Learning Portuguese with Duolingo In-depth Guide 2023

Duolingo is a platform on which you can learn new languages without struggling with them much. It is the platform which helps you to learn a new language with the help of different fun activities. These activities will help you get engaged with the course making you enjoy the course. However there are a lot of different languages on the platform, here we will be discussing more about learning Portuguese with Duolingo. Therefore if you are also thinking of using Duoloingo for learning the Portuguese language you must read till the end.

Quick Takeaways

  • The Portuguese course on Duolingo is designed in a manner where you will be following a specific learning path which was earlier known as the Duolingo tree.
  • You will get different lessons and units in the course which will help you to go through the course easily. 
  • Currently, there are 4 units and 91 skills present in the course.
  • There are a lot of different exercises that you will get in the course –  Tap the pairs, Complete the translation, Select the missing word and Speak this sentence.
  • There are many courses which have special features like Audio lessons, podcasts, etc. Portuguese course is the one where you get a special feature that is stories which help you to develop reading and listening skills. 
  • Some of the common features that you will get in the course are Duolingo league, gems, friends, etc. 
  • If you are a beginner you must think of using the platform as it will help you to understand the basics of the content.
  • On the other hand, if you already have the basic knowledge and looking for much higher-level content, Duolingo may not be helpful for you.

However, you must read till the end so that you understand what it looks like to learn Portuguese with Duolingo.

How is the Portuguese course designed on Duolingo?

Portuguese course works like French, Russian, High Valyrian, Dutch, and other course. When you will be taking up the Portuguese course, you will have to follow a new learning path which was earlier the part of Duolingo tree. There are a lot of units in the course in which you will be getting the lessons which you will have to complete by taking part in different exercises. Currently, there are only 4 units which are further divided into 91 skills. All the lessons in the courses will be based on Grammar, vocabulary, etc. Thus all the units in the course will help you to focus on a particular skill of the language.

Each course has a different number of lessons and is usually short in duration. Further, if you are in the Duolingo tree, you will see the crown system and different levels. You will also see different challenges like timed challenges which will help you to earn more XP and Gems. When you complete the lesson, your streak score also increases by one. When you reach a streak score of 365 days, you will be unlocking the Duolingo streak society and will be getting VIP status.

It is very important to note that before 2021, the courses were created as the part of Duolingo incubator, on which the courses were created as a part of the voluntary program. However, this program was removed in 2021 due to its IPO. There is no doubt you may lose your interest while learning it. Thus you must remember why you were learning the language so that you do not miss the motivation.

What are the different activities that are available for learning Portuguese with Duolingo?

Just like Japanese and Italian courses, there are different activities that you will be taking as a part of the Portuguese course. Following are some of the activities that are commonly found in most of the courses of Duolingo

  • Sentence shuffle
  • Mark the correct meaning 
  • Picture flashcards 
  • Tap the pairs
  • Complete the translation 
  • Select the missing word 
  • Speak this sentence
  • Tap what you hear
  • Translation

What are the special features of learning Portuguese with Duolingo?

When you are using Duolingo, you will get some special features for different languages like French and Spanish. Some of the special features that you get on the platform are stories, podcasts, audio lessons, etc. However, if you are learning Portuguese with Duolingo, you will only get one special feature and that is Duolingo stories.

Duolingo stories are short stories that help you to develop reading and listening skills. Presently there are 100 stories and zero audio lessons and podcasts. You will see different Duolingo characters which will be communicating with each other in Portuguese language. Whether you are just starting or have completed half of the course, these stories will help you in learning Portuguese. Earlier these stories also helped you in developing your speaking skills also.

However currently they have removed this feature, and they may bring back this option for the stories. Further, if you are on the old Duolingo tree, you will find these stories in its tab. On the other hand, if you are on a new learning path you will get, these stories in the course itself. 

What are the other features that you get while learning Portuguese with Duolingo?

Following are the other features that you will be getting on Duolingo other than the special features that you will be getting while learning Portuguese with Duolingo-

1. XP score

When you complete any lesson or take part in different challenges you, will be able to earn experience points. These XP points are helpful in maintaining your status in Duolingo leagues. As leagues are all about having higher XP points, you can also earn them by taking Timed challenges like the XP ramp-up challenge. Further, you can also take up the lessons in the happy hour to get 5 extra XP. As they are very important, you must be able to get the maximum XP in the course.

2. Leagues

Duolingo league or leaderboards are the weekly competitions that you will have to take up with the other 29 users. These leagues are usually started on Monday and end up on every Sunday evening. When you are able to pass the leagues you will be able to get the gems that are important for unlocking new lessons. When you get in the league you will have to go through 10 different levels. With each new league you get, the difficulty level also increases. When you are in the League it will again help you to maintain your streak score

3. Gems

Duolingo gems are like virtual currency, which will help you to buy different things at times on the platform. When you are using Duolingo on mobile, you will see this currency as Gems. On the other hand, using Duolingo on a Desktop will show this currency in lingots. When you will be earning gems on mobile they are red in colour. However, lingots are usually blue in colour.

There are several ways of earning them like completing the league, following the friends on Duolingo, etc. You can unlock the lessons and buy the XP boosts on Duolingo. Earlier there was also the Perfect lesson boost which helps you to get some extra XP. Further, they are also used to refill the heart, get a new outfit for your Duo or unlock a new Duolingo status icon on the mobile.

