“Portuguese, it’s simple. It’s similar to Spanish, proper?” Neatly, even supposing Portugal is positioned at the Iberian Peninsula, the Portuguese language comprises marked variations.
Portuguese, a Romance language, is certainly so much like Spanish, sharing 1000’s of phrases together with amigo (good friend), cuidado (warning) and frio (chilly.) However, make no mistake, Portuguese is a novel language that’s relatively other from Spanish.
No longer best does the Portuguese languague comprise distinctive vernacular and pronunciation parts which are guttural like German and Russian, it’s additionally as obscure as French. As an example, take the phrase rua (i.e. boulevard). It’s pronounced rroooaah, with the start of the phrase pronounced from the ground of the throat.


Portuguese vowel sounds vary from the ones in French, Spanish and Italian. As an alternative of the usual ahh-ay-ee-oh-oo, Portuguese vowels sound is extra like uh-eh-ee-oo-ew. The diversities are delicate however actual.
Moreover, the Portuguese, just like the French and Italian, talk at lightning velocity, particularly in Lisbon. On best of that, English is so broadly spoken in global spaces of the rustic that, until you talk the language with a prime stage of competency, the dialog in most cases reverts to English.
Professional Tip
Be told Ecu Portuguese, now not Brazilian Portuguese, if you happen to’re making plans a transfer to Portugal. There are marked variations between the Portuguese spoken in Portugal and the Portuguese spoken in Portugal’s extra populous brother nation of Brazil. We’re the use of Observe Portuguese to be told the Ecu Portuguese language and extremely counsel it.
Forms


The whole lot at all times turns out to determine in Portugal. Issues simply transfer at a sluggish tempo and take longer right here. The important thing for Portugal expats is to be affected person, now not an innate distinctive feature for both folks.
We first skilled Portuguese forms whilst making use of for D7 visas in 2018. We implemented in November that 12 months, met with the consulate in Newark, NJ in January and won our visas a couple of months later. We later exchanged the ones visas for place of abode lets in and turned into Portugal expats..
Since we function a location-independent industry, acquiring D7 visas was once the most suitable option for us. Past proving monetary safety, the method concerned acquiring NIF tax numbers, putting in place a Portuguese checking account, arranging suitable commute insurance coverage and discovering an condominium. We’d let you know all of the steps however this data is repeatedly converting.
We’ve had various possibilities to revel in Portuguese forms since we moved to Lisbon. For example, it took over 5 months to protected our public well being numbers, a procedure that are supposed to have taken not up to 5 days. The pandemic made the ones numbers crucial since they’re tied to vaccinations and had been important for securing EU virtual vaccine passports. On the finish of the day, we were given them, and that’s what in reality issues.