Although it’s not one of the most studied languages, the Portuguese language is special in many ways. It’s worth noting that it’s the ninth most spoken language across the globe! No matter what country you’re in, you’re sure to bump into someone who’s familiar with Portuguese. Here are some fun facts about this interesting language.
There’s no stopping its growth. Portuguese is one of the fastest growing European languages today! It’s true, the only European language that’s growing more quickly is English. Portuguese might be one of the most common second-languages in the near future!
It’s a romance language. Yup, just like Spanish, French and Italian, Portuguese came to be through the rise of the Roman Empire. In fact, all of these languages have evolved from Vulgar Latin!
Three new letters. In 2009, some additions were made to the Portuguese alphabet. That’s right - k, y and w weren’t present in this language until 2009!
English has a lot in common. Several English words get their origins from Portuguese. Some examples are ‘embarass’ which comes from ‘embaraçar’ and ‘cobra.’
It’s not just for Portugal. The majority of Portugese speakers do not live in Portugal, contrary to what you may believe. In fact, only about 5% of native speakers live in Portugal!
Now you know some fun facts and a little history behind Portuguese. All that’s left to do is take a deep dive into the language! Check out these fun books and CDs to start learning.