Introduction
Start speaking Brazilian Portuguese in just two weeks with this practical 14-day beginner plan focused on first sentences and questions. This guide gives daily goals, key vocabulary, example phrases, and realistic practice situations so you can build confidence using simple Portuguese in cafes, stores, transit, and basic conversations.
- How this 14-day plan works
- Day 1: Greetings and polite basics
- Day 2: Introducing yourself and asking names
- Day 3: Asking and answering Where are you from?
- Day 4: Numbers 1–20 and asking about price
- Day 5: Ordering food and drinks
- Day 6: Asking for directions
- Day 7: Time and schedules
- Day 8: Simple questions about availability and help
- Day 9: Family and basic personal questions
- Day 10: Making and confirming plans
- Day 11: Shopping basics and asking for sizes
- Day 12: Simple phone and messaging phrases
- Day 13: Emergency and health basics
- Day 14: Review, combine sentences, and real-world practice
- Conclusion
How this 14-day plan works
The plan breaks down learning into manageable daily goals. Each day introduces a small set of words, a handful of example sentences, and one or two question patterns. You will learn greetings, introductions, ordering, directions, numbers, time, and basic shopping and transit phrases. Practice aloud, listen to native audio when possible, and use short roleplays.
Key tips before you begin
Focus on pronunciation of vowels and nasal sounds early. Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation is consistent compared to English spelling. Learn rhythm: most sentences stress the second-to-last syllable. Use bom dia and obrigado often; Brazilians appreciate polite basics. Record yourself to check progress.
Day 1: Greetings and polite basics
Goal: Learn how to greet, say goodbye, and use please and thank you.
Vocabulary: bom dia (good morning), boa tarde (good afternoon), boa noite (good evening/night), tchau (bye), por favor (please), obrigado / obrigada (thank you).
Sample sentences:
Olá, bom dia.
Obrigado, por favor.
Até logo, tchau.
Practice: Greet a friend and say thank you after receiving something. Note gender: males say obrigado, females say obrigada.
Day 2: Introducing yourself and asking names
Goal: Say your name, ask someone their name, and give short personal info.
Vocabulary: Como você se chama? (What is your name?), Eu me chamo… (My name is…), Prazer (Nice to meet you), Eu sou (I am).
Sample sentences:
Como você se chama?
Eu me chamo Ana.
Prazer, eu sou Lucas.
Practice: Roleplay meeting someone at a language meetup or cafe. Use first-name introductions and say prazer.
Day 3: Asking and answering Where are you from?
Goal: Express nationality and ask others about origin.
Vocabulary: De onde você é? (Where are you from?), Eu sou dos Estados Unidos (I am from the United States), Eu sou Brasileiro/ Brasileira (I am Brazilian).
Sample sentences:
De onde você é?
Eu sou do Canadá.
Practice: Tell someone your country and ask theirs. Remember to match gender with Brasileiro or Brasileira.
Day 4: Numbers 1–20 and asking about price
Goal: Learn numbers to handle simple prices and quantities.
Vocabulary: um, dois, três, quatro, cinco, dez, vinte, vinte e um etc.
Useful question: Quanto custa? (How much does it cost?)
Sample sentences:
Quanto custa este café? Dois reais.
Quero três pães, por favor.
Practice: Read simple menus or price tags. Practice asking Quanto custa? and giving short numeric answers.
Day 5: Ordering food and drinks
Goal: Order at a cafe or restaurant using simple phrases.
Vocabulary: Eu quero (I want), Um café, por favor (A coffee, please), Com açúcar (With sugar), Sem leite (Without milk), A conta, por favor (The check, please).
Sample sentences:
Eu quero um suco de laranja.
A conta, por favor.
Practice: Simulate ordering: greet, ask for menu o cardápio, por favor, order, ask for the bill.
Day 6: Asking for directions
Goal: Use simple questions to find places and understand short answers.
Vocabulary: Onde fica…? (Where is…?), perto (near), longe (far), à esquerda (to the left), à direita (to the right), em frente (in front).
Sample sentences:
Onde fica a estação de metrô?
Fica perto, à direita.
Practice: Ask for directions to a pharmacy or station. Listen for key words like direita, esquerda, and em frente.
Day 7: Time and schedules
Goal: Ask and say the time, and understand simple schedule words.
