If you're curious about learning Portuguese as a foreign language, and have searched around the web for courses, then you've probably come across Rosetta Stone. 

Their brand is the most famous within the language learning world, and for better or worse their courses are among the most popular. But all this still begs the important question: is Rosetta Stone a good way to learn Portuguese? 

In this post we take a look at how well Rosetta Stone teaches Portuguese as a foreign language. We'll look at some of the unique features of the language and how they relate to RS's method. 

For a more detailed review of the Rosetta Stone method and the overall features in their courses you can check out our Ultimate Rosetta Stone Review. 

Is Rosetta Stone Portuguese right for you?

Yes if you want to "taste test" the language

If you're not completely sure you want to learn Portuguese, and are more curious about the language in general then Rosetta Stone is a good course to get started with. 

Their method is gradual and gently paced, so as to introduce beginners to the language without any pressure. 

If you simply want a working knowledge of how to construct simple phrases, and the basics of Portuguese grammar and vocabulary then Rosetta Stone is definitely a good choice for you. That is what it was designed to do.

Rosetta Stone only offers a course in Brazilian Portuguese, not European Portuguese. What's the difference?

Largely the difference is in accent and pronunciation. People from Portugal and from Brazil have distinct accents from one another.

There is also a slight grammatical difference between the two types of Portuguese: in Portugal they used two different pronouns for the word "you" (tu and Você). Tu is informal while Você is used in formal situations. In Brazil they use tu for both formal and informal situations. 

If you learn one type of Portuguese you shouldn't have too much trouble understanding the other. Therefore if you're planning on speaking Portuguese in Portugal Rosetta Stone can still be effective. 

No if you're hardcore about learning Portuguese

Rosetta Stone's gentle method can seem unnecessary and downright boring to those who are serious about learning the language and want to plow through it as thoroughly and quickly as possible. RS works better for the casual language learner than it does the more serious one. 

No if you're not a beginner

If you have a level of low intermediate or higher you should probably skip over Rosetta Stone. Their courses are designed for new learners and have little to nothing to offer advanced students. 

Pros

Rosetta Stone works better with languages in the Romance family, of which Portuguese is one. The reason Rosetta Stone works better with languages in this category is because at first its method was most likely designed for teaching English speakers Spanish (though nobody knows for sure). 

Spanish is also in the Romance family. The same method that was designed to teach you the grammar and syntax of Spanish will also effectively help you learn Portuguese. 

The Romance languages are closely related to English and share common traits such as similar alphabets, cognates, and similar sentence structures.  

Similar grammar

Rosetta Stone uses zero English in their courses, as they follow a strict no translation approach to teaching foreign languages. This can be good or bad depending on the language you're learning.

When you have a language with grammar more similar to English than the method can work well for helping you to remember and conceptualize foreign grammar rules. 

However if the language you're learning is miles away from English grammatically then you're going to have a harder time using Rosetta Stone to learn it. A great example of such a language is Japanese. 

The good news is that Portuguese and English grammar are like not too distant linguistic cousins. There are some important differences, but not so many that it seems overwhelming. 

One example of this is that both languages use a Subject-Verb-Object word order, which makes learning Portuguese without any translation a lot less confusing than it would be otherwise. 

More info on the basics of Portuguese grammar

Rosetta Stone Portuguese doesn't build conversation skills

Rosetta Stone works great for basic grammar and vocabulary. What it's not as good at is preparing you to use them in a real conversation. All throughout the course you are required to repeat and response to questions and prompts that are stiff and artificial. 

You're not so much using the language as you are repeating it. Again this my help you remember, but it won't help you understand a man on the streets of Brazil as he talks at normal speed. 

Could you easily understand this video without the subtitles?

The Rosetta courses typically gloss over writing systems. They work better with languages that use a Latin based alphabet similar to English, but they struggle to adequately teach writing systems that are further removed. Their courses have always emphasized repeating spoken vocabulary over being able to interpret texts.  

Review from Braziliangringo.com

If you're a novice when it comes to Portuguese and you want to test drive the language, Rosetta Stone is a viable option. The course also works well if you simply want to get acquainted with the vocabulary and grammar of the language.  

Rosetta Stone Portuguese does not suit hardcore or veteran learners, as its method will probably feel too slow and basic for them. Advanced learners shouldn't waist their time with the course because it was designed for beginners. 

Is Portuguesepod101 right for you?

If you’re a total novice or have an intermediate experience in Portuguese then Portuguesepod101 could be right for you.

If you’re Portuguese is more proficient and you’re closer to fluency then you want to look elsewhere to practice the language. Most of the podcast episodes cater to beginners and intermediates.

Portuguesepod101 is a podcast based course, so there is a ton of audio. This makes it a great option if you want to develop your Portuguese listening skills. The lessons are also ideal for learning new grammar and vocabulary.

