Cons:
not organized or designed as a dictionary; difficult to use as a primary language lesson course without further resources; extra resources available cost extra and intended for classroom use; extensive vocabulary lists require lots of memorization; designed for Brazilians studying English, though this does little to impact its usefulness

The OPD English/Brazilian Portuguese is less of a dictionary and more of an extensive, themed vocabulary list with a few extras like questions, simple activities and a reference index. These image-driven pages full of categorized Portuguese words may help you expand your understanding of Portuguese, and offer a way of visualizing vocabulary as you learn to speak the language.

The heart of the book is divided into broad categories like people, food, work and plants & animals, and narrow subcategories like a grocery store or a restaurant (under “food”) or feelings or daily routines (under “people”).

Each subcategory takes up one or two pages, and includes either one large image or a series of smaller, square pictures in rows. The images are all full-color, realistically illustrated cartoons. Letters or numbers on each image relate to a particular vocab word. The word or word list is written next to the image.

The OPD extends its use by including questions for further discussion and practice activities on many pages. Certain pages also contain reading activities, but, since all readings and questions are in English, you’ll quickly realize this book’s real target audience: Brazilian ESL learners.

The Oxford Picture Dictionary offers an attractive and well-organized way to visualize Portuguese vocabulary, or, at least, to connect words with images. Still, it’s not a fully developed vocabulary lesson book on the one hand, and far from a real dictionary on the other. If you’re a beginner and could use such a Brazilian vocabulary resource, this book should be worth your purchase. If you want to get more out of the book, the same press offers OPD Lesson Plans, OPD: Low Beginning Workbook and the OPD Classroom Activities, although all of these are intended primarily for teaching ESL.

Semantica Method: Brazilian Portuguese is a conversational language course divided into 36 lessons. Uniquely, the “lessons” are all videos spread across 2 DVDs. The learning process involves watching a video series of filmed conversations and interactions between Brazilian Portuguese speakers. Like many audio methods, Semantica’s program doesn’t involve written exercises or significant amounts of reading. Limited explanations, in the form of teaching sessions, build competence in vocabulary and grammar as you progress.

I haven’t posted a full review of this language learning video program, since I haven’t acquired a full copy to review. Please give your feedback below, particularly if you’ve used this course to learn Portuguese.

In Pois não, Antônio Simões delivers a Portuguese course with a “basic reference grammar”. It’s different from your typical Portuguese course, as it targets learners who already speak Spanish. Although there are great differences between Spanish and Portuguese, the author capitalizes on the mass of similarities between these two Ibero-Italic languages to speed up the learning process. The theme and style are reminiscent of Simões’ other effort, Com Licença!: Brazilian Portuguese for Spanish Speakers.

In this book, you learn grammar, syntax / sentence structure, vocabulary and conversation skills through modular lessons. Lessons include explanations of a variety of language topics, along with drills and exercises. Throughout the text (actually, in both books mentioned above), the writer consistently draws comparisons between Spanish and Portuguese, highlighting each language topic.

Since I haven’t acquired a copy of this book to read thoroughly, I don’t give this book a score or a full review. If you have any recommendations related to Pois não, please post your comments below.

Cons:
the book’s main feature is to offer lists of relatively straightforward Portuguese words that are similar to English words – few students need so many pages & exercises to build this simple skill; introduction & pronunciation guide are bare-bones, merely providing a distraction; lengthy vocabulary lists with very little pacing to get you through them; browsing through a Portuguese dictionary teaches most learners the same vocabulary building skills; you must know a good amount of Portuguese for the exercises to be at all useful to you

The Instant Brazilian Portuguese Vocabulary Builder is all about endings. Its 200 pages cover lists of words with similar endings in English and Portuguese, capitalizing on the fact that the former borrowed many words – indeed, an entire word-building system – from Latin for so much of our “formal” or “learned” vocabulary.

In each of 24 chapters, you’ll focus on pages of vocabulary words with one such ending. Chapter titles list the suffix in English then Portuguese, such as -tion/-ção. Then, page after page of vocabulary lists give words in English first, then Portuguese to the right, every word having that chapter’s suffix. The chapter treating -tion/-ção starts off with:

abbreviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . abreviação (meaning “a shortening”)
abdication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . abdicação
aberration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aberração

And the list goes on. Some words (like “abbreviation” above) offer further meaning help, while others give short example phrases directly beneath them to show the word in context. The book doesn’t delve deep into the semantics of Portuguese words – the focus remains on the 24 derivational suffixes common to Portuguese and English.

Exercises end each chapter, and are among the book’s few truly strong points. You’ll match Portuguese words containing the specific ending you just studied with their Portuguese synonyms, read paragraphs and answer questions using words you learn, and more.

The audio CD included with the book allows you to listen to the paragraph-long readings as you complete the activities. Unfortunately, these exercises require you to have some mastery of the language before undertaking them. An appendix contains answers to the practice exercises.

