, and grammar. The intermediate level helps develop your ability to read, speak, and understand Portuguese.

Pimsleur’s system includes Graduated Interval Recall where new words are introduced and remembered at determined intervals. It also teaches the Principle of Anticipation adding a pause before a response to allow your brain to anticipate the correct response.

Furthermore, students get introduced to Core Vocabulary where vocabulary is given out as needed so as not to be overwhelming. Organic Learning follows a concept where each new item of information is given within the context of a conversation.

Rating: 4.8 ★★★★★ | Price: $14.95/month. Discounts available.
Info: Visit website to start learning. | Try free: Get 7-days free here.

8. Lingopie Portuguese

Lingopie Portuguese is an immersive language program that promises a lot of fun while learning. Knowing Portuguese can open up exciting jobs, travel, and business opportunities. Lingopie Portuguese is here to help perfect your grammar, speaking, comprehension, and vocabulary to become fluent in Portuguese using media.

Through the platform, you will get exposed to real culture by watching movies and TV shows from Portuguese-speaking countries. With thousands of hours worth of content and plenty of genres to choose from, there is no shortage of options to watch.

The shows and movies are accompanied by subtitles, which you can click to see instant translations of words and phrases that you aren’t familiar with. That way, you’ll learn Portuguese in an engaging way that entertains while it teaches. It is one of the best online Portuguese courses to immediately ingrain Portuguese into your daily routine.

Review: ★★★★★ | Topics: Movies, TV, Context, Pronunciation, Grammar, Culture
Price: 9 languages for 1 price. From $5.99/month billed annually.

Reading tip: Here is a guide on how to learn a language fast. Browse our lists of language courses online or language learning apps to learn multiple languages.

9. Glossika – European Portuguese

Glossika European Portuguese is an online course designed to help learners absorb Portuguese patterns and speak Portuguese in a natural, intuitive way, without reliance on memorization or grammar explanations.

Since the Portuguese lessons include a listening-only mode, you can learn Portuguese in a hands-free manner while doing other things if you’re short of time. Or you can use the full-practice mode that includes writing, dictation, recall, listening, and recording.

Throughout this popular online Portuguese course, sentences are spoken in English and then in Portuguese. This allows the learner to repeat after the native speaker, with the goal of improving listening and speaking at a native speed.

One benefit of this online Portuguese course is that it remembers your progress and helps you review by giving you new sentences every day. Your learning content can also be personalized based on your interests and current level from the A1 level to the C1 level.

Review: 4.7 ★★★★☆ | Price: $30/month | $25/month annually | Trial: Yes

10. Live Lingua – Portuguese Tutors Online

Live Lingua is a platform that offers free online courses in both European and Brazilian Portuguese. A total of 15 online Portuguese courses are available on the platform, which in all includes 38 ebooks and 686 audio files.

Each Portuguese online class follows a similar structure of one or more downloadable PDF textbooks and companion audio files that allow you to listen to the words and conversations from the textbooks.

There is also a speech recorder available in all the Portuguese courses. You can record, save and download your own audio to compare your pronunciation with the course audio.

One of the most complete course options is the Portuguese Language Course vols. 1-8, which starts off with an introduction to phonology and the basics of grammar in vol. 1 and finishes in vol. 8 with reading comprehension exercises using essays on economics, government, religion, and literature in Brazil.

Review: 4.6 ★★★★☆ | Price: $35/hour | Free trial lesson: Yes

Tip: Not the right language? Check out our lists of best Italian courses or Spanish courses or French courses or English courses or German classes or Japanese classes or Mandarin classes or Arab courses or Russian Classes online.

11. Portuguese Lab Academy – European Portuguese

Portuguese Lab Academy is a membership-based online platform that offers a step-by-step roadmap for taking learners from the A1 level up to the B2 level of European Portuguese. In the beginner modules, you focus on learning Portuguese grammar, pronunciation, verb conjugations, and essential phrases for everyday life.

While in the intermediate modules the focus is on more advanced aspects of grammar and developing listening skills. Both the beginner and intermediate modules also include interactive exercises and stories that combine words and grammar from each lesson to practice the language in a creative way.

Some of the main benefits of Portuguese Lab Academy include the flexibility to learn at your own pace and the support that’s available by way of their community forum. It is one of the best Portuguese courses online with a community-based learning approach.

Rating: 4.8 ★★★★★ | Price: $35/month or $199/year | Refund: 30 days.

12. Semantica Portuguese – Brazilian Portuguese

Semantica Portuguese is one of the more unique Brazilian Portuguese courses online. It teaches through a collection of stories, called “novelas”. Those are filmed with local actors in Brazil. With the goal of learning Portuguese as it’s spoken in Brazil, the class divides each “novela” into chapters with a focus on pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.

