Should I Learn French or Portuguese?

Among all the languages you could learn this year, you narrowed your choices to two. The question is not “which language should I learn?” anymore. Instead, it’s “should I learn French or Portuguese?”

Sitting there asking, “should I learn French or Portuguese?” Here’s how to decide.

Both languages belong to the Romance languages group and share similar vocabulary and word structure. This means that if you learn one of these languages very well, learning the other one afterward will be considerably easier. Alternatively, you could also try learning French and Portuguese at the same time, though this requires more effort and time.

When deciding whether you should learn French or Portuguese, consider which language will be more useful, which one will serve you better, and which one you are more passionate about learning overall.

Is Portuguese or French more useful?

Whether Portuguese or French is more useful depends on your interests and your future plans.

If you would like to work in a European country, French would be more useful in most cases. It is an official language in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Monaco, and is widely spoken in European institutions. For example, the European Union has three procedural languages, English, French, and German. If you would like to visit Portugal in particular, then Portuguese would be more useful.

Besides Europe, both languages are widely spoken throughout the world. French is an official language of 29 countries and Portuguese is an official language of nine countries and territories. We should also mention that among these countries, you’ll find Brazil—one of the biggest countries in the world.

Only you can determine if Portuguese or French is more useful. Do you want to work as an au pair in France? French is more useful then. Do you want to study abroad in Brazil? Portuguese would serve you better.

Portuguese vs. French: Which one is more difficult?

Since they belong to the same language family, Portuguese and French have similar structures. They both have distinctive sound systems and have different nasal sounds that don’t exist in English. French in particular has a complicated spelling system, with 13 ways to spell the sound “o.” Both languages have grammatical gender and verb tenses different from English.

When comparing Portuguese vs. French difficulty, your native language and your motivation to learn also play a role. For example, if you’re taking French lessons but you are planning to travel to Portugal, you might have lower motivation than someone who is planning to study abroad in Switzerland.

If you’re putting in the effort and studying, you’re making a great choice either way.

Both French and Portuguese have different varieties. Especially in the case of Portuguese, Brazilian Portuguese and Portuguese in Portugal are quite different. When deciding which version you want to learn, keep in mind your future plans. If you take classes in Brazilian Portuguese before your trip to Portugal, you might have a hard time in the beginning.

READ: Is Brazil or Portugal Better for Portuguese Language Immersion?

How to decide if you should learn French or Portuguese

Deciding if you should learn Portuguese or French can be difficult, especially if you’re equally interested in both. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to make an informed decision:

1. Which one aligns with your future plans?

Your dream career can help you decide which language to learn. For example, if you dream of working for French brands like Chanel or Dior, or if you’d like to pursue a career in culinary arts, learning French would be a better idea. Alternatively, if you’re leaning more toward a career in environmental science, you might want to visit Brazil for its biodiversity, so learning Portuguese would be useful.

2. Where would you like to travel?

From working as a biodiversity research assistant in Brazil to taking a winter break in Canada, there are many meaningful travel experiences to be had. Consider your travel plans and places you’d like to study abroad, volunteer abroad, or work abroad to help you with your decision.

3. Which language and culture are you most interested in?

Learning about the culture is a big part of the language learning process. Watching films, listening to songs, and trying out local food will all be part of your experience. You will have more motivation to learn the language if you’re interested in the culture as well.

4. Do you have prior knowledge of any of the languages?

Those language classes you took as a kid might come in handy now.

If you had classes for either of these languages at school or you’ve had exposure through family members that speak the language, you might have a head start. Even if you feel like you’ve forgotten it, picking up a language you’re familiar with is easier than starting from scratch.

5. Which one do you have the best resources to learn?

Last but not least, think about the resources that are available to you. These could be classes at your college, language apps, books, or online courses. The better resources you have, the more effectively you can learn.

Our Online Advisor can match you with 5 French and Portuguese language programs—it’s free!

4 tips for learning French and Portuguese at the same time

It’s always an option to learn French and Portuguese at the same time, but keep in mind that it can be tricky. If you ask yourself, should I learn Portuguese or French? and answer well…maybe both?, here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Spare some time to study both languages.

Especially with languages that are similar to each other, there is a risk of confusing similar vocabulary and false friends. Oftentimes, you will need to put in double the effort compared to someone who is learning only one language. This includes taking separate classes and improving your time management skills.

2. Set specific days for each language.

It might be useful to assign specific days for studying each language. For example, Mondays can be for French lessons and Thursdays can be for Portuguese lessons. Tuesdays can be for French film nights, and Wednesdays can be for Portuguese song sessions!

3. Try choosing a priority language.

The truth is, learning a language is difficult. It requires you to think, act, and speak in a completely different way. Expecting to obtain an advanced level in two languages in a short time may put a lot of pressure on you. While learning French and Portuguese at the same time, consider selecting a language as your primary focus.

4. Find language buddies.

A fun way to practice the language? Language buddies! These can be locals who are willing to help you or other learners who want to practice. If you find a language buddy for each of your languages, you will have the chance to improve sooner.

4 language programs to get you started

Going abroad to learn a language is a great idea. Not only will you get to immerse yourself in the culture, but you will also get to use the language on a daily basis in real-life situations.

1. Nice, France: French Immersion Summer Program

• Language: French
• Length: 2 to 4 weeks
• Where: France
• Read Abbey Road Programs reviews

2. Study Portuguese Language Online or in Salvador, Brazil

• Language: Portuguese
• Length: 2 to 6 weeks
• Where: Brazil
• Read Basica Lingua reviews

3. Intensive French Immersion Programs in Quebec City

• Language: French
• Length: Flexible
• Where: Canada
• Read Edu-Inter reviews

4. Portuguese Language Course and Immersion in Faro, Portugal

• Language: Portuguese
• Length: Minimum 2 weeks
• Where: Portugal
• Learn more about Language Vacation

Sign up for a FREE MyGoAbroad account to save and compare programs side-by-side

Glow up this year with a new language

You’re ready for an exciting journey whether you’ve decided to study French OR Portuguese.

Français ou portugais? Francês ou português? No matter which one you choose, you’re in for a great experience because language learning is a journey full of surprises! Bon voyage! Boa viagem!