Portuguese Lessons in Washington, D.C

It’s pretty easy to find people who speak Portuguese in Washington DC as it’s the eleventh most commonly used language after English. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Brazil and Portugal are among the biggest sources of immigrants that move to the city, so it’s not unusual to find foreign-born residents from these countries, as well as stores, restaurants, and institutions that celebrate these cultures. As a result, if you decide to study Portuguese in Washington DC, you’ll be able to connect with a large part of the local immigrant community, as well as meet many of the Lusophone tourists that come to the city every year. In addition to expanding your social life, Portuguese can help you land amazing jobs in the city and abroad, and also travel the world more confidently, so no matter why you want to learn this language, it’s one of the smartest things you can do to improve your life.

Learn Portuguese for Work and Travel

In a city like Washington DC, which has so many embassies and diplomats from all over the world, learning a widespread language like Portuguese can open many doors for you in diplomacy and help you access positions like Foreign Affairs Officer at the Department of State. What’s more, it can help you land well-paid positions that require you to be bilingual like Portuguese-speaking Business Development Representative for Chainalysis Inc, Data Management Analyst for Contact Government Services, and Language Manager for Meta. On the contrary, if you want to spend some time outside the city, and even get a job abroad, speaking Portuguese will allow you to take advantage of unique opportunities in beautiful countries around the world like Mozambique, Angola, East Timor, and Brazil, as well as help you connect with the local population and build business and interpersonal relationships that can change your life.

Learn Portuguese for Social

A fun way to get closer to Lusophone cultures without leaving Washington DC is to visit some of the local restaurants that serve the traditional dishes of the countries where Portuguese is spoken. Fogo de Chão, located at 1101 Pennsylvania Ave, is a great place to get a taste of Southern Brazil. Here you can try all kinds of fire-roasted meats, as well as traditional Brazilian dishes like pão de queijo, feijoada, and farofa. If you’re interested in Portuguese food, a great place you should check out is Tavira Restaurant at 8401 Connecticut Avenue, where you’ll find dishes like pasteis de bacalhau, which are Portuguese traditional fried cod fritters, chouriço assado con brandy, a flambéed Portuguese sausage, and frango piri-piri, grilled chicken with a hot sauce made of chili peppers. On the other hand, if you’re not a foodie, there are other ways you can get immersed in different Lusophone cultures, like attending the events held by their embassies. The Embassy of Angola, for example, organizes events like Dia Mundial Da Lingua Portuguesa, held in April, which celebrates the Portuguese language with live music, traditional dances, and language exchange events where you can speak and hear a large variety of Portuguese dialects. What’s more, the Embassy of Portugal is constantly organizing activities that include film screenings, art exhibitions, and open talks you should definitely attend. 

Learn Portuguese for Culture

If you’re interested in meeting other language enthusiasts in the area or finding native speakers who can help you improve your Portuguese, a great idea is to attend the meetings organized by the Spanish and Portuguese Club, a great group for locals who want to explore Lusophone and Hispanic cultures and practice Spanish and Portuguese. Meetings take place on Wednesdays at Johnny Pistolas, located at 2333 18th Street, and they welcome speakers of different skill levels. All you need to do is look for the Club’s tables and you’ll be placed at one of the Portuguese tables to start speaking the language with your new language partners. If you’re attending on your own, don’t worry! This is one of the friendliest language groups in the city, so just show up and you’ll be making new friends in no time!

Those who prefer an online meetup can attend from the comfort of their own home, The Washington DC Portuguese Language Meetup holds monthly meetings on Zoom where you can find speakers of different countries to boost your skills. These meetups are completely free but if you want to attend you should at least be able to hold a basic conversation in Portuguese, as speaking English is not allowed!

Where to learn Portuguese in and around Washington, D.C?

Are you fluent enough to read in Portuguese? If so, you should check out some of the books in Portuguese at the Library of Congress, located at 101 Independence Ave, which will help you expand your knowledge of the Portuguese language and enrich your vocabulary. You can start with 450 anos de portugueses no Rio de Janeiro by Ida Alves, a great book for those interested in finding out more about the Portuguese's influence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s most populated city. There’s also Os provocadores de naufrágios, by João Nuno Azambuja, that explores the true story of Klaus Kittel, a German-Portuguese soldier that fought in the Second World War and had a dramatic life worth reading about. However, if you’re just beginning to learn the language or simply want to develop all of the skills you need to communicate confidently in Portuguese, the best place to study in the city is Listen & Learn. Our language courses are flexible, fun, and completely personalized, so no matter what your skill level is or what your goals are, send us a quick inquiry now and we’ll create a course that fits all of your requirements!