Boost Your Pronunciation: 4 simple techniques

Between Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese, there are some pronunciation differences: the former is more nasal, while the latter is more guttural. Depending on which variant you want to learn, it’s important to consider these factors. Of course, I’m not asking you to be a phonetics expert, but to read and reread this article to understand the nuances.

Be careful, I don’t believe that a good speaker of a language is necessarily someone who can reproduce the sounds exactly like a native. However, it is true that pronouncing words as close to the native pronunciation as possible will make communication easier. Let’s get started with the tips! 🎉

1. Listen to natives

Being in constant contact with the language you're learning will help train your ears and familiarize you with the sounds of each variant. I recommend:

• Listening to podcasts,

• Audiobooks,

• Or even watching films and listening to music. 🎧

2. Repeat exactly

If you’re listening to a song, for example, try learning to sing it. The goal at first is not to perfectly mimic what you hear (don’t torture yourself! 😅). Focus on:

• Identifying the words;

• Understanding the intonation.

Little by little, you’ll see that pronunciation will come “naturally.” Trust your inner singer! 🎤

Once you’ve listened to words or phrases, repeat them exactly. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate the sounds, especially at the beginning, to really grasp the intonation and nuances. An effective method is to “imitate the natives” by copying their pronunciation word for word.

3. Focus on difficult sounds

When listening, if you identify words that are particularly difficult to pronounce, give them a little extra attention. Write these words down in a notebook or in your phone’s notes app, then revisit them from time to time to repeat them.

4. Record yourself and compare

If you’re learning Portuguese on your own, or if you don’t have any Portuguese-speaking friends or family members, I highly recommend recording yourself singing or repeating phrases.

Then, listen to yourself and compare your pronunciation to that of a native (in the right sense, of course! 😉). This will allow you to improve while getting a clear idea of your progress.