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Learning Portuguese in Portugal

Researched and written with AI tools from official sources. How we make our guides

Free state courses, paid classes, exams, and how long it takes to reach A2, the Portuguese level you need for permanent residence and citizenship.

The Portugal Brief 9 min read

Learning Portuguese in Portugal

Last verified: October 2026.

Who this is for

  • You live in Portugal, or are moving here, and want to learn European Portuguese.
  • You are a non-EU resident who will need a Portuguese certificate for permanent residence or citizenship.
  • You are choosing between a free course, paid classes, an exam, or teaching yourself.

Not for you if: you already know you want the free state course and need to enrol. Read Free Portuguese Courses for Foreigners in Portugal (PLA) instead.

Updated October 2026. Since 19 May 2026, citizenship applicants must also show they know Portuguese culture, history, and national symbols. On 1 October 2026 the detailed rules for that test were still not published.

You can live in Portugal without Portuguese, but daily life and paperwork are much easier with it. A2 is the basic level the state asks for. The state's free course takes a beginner to A2 in 150 hours of classes, usually over one school year. The course is open to most foreign residents aged 16 or over. If your Portuguese is already good enough, the CIPLE exam costs €95. The last 2026 date in Portugal is 17 October, and registration closes on 5 October.

Do you need Portuguese?

It depends on where you live and what you do. You can get by in English in parts of central Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve. You will struggle without Portuguese if:

  • you live in a small town or the interior;
  • you want to work for a Portuguese employer outside tourism or tech;
  • you deal with the tax office, social security, AIMA, or a hospital on your own;
  • your children go to a Portuguese school and you need to talk to their teachers.

There is also a legal reason:

  • If you are a non-EU citizen, you need proof of basic Portuguese (A2) for permanent residence.
  • If you apply for citizenship, you need proof of Portuguese whatever your nationality. If you were born in a Portuguese-speaking country and hold its nationality, the law presumes you know the language.
  • If you are an EU citizen, you need no language certificate to live here.

European or Brazilian Portuguese

Learn European Portuguese if you live in Portugal. The written language is close to Brazilian Portuguese, but the spoken language is not.

  • Sound. People in Portugal swallow many unstressed vowels and speak fast. This is the hardest part for most learners.
  • Words. Many everyday words differ. A train is "comboio" in Portugal and "trem" in Brazil. A bus is "autocarro" here and "ônibus" there.
  • Forms of address. You will hear "tu" with friends and "o senhor" or "a senhora" with strangers.

Many apps and textbooks teach Brazilian Portuguese by default. Before you pay, check that the course says "European Portuguese" or "Portuguese (Portugal)".

Ways to learn

Most people combine two or three of these. Choose by budget, timetable, and whether you need a certificate.

The free state course

The state runs free courses called Portuguese as a Host Language (Português Língua de Acolhimento, or PLA). You can join if you are 16 or over, your first language is not Portuguese, and you have one of these:

  • a residence permit;
  • proof that you have applied for a residence permit, a renewal, or an extension of stay;
  • proof that you have applied for international or temporary protection;
  • a Social Security number (NISS);
  • a seasonal work, temporary stay, or residence visa.

Courses cover levels A1 to B2. The beginner course (A1 and A2) takes 150 hours, and the next course (B1 and B2) another 150. Classes run at public schools, public employment service (IEFP) training centres, and Qualifica adult learning centres. Courses can also run partly or fully online. Groups normally need 15 to 20 learners, so a course starts only when enough people sign up.

A certificate at A2 or above counts as proof of Portuguese for permanent residence and for citizenship.

The Camões Institute, the state's language institute, runs paid online courses with a tutor. Its A1 course for foreigners, for example, lasts 12 weeks and costs €250. Language centres at public universities and private schools also run paid courses. Group classes give you structure, a teacher, and people to practise with.

A private tutor

One-to-one lessons, in person or by video, move fastest if you are disciplined. They cost the most per hour. They suit people with a fixed goal, such as passing the CIPLE, or with awkward working hours.

Free study at home

Public bodies offer free material:

  • RTP Play, the public broadcaster's streaming service. Watch series and news, first with subtitles, then without.
  • RTP Ensina, the public broadcaster's education site, with short videos on language, history, and culture.
  • Your council library (biblioteca municipal). Libraries lend books and films, and some run reading or conversation groups.
  • CAPLE sample exams. The University of Lisbon's exam centre publishes sample papers for each level.

Everyday practice

Classes give you structure. Practice makes it stick.

  • Swap languages. Meet a Portuguese speaker who wants to practise your language, and split the time.
  • Join something local. A sports club, choir, or volunteer group makes you speak.
  • Use the market and the café. Shop where people have time to chat.
  • Speak Portuguese first. Even if the answer comes back in English, keep going.

