Thanks again to Leslie Smith for her wonderful insights to learning Portuguese!
Ahh, motivation. That sweet, elusive butterfly which brings with it an ineffable sensation of “entusiasmo” that we have when first starting a new project or job, moving to a new location, beginning a new relationship, or mastering a new skill.
It’s elusive
It’s all good in the beginning, but as the degree of difficulty increases, and we begin to realize the enormity of the task of mastery ahead of us, we start to feel dismay. Learning Portuguese can bring with it the same range of emotions. For my part, immediately after sitting the B1 exam, I jumped right into studying for the B2 level. I was feeling a bit cocky, to be sure, though I knew it would be daunting.
Now, at a few months out from the rapidly approaching exam, I am feeling the strain of mastering the compound subjunctive tenses, the many colloquial uses of the verbs dar and ficar, and am continuing to struggle with small (and large) errors in my written texts.
My study-buddy has already decided not to go ahead with the B2 exam in November.
Do you find yourself in a similar situation? Is that excess of enthusiasm dissipating somewhat under the groaning weight of complicated Portuguese grammar?
Are your usual study methods, materials and teachers feeling routine, boring and even “inútil.” Are you wondering what on earth you should do now?
Change it up!
Change is good, and an inevitable part of life. Consider how you can make your study routine exciting, or at least interesting. Order some new grammar books from reputable Portuguese stores or publishers such as Bertrand or Lidel.
Go back to basics!
Perhaps you are missing, or have forgotten, some of the basics. Try going back to square one and review what you have already learned. Several websites, such as practiseportugese.com, portuguesepedia.com, ciberduvidas.iscte-iul.pt and others can offer tutorials, insight and inspiration. Be sure you are learning European Portuguese, not Brazilian Portuguese.
Get a new tutor!
Sounds rather brutal, but maybe the methods being used by your current tutor just aren’t doing it for you anymore. Try a different point of view and a different method of teaching. It is fine to engage more than one tutor, and you may find different teaching methods will click with your style of learning.
Get a study buddy!
It is a good idea to put into practise what you are learning. Approach classmates or ask your tutor if there is someone you can chat with on a regular basis on Skype, Zoom, Google Meets or Whatsapp. Make it a rule to only speak in Portuguese. You will be amazed what you can communicate.
Change your device language to Portuguese
Changing the language setting on your phone, iPad, computer, and even your social media platforms to Portuguese may seem like a bit of a challenge at first but you will be amazed how quickly you adapt.
Dream in Portuguese!
Try thinking in Portuguese and talk to yourself (silently) while out walking, doing household chores, driving, etc. You might even find your dreams are in Portuguese…or that you wake up with “aaah, está sol!” on your lips.
Leslie Smith is a Canadian writer studying Portuguese and hoping for a linguistic
breakthrough.