During each video, the essential grammar points appear via on-screen text. Interactive quizzes and exercises for speaking practice are available after each chapter lesson. At certain points during the “novelas” playback is stopped so you can get different explanations of what’s happening in the story, grammar rules, and what’s being said.

Checkpoints are also built-in throughout the course to make sure you’re understanding the important information. Depending on your current experience with Portuguese the course is divided into three levels, from beginner to advanced.

But one important thing to note is that Level 1 is for beginners with some knowledge of the basic grammar rules and vocabulary, so they recommend absolute beginners use an app like Duolingo before starting to use this online Portuguese course.

Review: 4.7 ★★★★☆ | Info: $19/month. $199/year. $399 lifetime

13. Practice Portuguese – European Portuguese

Perhaps the main benefit of the Practice Portuguese course is the variety of features that are available. Being 100% focused on teaching European Portuguese, the class includes over 40,000 audio clips recorded by native European Portuguese speakers.

Interactive Portuguese lessons are completed on their app. It features over 100 units that span from the A1 level to the B2 level and aim to guide you through essential expressions and vocabulary. Grammar isn’t something that’s forced in this Portuguese course. But it is available by way of articles written to simplify the grammar without getting too technical.

If you want to practice speaking you can record your voice and have your pronunciation analyzed. And to practice listening, you have access to an archive of over 950 audio and video episodes up to the C1/C2 level.

Other useful features that come with membership are “Shorties”. Those are 1-2 minute audio episodes that contain mini-dialogues in Portuguese. It also comes with a podcast that includes episodes covering a wide range of levels and topics.

Review: 4.8 ★★★★☆ | Info: $15/month. Access to all Portuguese classes.
Level: Beginner lessons. Classes for Intermediate learners.

14. Babbel – Brazilian Portuguese Classes

Using Babbel, Portuguese learners will be able to have real-life conversations with native speakers. Breaking down the Portuguese classes, their method is focused on learning through conversations and training long-term retention. It is followed by personalized learning paths and online lessons that take around 10 to 20 minutes each.

Games, podcasts, stories, and more are also included. With over 175 hours worth of material, the online Portuguese lessons include audio from native speakers and therefore are meant to teach not only pronunciation but also the culture.

You have the option to pick relevant topics and themes, in case you need to learn Portuguese for travel or business for example. Their online Portuguese courses also aim to help you retain information by applying microlearning. This should bring back information already learned in short, consistent bursts.

Rating: 4.8 ★★★★☆ | Languages: All classes included.
Info: $16.99/month. $12.99/month quarterly. $6.99/month annually.

15. FluentU – Brazilian and European Portuguese

FluentU’s Portuguese online course is an interesting option because it uses real video content from the web, e.g. Youtube, to help you learn. However, unlike watching videos on YouTube by yourself, FluentU includes interactive subtitles for thousands of videos in Portuguese with an accompanying translation in English all in one place.

Available levels within this popular Portuguese course include beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons. Authentic video content, being the highlight of the class, ranges anywhere from music videos to authentic commercials, movie trailers, and much more.

Each word in the subtitles can be highlighted giving real-life examples or sentences that use the word, written by native speakers. And beyond the videos, FluentU’s program also contains audio, flashcards, and personalized quizzes that are based on words you’ve learned from the videos.

Rating: 4.7 ★★★★☆ | Price: $20/month | $11.99/month annually | Trial: Yes
Languages: All languages included. Apps: iOS, Android

Additional Best Portuguese Classes Online

16. Online Platform for Learning Portuguese

The Online Platform for Learning Portuguese is an initiative of the High Commission for Migration of the Portuguese government to help people learn Portuguese. Features include tutors (that aid your learning by clarifying questions), exercises for practicing Portuguese, and exams that help you evaluate your language level.

17. Camões Institute – Portuguese Online Courses

The Camões Institute offers paid self-study Portuguese courses online for foreigners that begin at the A1 level and go to the C1 level. The online Portuguese classes are divided into twelve weekly modules that cover reading, oral comprehension, and grammar, and students are expected to spend four hours a week on each module.

18. Michel Thomas Online Portuguese Courses – European Portuguese

Michel Thomas’s online Portuguese courses are broken down into Phase 1 courses (Foundation, Language Builder, and Intermediate) and Phase 2 courses (Vocabulary and Insiders). The Phase 1 Portuguese courses teach verbs and verb tenses and give you a large amount of vocabulary. Later on, Phase 2 Portuguese classes build on that foundation to increase your vocabulary and conversational fluency.

19. Transparent Language Online – Brazilian and European Portuguese

At Transparent Language, there are no rigid online Portuguese courses so you can choose what you want to learn. Based on a placement test you get recommended lessons, or you choose your own content with a custom lesson by picking any skill-based activity and selecting your desired vocabulary.

