pipps

Bom Dia! I have only just started learning Portuguese so basic phrases are all I can say. I want to learn Portuguese because the country looks like a beautiful and interesting place and I love the attitude of people there. They also seem to be focused on business, which I like. I would love to visit there. Especially, Salvador. Bahia looks beautiful. Why did you start learning Portuguese?

Google translate is good for simple words and phrases but if you are writing anything more than that, it will fail you. Take it from me, I have tried this method many a time and failed each and every time! haha. I tried using it in high school for my French homework as I was just so clueless. Needless to say, I got a C in that class. I would only use it now if I were desperate.

I started learning my 2nd language in high school, which was French. However, I went to a tiny primary school (with only 8 other people in my year) and we never learnt any languages. And when I has my first French lesson I was shocked that all my other class mates seemed to already know everything we were learning! They had learnt French in their primary school which I think is amazing as this put them at a real advantage. This was the main primary school for our high school too. With about 100 children in a year. So most of them already knew each other and were well educated in French. I felt so out of my depth and whatever I was learning, they were always 10 steps ahead. It put me down a lot and I wish I had been given the same opportunity. I lost interest in French as I felt like I was rubbish at it and would never grasp it like my class mates.

I really wish people from other cultures would be more accepting of foreigners, especially if they are trying to speak your language. We should all try and embrace each other and our differences. When I worked in a shop (I'm from the UK) I would regularly have to deal with customers who spoke barely any english. You just have to make it a positive situation. However, I once had someone be very rude and throw money at me and storm out because I couldn't understand them. But they were just shouting Russian right from the start. I also had a lot of rude customers from places like Pakistan and found some of them to be extremely rude and arrogant. But I did meet some lovely people from there too

I love hearing other languages and trying to guess which one it is. I would recognise French, German, Spanish and Portuguese and maybe Greek. Just the main languages. It's strange how you can pick and recognise other languages and you have not even learnt them. I can even pick up some phrases.

I want to start learning Portuguese next. I would love to see the Olympics in Brazil so I think that's my main motivation. I just love the whole Brazilian culture though. It's very relaxed and I love Salvador, especially Bahia. It 's such a beautiful place. If anyone else is learning Portuguese come and say hello to me and maybe we can help each other along our journeys?