All posts by Norman Orrego

Portuguese

Portuguese

Portuguese is an official language of the European Union as ranked as the 6th most widely spoken languages in the world. – Portuguese is the daily spoken of approximately 220 million people. – Portuguese is spoken in four continents; it is the national language of Brazil and Portugal, and the official language of Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe. – According UNESCO, Portuguese is the sixth most spoken native language in the world, and the third spoken European language in the world. – Portuguese has been recognized as a communication language within EC, UNESCO, MERCOSUR, Organization of American States (OAS), Latin Union, Latin American Free Trade Association (ALALC), Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI), Organization of African-Unity (OAU), West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Basic phrases such as Bom dia, Boa tarde, and Boa noite (good day, good afternoon, good evening) can go a long way in befriending locals. Como você está means “how are you,” and é um prazer conhecê-lo means “it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Practice these “magic phrases” and you’re safely on your colleagues’ good side.

Reading up on Portuguese literature can also provide good practice, especially if your goal is to become fluent. There are lots of good reads in Portuguese–some of the most well-known writers are Gil Vicente, who wrote some of the most important plays in Portuguese culture; José Saramago, who won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature; and Jose Luis Peixoto, an award-winning contemporary writer and columnist.

If you already know other Latin-based languages such as Spanish, French, or Italian, learning Portuguese should be easier. They have many of the same concepts–male and female nouns, verb conjugations, multiple past tenses–and many of the words have the same root, so it’s easy to build a vocabulary.

You’ll want to have at least some basic knowledge when you arrive in Portugal, enough order your morning coffee and read road signs. Immersion is still the best way to learn, however. Try to speak in Portuguese even when the other person is willing to speak English. Tell them you’re working on your Portuguese and they’ll be more than happy to give you a hand.

French

Main Courses

French Speaking Countries

There are about 200 million individuals throughout the world who speak French. This figure counts for people who are native French speakers, individuals who speak French as second language and learners of all generations who do not reside in a francophone country but have studied French. French as an international language is the second most frequently taught in the world, below English. It is also a practical foreign language to learn, because it is spoken all over the world. French arrives second next to English on the listing of the 10 most powerful languages throughout the globe. Evidence of this is the essential use that the French language possesses. It is the official functioning language of dozens of influential foreign organizations like the European Union, United Nations, World Health Organization, World Trade Organization and host of further worldwide organizations.

The French language at present is the lasting outcome of extended periods of verbal evolution and revolution. France, during its long history, had been conquered by various ethnic tribal groups, who took on the Latin being used so frequently at that time, making modern French the descendant of Latin. It is accepted as one of the Romance languages which also include Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian. They are named as such because their origin was Latin, which was the language of the Romans. Throughout the years, the previous French language has experienced modification in grammatical structures and words. It has developed these days to global French.

Also remember that you are learning a new skill. Try to master the simple stuff before moving on to the more complex concepts. We all have to add and subtract before we can do calculus. French is a complete language. While this course can teach you to read and write in French, these are only half of the skills that make up fluency. A written document cannot teach much about listening to and speaking French. You must train all of these skills, and they will reinforce one another. For listening and speaking, find a native speaker to help you.

The very best way to learn French is to visit France or another French-speaking country. This allows you to start with a clean slate, as babies do. However, since most of us are unwilling to take that step, the next best option is immersion. If you are serious about learning French, a period of immersion (during which you live in a Francophone culture) is a good idea once you have some basic familiarity with the language. If you can’t travel to a French-speaking country, then try listening to French-language programs on the radio, TV, or the Internet. Rent or buy French-language movies (many American and U.K. movies have a French language option). Pay attention to pronunciation. Grab a French speaker you meet and talk to him or her in French. Listen, speak, and practice. Read French newspapers and magazines. Google’s news page, which links to French-language news stories, is an excellent source that will enrich your vocabulary.

Click here to see French Resources online

Spanish

Main Courses

Why Learn Spanish?

Learning Spanish is easier and more enjoyable than ever.  Following are just some of the many reasons learning Spanish will benefit you and enrich your life:

More than 450 million people speak Spanish worldwide — By learning Spanish, you’ll be better able to communicate with Spanish speakers who don’t speak English. Whether you travel abroad or within the United States, you’ll likely run into more than one situation that will require you to know at least basic Spanish. (Spanish program).

Spanish speaking countries include Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela.

More than 45 million people in America speak Spanish — That makes the United States fifth on the list of countries with the most Spanish-speaking people. Spanish is also one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world, behind Chinese, English and Hindustani. Undoubtedly, at some point during your life, you’re going to find that knowing Spanish is extremely valuable.

More than 1000 Spanish-speaking immigrants come to the United States every day — That means the country gains at least 365,000 new Spanish-speaking residents each year.

Knowing Spanish enhances your resume — Employers love applicants that have fluency (or even moderate fluency) in a foreign language. Having the ability to speak Spanish will allow you to communicate with Spanish-speaking employees. If no one else at the company speaks Spanish, you’ll be even more valuable. If you’ve ever searched through the classifieds, you’ve likely run across an ad that states, “Must speak English and Spanish.”

If you want to continue your education, you’ll need to take foreign language classes — Most colleges require that undergraduate students take at least two semesters of a foreign language. If you have your eyes on graduate school, you should know that many require students to be able to read and comprehend one, and sometimes two, foreign languages. Getting a jump-start on learning Spanish will definitely pay off later, especially if you’re continuing your education.

If you love to travel, you’ll have even more fun if you go to a Spanish speaking country — Of course, you don’t need to know Spanish, or any other foreign language, for that matter, to travel overseas, but you’ll find it really enhances your experience to know the language. In fact, even if you don’t go to a Spanish speaking country, you’ll still find that knowing Spanish is an asset. Let’s say you go to Paris or Rome. More likely than not, you’ll run into Europeans who don’t speak English, but speak several other languages, and you’ll be able to use your Spanish.

Spanish is a romance language, which means if you’re in France or Italy, for example, you’ll have an easier time deciphering the language because they’re similar.

Learning a foreign language actually helps keep your memory sharp — As we grow older, our memory begins to fade.

These are only a few of the many reasons you’ll benefit from learning Spanish. You probably have a few of your own. Whatever the reason, you’ll find that learning Spanish is not only fun, but it enriches your experiences, whether at work or while traveling.

Spanish Resources

Here you can see some of our Resources for learning and practicing Spanish