20. Duolingo – Brazilian Portuguese 

Duolingo is a free app that helps you learn the basics of Portuguese in as little as five minutes per day. Interactive online Portuguese lessons on the app seem more like games as you work through different levels practicing basic grammar and vocabulary, while also training your pronunciation and listening.

21. PortuguesePod 101 – Brazilian Portuguese

This popular program uses short audio and video lessons, with Portuguese lessons focused on reading, writing, grammar, or culture also available. Features of the course include word lists, slideshows, and flashcards, and you can listen to native conversations with the option of slowing them down if necessary.

22. Portuguese Language Lessons – European Portuguese

With various online Portuguese courses that span nine different levels from absolute beginner to upper intermediate, each class lasts for three months and focuses on European Portuguese. To begin, students take a self-assessment to decide their starting level and then have the option to choose between self-study, group, or private lessons.

23. Learn Portuguese with Rafa – Brazilian and European Portuguese

Learn Portuguese with Rafa is a free website with pages about mindset, basic words and phrases, culture, grammar, lessons, and much more all in one place. If you prefer more private online Portuguese classes with Rafa, you can also book 1:1 lessons here.  

How to Choose the Best Portuguese Courses Online

When trying to choose between so many available options it’s important to think first about your goals and personality. Do you need to learn Portuguese as fast as possible, or do you only have a short time to study each week and plan on learning over a long time frame?

An expensive online Portuguese course that requires a monthly subscription might not be the best idea if you don’t have much time or don’t have much motivation to study.

If you’re someone whose motivation quickly fizzles out or has difficulty staying disciplined, then hiring a private tutor might be the best option. That way you have a set day and time scheduled with someone to hold you accountable.

Many so-called best Portuguese courses online also promise a lot with their sophisticated methods that are supposed to make learning easy, fun, and intuitive. But no matter what the method is, learning a language requires time and effort.

In conclusion, be sure to keep in mind that there is no magic solution and the best option is the one that you will use most consistently for the longest time.

Best Portuguese Courses Online 2024 – Summary

Wrapping up our tour of the best Portuguese courses online. When learning the Portuguese language, the goal is simply to study it and enjoy the process too.

So don’t get lost or overwhelmed by the variety and promise of many different methods. What works for one person might not work for you and vice-versa.

Furthermore, no one Portuguese course online is perfect. Don’t be afraid to mix multiple Portuguese online courses, classes, and methods. Mixing a self-study Portuguese course with a few private 1:1 Portuguese lessons with a native speaker each month might be the best way to get well-rounded results and stay motivated.

Portuguese Language Certifications

Official certification tests include the CAPLE exam for European Portuguese (Centro de Avaliação de Português Língua Estrangeira). This is the only Portuguese language certification recognized in the European Framework and the CELPE-Bras exam for Brazilian Portuguese (Certificado de Proficiência em Língua Portuguesa para Estrangeiros).

Schools and Universities – Portuguese Courses Online

• Lingoda Portuguese Language School
• inlingua Porto, Portugal
• Oficina de Portugues, Porto, Portugal
• Lusa Language School, Lisbon, Portugal
• CIAL Centro de Linguas, Faro, Portugal
• Rio and Learn, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Olinda Language School, Brazil
• Instituto Cultural Idioma, Brazil

Other Portuguese Courses Online

• Memrise Portuguese online classes and lesosns
• Lingodeer Online Portuguese Classes
• Mango Online Portuguese Lessons
• FSI or Foreign Service Institute – Portuguese lessons
• Busuu Portuguese Online Classes
• Mondly Portuguese Online Courses
• Transparent Language Online Portuguese Classes
• YouTube for Learning the European Portuguese Language – View
• YouTube for Learning the Brazilian Portuguese Language – View
• Learn Portuguese with Netflix, HBO, Amazon Video
• Lingo Play Portuguese Online Courses
• Verbal Planet Portuguese Courses Online
• CoLanaguge Learning – Portuguese Tutors and Classes
• EasyPortuguese – Online Resources
• BBC Languages – Learn Portuguese Online
• Speaking Brazilian – Portuguese Online Lessons
• Philipe Brazuca – Brazilian Portuguese Online Course

Portuguese Learning Resources

• Speechling
• Clozemaster
• Tandem
• LingQ
• Tá Falado – View

What are the best Portuguese courses online for 2024, in your opinion? Which Portuguese language programs have you taken? What have you learned? Please let us know in the comments below, or contact us via email for questions.

Sources: Portuguese Language – Wikipedia | Brazilian Portuguese – Wikipedia

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links to some providers of Portuguese courses online. courselounge may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. It does not add any extra costs. All reviews, opinions, descriptions and comparisons expressed here are our own.