Since the Instant Brazilian Portuguese Vocabulary Builder focuses entirely on words and word forms that are similar in Brazilian Portuguese and English, it severely limits itself as a resource, while also rendering most of its vocabulary lists redundant. You’ll learn a little and complete worthwhile exercises in this course, but, in the long run, you’re much better off with a good dictionary. To be honest, even a simple travel phrasebook will get you further in your efforts to speak Portuguese.

Talking Brazilian is a text book with 2 audio CDs by Mário Perini. The book aims to help learners pronounce, speak and read Brazilian Portuguese with native confidence. Like , this same author’s treatment of grammar, Talking Brazilian introduces students to the way Portuguese is actually spoken in Brazil instead of the standard formal language as taught in Brazilian classrooms.

I haven’t rated this book, as I have not acquired a copy to review. If you would like to recommend this book to others, please post your comments here or send a copy to be reviewed by contacting this site.

Cons:
more scholarly and linguistic than other books reviewed here; whatever your skill level, you must be willing to take it for what it is and extract useful examples and explanatory analysis for your own learning benefit

Mario Perini’s Modern Portuguese intends to bridge the linguistic gap between standard Portuguese and real-life Brazilian language use in his thorough breakdown of Brazilian Portuguese grammar.

The foreword and introduction are very academic, mostly of interest to linguists. From there, Perini moves on to an extremely detailed coverage of Portuguese grammar, with a specific focus on the structure of Brazilian usage.

There’s no point in keeping students in the dark about the difference between standard Portuguese and the real Brazilian Portuguese language as it’s spoken. It’s not a matter of slang or improper speech – people of all walks of life in Brazil speak differently than they write.

To shed light on this subject, Perini builds a robust, well-organized guide that breaks down all the essentials of Brazilian grammar. The topics covered are rather technical, and that’s where a knowledge of linguistics comes in handy.

Yet even if your knowledge of linguistics stops at “nouns” and “verbs”, the exposure to real Brazilian usage is the key here. Unit by unit, section by section, the book tackles every major topic of grammar and sentence structure. You’ll read plenty of fluent examples that illustrate each point along the way.

The book does an excellent job of analyzing Portuguese grammar into smaller, manageable chunks, and tracking down examples that illustrate those chunks. It sets out to cover the whole of Brazilian grammar, and does an equally commendable job of covering such a wid range of topics. Some have mentioned mistakes, but I didn’t see anything that would keep me away.

If you’re learning Brazilian Portuguese, Mario Perini’s Modern Portuguese is a welcome addition to your collection. Non-linguists will have to use this as a secondary grammar reference, not as a main lesson course. Any student of Brazilian will be able to mine examples and quickly find topics of interest in this methodical, deep, well-organized resource.

Cons:
despite its visual appeal, visual learners would have benefited from images that correspond to the phrases; Brazilian only (a con for European Portuguese learners); fold-out format cumbersome for some travelers (do you like laminated maps?); coverage and variety of phrases is less than traditional phrasebook for the price

Portuguese: A Language Map is not a book, but an eight page laminated fold-out. It fits as many Portuguese phrases as possible onto the space of two sides of a placemat, with the exception of spots dedicated to attractive watercolor drawings.

The phrases cover 14 different traveler-friendly topics from meeting people (Como vai?) to hotels and room service (Fiz uma reserva) to shopping (Aceita cartões de crédito?). Each section contains one or two dozen must-know phrases, which seem well chosen and fit the topic. The top and bottom borders also count to one thousand in Portuguese for easy access.

Each phrase is accompanied by an English-friendly pronunciation reading, which is less than optimal if you can listen to a native speaker instead (or, at least, read Portuguese sounds written in IPA). Still, this guide gives you a rough idea of how to pronounce words as you speak Portuguese (por-too-gaysh).

The layout of words and phrases follows Portuguese in 10 Minutes a Day. According to the back of the product, this map is offered bundled together with that book as a companion phrase chart.

I don’t think the coverage offered by Portuguese: A Language Map can compare with other Portuguese phrase books available online or at your local bookstore. However, if you like the layout and style, and you plan to travel to Brazil, it’s worth it for the ability to reference vocabulary quickly. On the other hand, I’m used to the book format, and find this foldout stylish but unwieldy.

Cons:
Brazilian only (explicitly treats language usage in Brazil, so look elsewhere, European Portuguese learners!); some topics less useful, other helpful ones missing; more of a lesson course on Portuguese phrases than an actual phrase book; pronunciation cues are rough and inexact – need to hear a native speaker and/or use IPA; some info simplified or even misleading

The compact Portuguese Phrases for Dummies attempts to offer a beefed-up phrasebook for students and travelers. Let’s take a look at this smaller-than-average (for a Dummies book), chatty book and find out exactly what it delivers to language learners.

