What is the best way to learn Portuguese in Rio while having fun?

What is the best way to learn Portuguese in Rio while having fun? Should you look for a Portuguese school? Nights out in Lapa? Sign up for dance classes?

If you are looking for a way to learn Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro without being trapped in a classroom, here are a few tips that may help you. After all, the Marvellous City is as captivating and enchanting as it sounds. You will definitely want to enjoy every minute of it while visiting Brazil.

And to do that, learning Portuguese is kind of a requirement. Even though Brazilians are very nice people that will make everything in their power to understand you, most of them do not speak a second language. Making an effort to learn the basics of Portuguese will make your life much easier and enjoyable in Brazil.

Samba Classes

Samba is the national music and dance from Brazil. It is the main beat for Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro and other big events around the city. Learning Samba will make you the most popular Gringo around.

Read more about Samba: History and Types of Samba in Brazil

While learning the steps and becoming a true samba dancer, you can also practice Portuguese with your teacher. They will probably teach you the history of this music genre and the different kinds of samba dance, the name of the moves, and the most important people in Samba. They will also tell you about the best places to go in Rio de Janeiro to dance and listen to Samba.

We can recommend teacher Bruno of Samba Class Rio. Bruno is a true carioca with great knowledge of different kinds of Brazilian dances, such as forró and zouk. He also speaks English so it will be easier to learn as times go by. He can switch from English to Portuguese quickly and you will practice the language while having fun.

Cooking Class

Brazilian food is delicious; there is no question about it! We are sure you are not going to regret tasting all these different flavors, spices, and comfort food.

During a Brazilian cooking class, you will not only learn cooking vocabulary in Portuguese, but also the name of fruits, vegetables, cuts of meat, local ingredients, and more. And the best thing of all: eating after the class!

You may look for chef Simone of Cook In Rio. She is amazing and has lots of experience teaching foreigners.

Portuguese School

Language schools can also be fun!

If you want to learn Portuguese in Rio while having fun, Caminhos Language Centre is definitely the right choice for you! At Caminhos, teachers use different ways of teaching Portuguese, such as music, recipes, and games during classes. Furthermore, the school offers free after-class activities every day of the week, so you can meet people and keep practicing Portuguese outside of the classroom.

Such activities include samba classes, football and volleyball matches, conversation sessions, happy hour, Caipirinha parties, city tours, and much more. Many locals also join us for some of these activities and you can also practice your Portuguese with them.

You may think learning Portuguese inside of a classroom might not be as fun, but at Caminhos we can prove you wrong! Our teachers are all university graduates and trained to help you the best way possible. They are encouraged to go out for outdoor activities and to promote fun learning for all students.

Going Out

The best way to master any new language is to live it, we all know that.

You keed to learn the core of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, that is true. Nevertheless, in the end, experience is what counts. That is why you need to go out, meet people, talk to locals, and experience the language within the culture.

Enjoying the nightlife in Rio de Janeiro might be the best way to truly experience and learn Portuguese.

Go to Lapa, Pedra do Sal, Baixo Gávea… Have fun in Rio and force yourself to speak Portuguese with your new friends. Talk to beach vendors at the beach, go to the farmer’s market and learn more about Brazilian fruits, visit Saara market and check the local stores.

Anyway, explore the city and practice Portuguese wherever you go!

Hostels

Staying in a hostel is a great way to make friends wherever you are. So, if you are coming to Brazil with the intention to learn Portuguese in Rio while having fun, this might be a good option.

Hostels in Rio de Janeiro are not only full of foreigners from around the globe, but also Brazilians from other states. Meeting Brazilian people from outside of Rio will give you the chance to listen to different slang, accents, and speech pace. This will not only help you with vocabulary building but will also give you the chance to learn more about other cultures and cities.

Make Friends and Exchange Knowledge

Nowadays, many Brazilians are looking for friends who can teach them a second language such as English, French, and Spanish. There are many Facebook groups for foreigners in Rio de Janeiro in which you can look for people wanting to teach a language in exchange for learning a new one.

You can meet up weekly and exchange knowledge while helping each other. In doing so, you will not only learn Portuguese while having fun in Rio, but also make new friends who can help you around the town.

Dating Apps

Learning a new language should be fun. You should enjoy it and have a good time. There is nothing better than finding a love interest while doing so.

Dating Apps such as Tinder, Grindr, Happn, and Bumble are very popular around Brazil. You may meet someone nice who will make you company in Brazil and teach you Portuguese to top it off.

If you already found an interesting person to spend time with in Rio, check out our blog post: For the Lovebirds: 7 Romantic Tours in Rio de Janeiro.

Learn Portuguese in Rio while having fun

Whether you sign up for classes or learn the language organically, just make sure to have fun along the way! Enjoy Rio, make friends, visit new places, practice Portuguese as much as possible… And return home with much more than memories!