If you are looking for a fun and beautiful language to learn, why not learn portuguese language? It is a hugely common language that is spoken in over 10 different countries by hundreds of millions of people. Some people make the incorrect assumption that Portuguese is just a different dialect of Spanish. However, Portuguese is its own language that is actually very different from Spanish.

Many people think that everyone in South America speaks Spanish. However, Portugal colonized Brazil, making Portuguese the official language of the country. Brazil is a huge country that makes up about half of the population of South America. That means that half of South America is made up of Portuguese speakers.

Despite the fact that the Portuguese language was brought to Brazil from Portugal, the two dialects of Portuguese are very different. European Portuguese is considered the standard dialect and it has a much more complex grammar structure. The two languages differ in relation to their phonology, syntax and vocabulary.

Because of the African slaves that were brought over when slavery was rampant in Brazil, the Portuguese spoken there today has African elements. In addition to the African language's influence, the languages of various native Indian tribes living in Brazil at the time of colonization have had a strong influence on the language as well. It is because of these specific influences that Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese differ so drastically.

If you have dreams of traveling the world, from Africa to South America, to Asia and then to Europe, you will find a way to use your Portuguese language skills. There are countries on each of these continents that have declared Portuguese as their official language (or one of their official languages). In addition to being able to use your Portuguese speaking skills across the world, there are also many Brazilian and Portuguese immigrants in the United States. Many Brazilians live in Florida because of the proximity and climate that is similar to home.

Learning Portuguese is a great idea because it is such a beautiful language. Not to mention, once you learn the language you can travel to any of the many countries where it is spoken. If you are learning the language in order to travel, you should probably first decide where you want to go.

Most classes will offer European Portuguese because it is the standard. If you really search, you might be able to find courses that teach Brazilian Portuguese. Try to take a course that teaches the dialect of Portuguese that is spoken in the region you want to travel to. This is important because accents and vocabulary differ even within different areas of the same country.

Do not assume that just because you speak Spanish, you will have an easier time when you start to try to learn Portuguese. Although the two languages are both Latin based and have similar vowels, they differ in many ways. The most notable way the two languages differ is in their pronunciation. Portuguese sounds almost nothing like Spanish and to someone who has never heard is spoken before, it has been described as sounding like a mix between French, Arabic and Swedish. Research languages course to find the right learning program for you.