It is worth mentioning that while Spanish and Portuguese do look the same in written form, speaking is a bit different. Spanish is a phonetic language, meaning what you see is what you get. However, Portuguese can be a little fussy pronunciation-wise. The "v" and "z" sounds are missing from Spanish. Meanwhile, in Portuguese, those sounds are included along with five other consonants.
Now, let's break down the pros and cons to organize your thoughts. And help you decide as to whether you should learn Portuguese or learn Spanish first. As previously mentioned, Spanish is a phonetic language. What you see is what you get and nothing else beyond that. It's an easy language to pick up and will help you with other Romance languages.
And with the lexical similarities between Spanish and Portuguese, it can be an excellent foundation for you when you start focusing on your writing skills. For the advantages of learning Portuguese first, this section will focus less on the written part of the language and more on speaking.
While there are many benefits for children, such as improved cognitive development, better-standardized test scores, and overall improved grades, these will cover what learning a second language do well for young adults and adults:.
While the benefits you might experience if you learn Spanish or Portuguese might vary depending on your personal commitment, needs and interests, studies do back up these claims, and that goes for any second or third language you choose to learn, and independent of what format you choose to learn a language from, including not only traditional classroom-based courses but also self-guided online ones.
Learning a second language improves your overall cognitive functioning, forcing you to create new pathways or support existing ones. As far as creativity is concerned, learning a new language forces you to work with problems you otherwise would not encounter, create innovative solutions, and express things in ways you would not normally express.
Flexibility and innovation lead you to be more likely to seek creative projects and invest more of your own creativity in your day to day tasks. Perhaps one of the most compelling, if not popular, reasons to study a second language is increased cultural awareness , and along with it, empathy.
Learning a new language introduces us to new ways of expressing ourselves. It also can introduce new cultures and encourages travel of course, in a chicken or egg question, many looking to travel abroad are first driven to learn a new language because of their travel plans.
Without exposure to other cultures, it is easy to stereotype or make sweeping generalizations. Learning a new language like Spanish or Portuguese can open you up to a new way of thinking.
Of course, one of the more popular reasons to learn a second language is for employment. Even for occupations not strictly language oriented such as interpreters, educators, and translators , being bi or multilingual can lead to more employment opportunities, and, in the case of occupations invested also oversees, could even lead to higher paying or promotional positions.
Online courses tend to be a bit cheaper, are usually self-paced, and allow you the flexibility to learn anytime and everywhere. So which is it? The truth is, it depends.
Learning online is a better solution if you honestly cannot commit to a certain set of time or location; it also may be better for saving some money, though there are exceptions to this rule. However, learning a language in a traditional class means more face to face interaction, perhaps the ability to select a teacher that is better suited for you, and likely more conversational practice. MosaLingua , who offer online language courses, listed Spanish and Portuguese among the top 7 most useful languages you can learn.
Criteria for most useful language was based upon set criteria for native English speakers, including:. Both Portuguese and Spanish, then, are prominent languages when it comes to commerce, exchange, influence, and direct and indirect relations with the U. Spanish is one of the most prominently used languages in the world and only growing. In November of , there were about million Spanish speakers; that figure is expected to swell to a staggering million by Currently, there are at least 44 countries that speak Spanish, and it is the second most spoken language in the world.
Spain is a key exporter for the UK, while Mexico ranks as the 4th major trading partner for the United States. So they open you up to opportunities to travel and connect with others. If you're tempted to learn both, but wondering which one to choose, then this post is for you. I'll give you some reasons to learn both languages.
And then I'll help you figure out which language will be easier for you. By the end of the article, you'll know which language to learn. And you'll even discover a compromise that'll let you have your language learning cake and eat it. The good news is that ultimately, there is no wrong decision about where to learn Spanish or Portuguese.
So let's start by taking a look at six reasons to learn both languages. Looking through those lists, you may be wondering how you could ever choose.
Since your language-learning experience might be entirely different from mine, I'm going to help you figure out whether Spanish or Portuguese is an easier language for you. The most accurate answer to your question depends on four factors:. Let's take a look at each factor to help you decide which language to learn.
Learning either Spanish or Portuguese will take a serious amount of effort. So first, ask yourself: why do I want to learn another language in the first place? The lists of reasons to learn these languages at the beginning of this article can give you some ideas if you need a place to start. Whichever language appeals to you most will probably be the easiest for you to learn , even if it's technically more difficult.
A personal connection to either language will come in handy during your course of study, especially on days when you don't feel like putting in the work. The way you go about learning a language can completely change how difficult it is. This is one area where Spanish is the easier language to learn because Spanish programmes and books are easier to find than in Portuguese. That said, don't let availability be the only reason you learn Spanish instead of Portuguese…it's never been easier to learn Portuguese than it is today thanks to the internet.
You may not be able to find many Portuguese materials at your local library or bookshop. But you can always order them online instead. Online Portuguese courses are another way to get high-quality Portuguese instruction anywhere in the world.
Depending on where you live, native Spanish speakers may be easier to find for practice within your community. But websites like Italki. According to the Foreign Service Institute's School of Language Studies , learning Spanish or Portuguese takes roughly the same amount of time for native English speakers. Your experience will vary, however, if you've studied or been exposed to another language.
If you've ever studied French, for example, Portuguese will be easier to learn than Spanish because Portuguese pronunciation is similar to French in many ways. If you live somewhere with a large number of Spanish speakers such as the southwestern United States , you've probably been exposed to enough Spanish words to make Spanish the easier language to learn.
Ultimately, how easy it is for you to learn Spanish or Portuguese will have a lot to do with how much time and effort you give to learning. This is why I always start by asking language learners about their motivation.
If you're passionate about learning a language, you'll be willing to give it the time and energy you need to learn. This also means that Portuguese courses are likely to be more effective than courses for other foreign languages.
However it is likely to be just as effective in learning Portuguese again, because of the similarities between the two languages. This is because of the looming economic rise of Brazil, the largest Portuguese speaking nation on the planet. Brazil has a market of million people strong, an enormous cache of natural resources, and a history of economic growth that has surprised even the experts. The number of Portuguese speakers around the world is also growing. Some estimates say that by that number will have risen to million.
Portuguese is a beautiful language spoken by an array of countries with rich cultures. The language has certainly left an impact on global history. However the language continues to be relevant today with the promise of even more influence in the near future.
You should learn the language because you want to, because you enjoy it! These other reasons are great, but in the end they are just icing on the cake! Got an account? Sign in here. Sign In. Start Your Free Trial. March 16,
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