The 10 Most Common Mistakes Beginners Make When Learning Portuguese

Hey guys! 👋Starting to learn Portuguese can feel exciting — but also overwhelming. Don’t worry: making mistakes is part of the process! However, being aware of the most common ones can save you time, frustration, and help you sound more natural, faster.

Let’s go through the 10 mistakes I see most often among beginner students — and what you can do instead. 🌟

1. Confusing “ser” and “estar” (both mean "to be")

One of the trickiest parts for English speakers is understanding the difference between ser and estar, because both translate to “to be.” But they are used in different situations.

• Ser is for permanent or defining characteristics:Ex: Eu sou brasileira. (I’m Brazilian.)Ele é alto. (He is tall.)

• Estar is for temporary conditions or locations:Ex: Eu estou cansado. (I’m tired.)Estamos em casa. (We’re at home.)

🧠 Think:

• Use ser for identity, origin, time, profession.

• Use estar for mood, weather, or places.

This small change can completely alter your meaning — so it’s important to get it right!

2. Ignoring pronunciation rules

Portuguese pronunciation is not the same as Spanish or English. Some beginners try to pronounce words the way they read them — but this leads to misunderstandings.

Portuguese has:

• Nasal sounds (pão, mãe, não)

• Open and closed vowels

• Strong accents and stress rules

• Letters that change sounds depending on context (like “R” or “E” at the end)

🗣️ Tip: Practice speaking out loud from day one.Use tools like Forvo, YouTube, or audio from textbooks. Don’t just read — say the words!

3. Relying too much on Spanish or English

If you speak Spanish, it helps — but don’t assume everything is the same. That leads to false friends (words that sound similar but mean something completely different).

Examples:

• Rapariga in Portugal = girl (neutral), but in Brazil it’s a strong insult.

• Assistir = to watch (not to assist)

• Pasta = folder (not noodles!)

Even English has tricky words:

• Push ≠ puxar (which means pull)

• Pretend ≠ pretender (which means to intend)

✅ Learn vocabulary in context — not just isolated words.

4. Overusing subject pronouns

In English, you must say “I, you, he, she…” but in Portuguese, the verb ending already shows who the subject is. That means you can often drop the pronoun entirely.

Not wrong, but it sounds robotic:❌ Eu falo. Eu gosto. Eu moro.✅ Falo. Gosto. Moro. (Much more natural!)

Portuguese is a pro-drop language. Try listening to native speakers — you’ll notice how often they skip the pronouns.

5. Forgetting noun gender and agreement

All nouns in Portuguese are masculine or feminine, and this affects articles, adjectives, possessives, and more.

Examples:

• O carro preto (the black car – masculine)

• A casa branca (the white house – feminine)

• 
  

Mistakes in gender can sound strange or even change the meaning of a sentence.📝 Learn new vocabulary with the article: “a mesa”, not just “mesa.”

6. Translating literally from English

You can’t always translate phrases word-for-word and expect them to make sense. Portuguese has different sentence structures and expressions.

Examples:

❌ Eu estou bem, e você está?✅ Estou bem, e você?

❌ Eu tenho 30 anos de idade.✅ Tenho 30 anos.

Also:

• “I miss you” = Sinto sua falta (literally: I feel your lack!)

• “I like it” = Eu gostei (past) or Eu gosto disso (present)

  
  

💡 Learn expressions the way native speakers use them, not how they translate.

7. Neglecting verb conjugations

Portuguese verbs change a lot depending on the subject, tense, and whether they are regular or irregular. Beginners often struggle here — and that’s normal!

But if you ignore conjugation altogether, you’ll be stuck using only the infinitive:

❌ Eu falar✅ Eu falo (I speak)

Start small:

• Present tense of regular verbs: falar, comer, abrir

• Then add irregular verbs: ser, estar, ir, terPractice daily — even 5 minutes helps.

  
  

8. Misusing "muito"

"Muito" means very, much, or a lot, but it doesn’t always change form — unless it’s modifying a noun.

Correct usage examples:

• Ela é muito bonita. (She is very beautiful.)

• Eles têm muita paciência. (They have a lot of patience.)

• Eu como muito. (I eat a lot.)

  
  

💬 Remember:

• Muito = adverb → stays the same

• Muito/muita/muitos/muitas = adjective → changes based on gender/number

  
  

9. Not practicing listening or speaking

Many learners focus only on grammar or vocabulary at the start — and skip the listening and speaking parts. But Portuguese has rhythm, sounds, and patterns that you need to hear to understand.

🎧 What you can do:

• Watch shows or movies with subtitles (even cartoons!).

• Listen to Brazilian music and read the lyrics.

• Repeat phrases aloud and mimic native speakers.

  
  

🗣️ Talk to yourself in the mirror. Yes, really!

10. Being afraid of making mistakes

Perfectionism is the enemy of progress. Many learners hold back because they’re afraid of sounding silly or making grammar mistakes.

Let me tell you: nobody speaks perfectly at the beginning — not even in their own language!

💬 Practice speaking even if it’s messy.🎯 Focus on communication first, correction later.❤️ Be proud of yourself for learning a whole new language.

Learning Portuguese is a journey. You’ll make mistakes — and that’s okay. What matters most is that you keep going. Every word, every sentence, every small effort adds up.

Whether your goal is to travel, connect with family, or understand your favorite Brazilian songs, just remember:

✨ Você consegue. You can do it! And if you need help, i'm here!