Meeting People and Making Friends in Portugal lists local groups and volunteering options.

How long it takes

Language levels in Europe follow a six-step scale, from A1 (beginner) to C2 (near-native). The free state course is a good yardstick:

LevelWhat you can doCourse hours from zero
A1 and A2Greet people, shop, see a doctor, fill in simple forms150
B1 and B2Follow most conversations, explain a problem, work in Portugueseanother 150
C1 and C2Work, study, and read almost anything with easeyears of use

At a Braga public school, for example, the 150-hour A1 and A2 course runs two evenings a week from September to April.

These hours assume you also do homework. You will go faster if you already speak Spanish, Italian, French, or Romanian, or if you live or work with Portuguese speakers. You will go slower if your social life is in English or you study only once a week.

For what A2 feels like in practice, read What Learning European Portuguese to A2 Level Means.

The CIPLE and other exams

If you need a certificate and your Portuguese is already good enough, an exam is the fastest route. CAPLE, the University of Lisbon's exam centre, runs the Portuguese as a foreign language exams. You sit them at authorised exam centres in Portugal and abroad. You must be 16 or over.

ExamLevelFee
CIPLEA2€95
DEPLEB1€115
DIPLEB2€135

CAPLE also runs higher exams and school versions for children aged 12 to 15.

What you need to know:

  • A2 is the level most people need. The CIPLE is the exam most people take.
  • You can start at any level. You do not have to pass the CIPLE before the DEPLE.
  • Dates. The CIPLE runs in the international sessions in May, July, and November, plus extra national dates in Portugal. The last national date in 2026 is 17 October. You must register by 5 October, and results come out on 10 December.
  • Payment. You pay by Multibanco (in Portugal) or credit card. If you do not pay within 24 hours, your registration is cancelled. The fee is not refunded if you withdraw or miss the exam.
  • One exam per session. You cannot sit two levels in the same session.
  • Your certificate. You collect it at your exam centre 15 to 20 working days after results come out.

Portuguese Language Exams CIPLE, DEPLE, and DIPLE explains the papers and how to register.

The state also has its own language test for citizenship, the PaN, set by IAVE, the national exams body. It costs €65. IAVE says no sitting is planned before the end of 2026.

Which certificates count for residence and citizenship

For permanent residence, if you are a non-EU citizen, AIMA accepts:

  • a CAPLE exam certificate, such as the CIPLE;
  • a free state course (PLA) certificate at A2 or above;
  • a basic Portuguese course certificate from the IEFP or a recognised school;
  • a school certificate from a recognised school in a Portuguese-speaking country.

For citizenship, the justice portal lists these proofs:

  • a certificate from a Portuguese school;
  • a pass in a Portuguese language test, such as the PaN;
  • a Portuguese as a foreign language certificate from a recognised exam centre, such as the CIPLE.

A free state course certificate at A2 or above also counts for citizenship.

The 2026 change. The new nationality law took effect on 19 May 2026. You must now also know Portuguese culture, history, and national symbols, and prove it by a test or a certificate. The government had 90 days to write the detailed rules. On 1 October 2026 they were still unpublished, so nobody can yet say which tests will cover the new part. An A2 language certificate is still the safest thing to get now.

If you applied for citizenship before the new law took effect, the old rules apply to you. For the full picture, read Getting Permanent Residence in Portugal and Getting Portuguese Citizenship by Naturalisation.

How to choose a course or tutor

Before you pay, ask these questions:

  1. Is it European Portuguese? Ask to see the course book.
  2. Is it built on the European levels (A1 to C2)? A good course places you with a level test.
  3. How big are the groups? Smaller groups give everyone more time to speak.
  4. What is the price per teaching hour? Divide the price by the hours to compare courses.
  5. Does the timetable fit your life? Ask about evening, weekend, and online groups.
  6. Does it prepare for the CIPLE? If you need a certificate, ask whether it follows the exam format.
  7. What certificate do you get? A private school's own certificate counts for permanent residence only if the school is officially recognised. For citizenship, you need one of the listed proofs. Ask before you enrol.
  8. Can you try a class first? Many courses and tutors offer a trial lesson.

Mistakes that slow people down

  • Waiting until you are settled. Start before you move, or in your first month.
  • Studying without speaking. Apps and books build vocabulary. Only speaking builds fluency.
  • Learning Brazilian Portuguese by accident. Check the course settings.
  • Giving up on pronunciation. Record yourself, copy native speakers, and accept an accent.
  • Leaving the certificate to the last minute. Exam dates and free course places are limited. If you will need a certificate, plan a year ahead.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the official pages before you rely on a certificate for an application.

Sources

This guide is written from official sources and, where relevant, organisations' own websites.

Last verified October 2026. Rules and fees change; check the official source before acting.

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