4. Friends

When you are using Duolingo, you will find a lot of other users on the platform who are learning a different language. You can further follow any of the users and it will also help you to get some of the XP points. Once you follow new friends, the chances of you completing the lesson also increase 5 times. When you will get friends on the platform, you will be able to get friends quest.

5. Duolingo events

Duolingo events are the best way of practising communication skills with other users. When you are taking up a course you will have to connect with other users who are learning the same language on the Skype video call. These events help you to learn the language outside your daily lessons. Further, these events give you 250 gems at a single time which is too good.

6. Duolingo Plus

Duolingo Plus or Super Duolingo is the subscription plan that you get on Duolingo. With the help of this subscription, you are able to get unlimited hearts and get rid of unnecessary ads. Further, there are two types of Duolingo Plus – Individual plan and Family plan. The cost of these plans is based on the area of your living and the duration you are taking for. Further, when you are using the Duolingo Plus you will be getting the new icon for Duo the Owl, which is more spacious. 

7. Heart system

When you are using Duolingo you will get a heart system. In this system, you get 5 hearts which are your lives. So when you make a mistake, you will lose your life. However, if you are on the desktop version you will not find this system. It means that when you are using Duolingo on a desktop you will get unlimited health. Thus if you are stuck on the platform just because of your heart system, you must try to use the desktop version of Duolingo.

8. Streak score

The streak score represents the number of days you have used the platform to complete a single lesson. Suppose if you have used, 15 days to complete a lesson, your streak score will become 15. Further, when you will be completing a single lesson, your streak score will increase by 1. As discussed above once you reach a score of 365 streaks, you will be unlocking the VIP status.

What level can you get learning Portuguese with Duolingo?

When you are thinking of taking any course on Duolingo, you would also want to know which level you will be getting in the language. Taking up Portuguese on Duolingo will help you to get A1 and A2 levels in the language you are learning. However, it means that you will be not able to get an advanced level in the language.

Is Duolingo Good For learning Portuguese?

Duolingo is a great platform to learn a new language without paying a single penny. Thus if you really want to learn a new language freely then you can go for Duolingo. However, if you already have basic knowledge and are looking to get the advanced level you will not be getting much benefit for Duolingo. If you do not find it worthy, you can always have the option of removing it from the platform. Further, we have discussed all the benefits and drawbacks of learning Portuguese with Duolingo.

What are the benefits of learning Portuguese with Duolingo?

The following are the benefits of learning Portuguese with Duolingo –

  • As a beginner, it is very important to choose the right place for learning a new language. Duolingo is a great place for learning the basics of the language.
  • As Duolingo is free you can learn any language freely on the platform. Thus if you are on a tight budget,  you must take a Portuguese course as it will help you to completely learn the language at the A2 level freely. 
  • The stories and the Duolingo events are the additional features that help you to develop your communication skills.
  • As Duolingo is a game-based platform you will have to go through different fun activities and games which will help you to get engaged with the course.
  • When you are using Duolingo you will see the notifications from Duo which will act as a reminder for you to go on the course again and thus is motivating.

What are the disadvantages of learning Portuguese with Duolingo?

The following are the drawbacks  of learning Portuguese with Duolingo –

  • Unlike other good courses like French and Spanish, you do not get extra special features like podcasts and audio lessons.
  • If you are using Duolingo on mobile you will see the heart system. Due to it, you will only be getting 5 lives. When you make a mistake you lose a life and thus when you will lose all your life, you will not be able to take part in a new lesson. 
  • If you already have the basic knowledge of the language and are looking for getting advanced-level knowledge, this platform is not for you. As you can only earn an A2 level in the language, you will not be able to get a proficiency level in the language. You must try to get some of the good alternatives for Duolingo.

Conclusion

Duolingo is a platform where you will be learning different languages freely. Although there is a subscription plan for it, you will be learning Portuguese with Duolingo. When you take this course you will be getting different lessons which come under different units. Presently there are 4 different units in the Portuguese course. When you are completing the course you will get different crowns and levels that you need to take up.

Each lesson has different activities like translation, tap what you hear, tap the pairs, etc. Although there are many special features, like audio lessons, Portuguese courses only have story features. Just like Russian and other courses you will be getting different features like heart system, XP, etc. Further, if you are a fresher you must give it a try as you will be able to get the basics of the language and not the advanced level. Therefore if you already have knowledge of the basics of the language, you may not want to use this platform.

FAQs

How much does the Portuguese course cost on Duolingo?

Duolingo is a platform which is free to use and there are no fees charged on it. However, there is a paid subscription that helps you to remove all the unnecessary ads and get you unlimited health. Further, it also gives you a practice hub and mock exams for the course.

Can you really learn Portuguese from Duolingo?

According to various research, Duolingo is a platform that helps you to learn a language to the level of A2. It means you will not be able to get proficient in Portuguese when you are using Duolingo. However, you must remember that Duolingo is working on updating the courses and getting the B2 level. Therefore, you will be able to get into the basic communication.

Can you fully learn Portuguese on Duolingo?

On Duolingo, you will not be able to learn Portuguese on Duolingo properly. You will only be able to get the level that depicts Beginner and intermediate levels. Thus if you want to get a level above it you may need to take help from other alternatives. 

William Christie