Vocabulary: Que horas são? (What time is it?), Às (at, for times), meia (half, as in half past), agora (now), amanhã (tomorrow), hoje (today).
Sample sentences:
Que horas são?
São duas e meia.
O show é às oito da noite.
Practice: Ask bus or train departure times. Use às plus a time to say schedules.
Day 8: Simple questions about availability and help
Goal: Ask if something is available or if someone can help you.
Vocabulary: Tem? (Do you have?/Is there?), Pode me ajudar? (Can you help me?), Estou procurando (I am looking for).
Sample sentences:
Tem pão sem glúten?
Pode me ajudar? Estou procurando a rua Principal.
Practice: Use these phrases at stores and information desks. They are vital in service situations.
Day 9: Family and basic personal questions
Goal: Talk about family members and ask basic personal questions politely.
Vocabulary: mãe (mother), pai (father), irmão (brother), filho (son), Quantos anos você tem? (How old are you?).
Sample sentences:
Eu tenho um irmão.
Quantos anos você tem? Tenho vinte e cinco anos.
Practice: Ask simple personal questions at social events but avoid overly personal topics with strangers.
Day 10: Making and confirming plans
Goal: Make simple plans and confirm times and places.
Vocabulary: Vamos (let’s/go), Quer ir? (Do you want to go?), Combinado (Agreed), Que horas? (What time?).
Sample sentences:
Quer ir ao cinema hoje?
Combinado, às sete.
Practice: Invite someone and confirm time and place using the words above.
Day 11: Shopping basics and asking for sizes
Goal: Buy clothing or simple items and ask for sizes or colors.
Vocabulary: Qual o tamanho? (What size?), Tem em outra cor? (Do you have it in another color?), Eu vou pagar com cartão (I will pay with card).
Sample sentences:
Qual o tamanho deste casaco?
Tem em outra cor?
Practice: Practice exchange with a shop assistant: ask for size, try on, and pay using the simple phrases.
Day 12: Simple phone and messaging phrases
Goal: Use basic language for phone calls and messages.
Vocabulary: Você pode me ligar? (Can you call me?), Me chama no WhatsApp (Call/text me on WhatsApp), Estou ocupado (I am busy).
Sample sentences:
Você pode me ligar amanhã?
Me chama no WhatsApp mais tarde.
Practice: Leave a voicemail-like message or text using these phrases. Keep messages short and clear.
Day 13: Emergency and health basics
Goal: Learn polite ways to ask for help and basic health vocabulary for non-critical situations.
Vocabulary: Preciso de ajuda (I need help), Onde fica o hospital? (Where is the hospital?), Estou com dor (I am in pain), Estou bem (I am fine).
Sample sentences:
Preciso de ajuda, por favor.
Onde fica o hospital mais próximo?
Practice: Use calm language and clear words. In real emergencies, always call local services; these phrases help communicate quickly.
Day 14: Review, combine sentences, and real-world practice
Goal: Combine what you learned into short dialogues and use them in realistic situations.
Practice scenarios:
Cafe: Olá, bom dia. Eu quero um café e a conta, por favor.
Transit: Onde fica a estação? Fica à direita, perto da praça.
Introduction: Como você se chama? Eu me chamo João. Prazer.
Review task: Record three short dialogs, each 20–30 seconds, using at least two different question forms you learned. Practice them until they feel natural.
Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them
Mixing gender with adjectives and past participles is common. Pay attention to endings: obrigado vs obrigada, Branco vs Branca for colors, depending on the noun gender.
Avoid literal translation from English. Portuguese often places object pronouns differently; focus on whole phrases like Eu quero instead of trying to translate I want directly word-for-word into unusual structures.
False friends: Be careful with words that look like English but mean something else. Check meanings before using them in speech.
Short daily practice routine
Spend 10 minutes on vocabulary drills, 10 minutes listening to a short native audio or video, and 10 minutes speaking aloud or roleplaying. Use a notebook to write five new sentences each day using the new words.
Set practical micro-goals: order a coffee in Portuguese by day 5, ask for directions by day 6, and introduce yourself clearly by day 2.
Conclusion
This 14-day beginner plan gives a focused, practical path to speaking simple Brazilian Portuguese sentences and questions. Follow the daily goals, practice short dialogues, and use realistic scenarios like cafes, shops, and transit to build confidence. Consistent short practice and active speaking will get you using Portuguese in everyday situations quickly.