You’ll cover a range of topics from “Shop Till You Drop” to “A Place to Lay Your Weary Head”. Each chapter covers one such topic, all in the expected Dummies format. Along the way, the author gives loads of insight, tips and musings about Brazil, Brazilians and the Portuguese language as it relates to each topic.

Portuguese phrases are listed between explanatory paragraphs a handful at a time, and are marked by checkmark bullet points. You’ll also find “words to know” (key words) on blackboard backgrounds as well as tables of more “functional” phrases scattered throughout the chapters.

Pronunciation is given in sounds-like-English syllables. For example, the word namorar is transliterated “nah-mo-dah“. Pronunciation reflects Brazilian speech, since this book sets its sights exclusively on Brazil.

The book takes the time to include a few extras. These include an easy but predictable Portuguese pronunciation guide, a chapter introducing grammar, and fun sections on phrases that make you sound more like a local native. The book ends with an index of vocab words with page number references.

Personally, I enjoyed my read through Portuguese Phrases for Dummies. But I quickly recognized that this hybrid phrase/lesson book doesn’t meet the ideal of a phrasebook or of a lesson book. It’s not a language tool for travel or business. It’s a book about Portuguese phrases. If you can accept that, you may get something out of it. If you’re learning Brazilian, it might be worth it for the book’s extra info about language use in Brazil less often shared with beginners.

A word of caution for the learner. If your ideal phrasebook is a list of survival phrases in translation broken down by topic, this book misses the mark. If you need a European or even a Brazilian Portuguese phrasebook, look elsewhere. If you want a book that talks you through Brazilian Portuguese phrase usage, you’ll find some satisfaction and amusement here.

Cons:
pronunciation is Brazilian only; long list of vocabulary; no context for vocabulary; awkward technique for memorizing 500+ Portuguese words; no pacing for getting through the list (just a long alphabetized word list); attempts to justify technique but not guide student through it; very little in the way of actual language skills to help you learn Portuguese

The Portuguese Memory Book is all about vocabulary. The book presents a list of Brazilian Portuguese words along with a rhyming two-line jingle to jog your memory of each word.

The introduction explains the book’s goal: to help you remember over 500 Portuguese words through a two-line memory device. How, exactly? And what device? You’re presented with a word like negar ‘to deny’. Then, there’s a couplet: “Nay, gardening is not enough, though few deny it keeps you tough.” The first bold letters remind you of the pronunciation, the second of the meaning. All 500+ entries work the same way.

After more than seventy pages of Portuguese vocabulary and jingles, you’re given a final examination full of the authors’ rhymes. Here, you’re given the English translation of a Portuguese word in bold, and you must find the word hidden in the English phrase. Unfortunately, this gimmick tests your understanind of their system more than your knowledge of Portuguese vocabulary and pronunciation.

At the end of the book, you’ll find a pronunciation guide with Portuguese letters beside English sound-alikes. A glossary lists all vocabulary words in the book, with a Portuguese to English translation of each.

If you already find yourself devising mnemonic jingles to remember your Portuguese vocab, Portuguese Memory Book has done 500 words worth of work for you. I can’t extend my recommendation any further, though. Once the novelty wears off, you’ll be better served practicing your Portuguese reading, writing and conversation with a good dictionary by your side. In the same amount of time, you’ll cover more vocabulary and ask less of your memory.

Cons:
if you don’t get the pronunciation symbols, this book offers nothing new; missing some phrases I’d want to use; I question some of the topics they address and others they don’t for Brazil; just a survival phrasebook; Brazilian only (a negative if you want to learn European Portuguese)

Outside of the quick pronunciation guide and tips at the beginning, Say It Right in Brazilian Portuguese does one thing: it lists Brazilian Portuguese phrases and gives a visual representation of how to say them.

This phrasebook represents Clyde Peters’ attempt to apply his pronunciation key to the Portuguese of Brazil. In this system, vowels are circled, simple consonants are capitalized, syllables are divided by hyphens, and accented syllables take a mark on the vowel. You can see an example right on the book’s cover with the word olá! (“hello!”).

Outside of this pronunciation system, the book is what you’d expect from a Portuguese travel phrasebook. There are sections for health, shopping, getting around, and the like. There are “phrasemaker” pages that help you combine the start of a phrase (“I would like to go…”) with possible options for ending it (“to the bank”, “to the hotel”, and so on). A very short English to Portuguese dictionary (glossary) lists words with the book’s signature pronunciation key. The last page has a quick index of topics, and the inside front and back covers double as a reference guide for pronouncing the symbols in the key.

If you don’t understand its somewhat unique symbolic pronunciation system, Say It Right in Brazilian Portuguese won’t appeal to you. If you do, it’s a decent survival Portuguese phrasebook. Either way, I’d prefer hearing real speakers on audio CDs or in person to decoding imperfect symbols (IPA is more accurate, for example). It’s not “the fastest way to correct pronunciation” as it claims, at least for most of us, but it might do the trick for your most basic phrase needs.