If you want to take your Portuguese learning mobile, the site also provides an app at no extra cost. It’s available for Iphone, Ipad, and Android and gives you access to all of the content on the website.

Features​

Podcast episodes

The audio lessons on Portuguesepod101 are typically in the ballpark of 15 minutes long. Each one is organized around a Portuguese conversation that demonstrates a specific grammar usage, cultural idea, or relevant Portuguese phrase.  

Lifelike situations

The conversations deal with circumstances that you’d likely encounter in a Portuguese speaking country. Whether hangout with some friends at a cafe or walking around town, Portuguesepod101 tries to prepare you to speak Portuguese in real life.

Conversations are natural and interesting

The hosts of Portuguesepod101 will sometimes share personal stories or interesting facts. This helps keeps the lessons flowing smoothly, and it also keeps things interesting. It’s a nice personal touch that other Portuguese audio courses often don’t have.

​Tools & Resources

Portuguesepod101 has added some bonus content to their podcast lessons by creating a series of tools and resources you can use when learning Portuguese.

Some, like the Portuguese dictionary, word lists, and grammar sheets, are readily available on other free sites and aren’t that big a deal. That being said, there are three that are worth pointing out: the flashcards, slow playback, and lesson transcriptions. 

Flashcards

I’ve spent countless hours making Anki cards in the name of learning a foreign language. Even though I still really like Anki, I have to give Portuguesepod101 props for creating a very easy to use flashcard system of their own.

Their flashcards use a spaced repetition system like Anki or Memrise, but there’s a key difference. To add a word and make a card you only need to click on it from a lesson. This means you can make a large deck fairly quickly.

Slow playback

The slow playback is an effective feature that I wish more Portuguese course would include. In Portuguesepod101 you can select any single word from the dialogues and play them back at reduced or regular speed. This really helps you get more comfortable with the sound of the Portuguese language.

Lesson transcripts

Having a transcripts of each conversation is very useful for reviewing what you learn and hear. It’s always great to see how Portuguese words are spelled and not just how they sound. Many learners also like using transcriptions to create their own study sheets or flashcard too. 

Price

Subscription options

You have 3 options for a subscription to Portuguesepod101: The basic, premium, or premium plus levels.

The basic level is my pick for best value. It’s only $4 a month ( for 24 months) or $8 a month for a single month (still not bad). With basic all you pretty much get are the podcast episodes. You get all of them and they’re the bulk of the course so who’s complaining? 

The premium level comes next for anywhere between $10 a month (24 months) to $25 per month (1 month) you get the podcast with the added benefit of all of PP101’s tools and resources.

​The premium plus level prices in at $22.88 per month (24 months) up to $47 per month ( 1 month). Here you’ll get everything from the other two levels with the bonus of personal instruction and recommendations from a real teacher. 

Which subscription is the best?

The basic, assuming you’re okay with not having the tools resources. It’s certainly the most for your money. If you really want lesson transcripts and the other features the premium level is still a good purchase.

 It’s really only the premium plus that we’d advise against. For as much you’re paying per month at the premium plus level you could easily subscribe to the basic level and take a lesson or two with a Portuguese tutor on Italki (and you’d probably be better for it).

Portuguesepod101's limitations

You don’t need speak Portuguese

Portuguesepod101 is an effective audio course, but audio courses in and of themselves can’t give you everything you need to become fluent in a language. You will have to supplement the podcast with real one on one practice with Portuguese speakers. 

No way to connect with others

​I’d love to see the site add a way for Portuguese student to connect and even practice together. There’s simply nothing relating to this on the site at all.

Best way to use Portuguesepod101​

Study & review

​Listen to at least an episode a day and set aside a few minutes to put new words in a flashcard deck and review them. If you do this you can bet you’ll learn more Portuguese. Portuguesepod101 is designed to give you small but useful doses of Portuguese any time you want. 

Get the most out of your time

Speaking of time, if you use the mobile you can pretty much practice Portuguese anywhere. This is great for filling up the little gap periods you find throughout the day when you’re on the way to the job, on break, or waiting for line. 

Listening & pronunciation

Utilize the audio podcast for all its worth. With the playback feature and lesson transcripts you can but the sounds of Portuguese under a magnifying class and identify what the sounds are and how you can make them yourself. ​

Conclusion

Portuguesepod101 is a useful and novel way to practice and learn Portuguese.

While it shouldn’t be the only thing you use to learn the language it works well as way a fun way to study wherever you go. Its monthly subscription options also make pretty affordable, especially when compared to other language learning tools. 

The site also has a free 1 week trial, that you can sign up for without giving out any credit card info. It’s an easy way to use the site’s features and decide if it’s right for you.