Teach Yourself Portuguese

I am using this course to complement formal tuition and I am very pleased with it. What is so special about this course is the way it combines practical vocabulary with a solid basis in the language as a system of communication. When you learn things like buying your train fare or ordering a meal, you are given structures you can adapt to other situations. Everything you learn is useful. No time or effort is wasted. This may account for the rapid progress in this course. You start by learning how to say Hi! and ask for what you need on arrival in the foreign country. When you get to unit 24 you can write a letter applying to join a course on Brazilian culture at a Brazilian university.

There are several reasons why I really like about this course: the method (you build up your knowledge of the language step by step); the authentic dialogues; the grammar notes and verb conjugation tables; the cultural points; and the letter writing. The course is lively, fun, and very efficient. The audio is good, at the right speed for the learner. The book also has lots of exercises with a key, another very good feature. I bought this course after having bought Portuguese Living Language (ISBN 1400020239) and I am using both. I think they make good partners.

This course is for both European and Brazilian Portuguese. It systematically shows the differences and tells the learner how to switch over between the two. Grammar explanations are more detailed than usual in most language courses. Vocabulary is very practical, what you need to communicate. The course is user-friendly and actually teaches you the language. Better still if you buy the latest edition, 2002. It has lots of extra real life material, exercises (all with key), and has both CDs and Cassettes.

Teach Yourself Portuguese by Manuela Cook is both for European and Brazilian Portuguese. It systematically shows the differences and helps the learner to switch over between the two. Grammar explanations are more detailed than usual in most language courses. Vocabulary is very practical, what you need to communicate. The course is user-friendly and actually teaches you the language. Better still if you buy the new edition, of 2002. It has lots of extra real life material and exercises (all with key) and has both CDs and Cassettes. Highly recommended!

It can be used for Brazilian and European Portuguese (You don't have to buy two books, just one will do the job)and it also includes realia and references from other Portuguese speaking areas. The first five units give you the basics (it is like a beginners book), then you build up on that and progress fast (intermediate to advanced), to the end of the course. It has a total of 25 units. Grammar explanations are very user-friendly and it has lots of exercises, all very practical, of immediate application. It is excellent value for money and fun to use.