Seven options can get you speaking European Portuguese, the Portuguese of Portugal: Bubblegum, three audio courses, one recording course, one tutor service and one exchange app. Some courses were recorded for Portugal, and an exchange app lists only plain Portuguese. The tables show who gives feedback, what is free, and what works in English. The Brazilian Portuguese speaking page covers the other variety, and our European Portuguese app comparison covers more than speaking.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn European Portuguese. You learn from European Portuguese you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, your level and what you like, and she writes your European Portuguese lessons. If a sentence is hard to follow, ask Poppy to explain it.
With Regenerative Review™, words you save show up again in new lessons, so that you can review words in new contexts without having to use flashcards.
To practice with a person, try the apps in Talk With People in Portugal.
- Poppy writes lessons in European Portuguese and explains any sentence in English.
- Ask Poppy to roleplay a conversation in European Portuguese.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Roleplay with Poppy is the only speaking practice, and the rest of Bubblegum is reading and listening.
- Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read.
- Regenerative Review™
- Teaches European Portuguese
Mobile
uTalk
uTalk plays a phrase from Portugal, and you say it back. Its teaching help is available in English.
- uTalk has a European Portuguese course with recordings made for Portugal.
- You can say each phrase and compare your voice with the model audio.
- Teaches European Portuguese
MobileWeb
Practice Portuguese
Short dialogues and story episodes give each recording a setting. It has a website and mobile apps, with English notes and translations.
- Practice Portuguese has audio and learning tools made for Portugal.
- You can record your own voice and compare it with a native speaker, and the site shows an estimated accuracy score.
- Flashcards
- Teaches European Portuguese
MobileWeb
Pimsleur
Pimsleur is a spoken course, so you start answering out loud in your first lesson.
- Pimsleur has European Portuguese lessons where you hear a prompt and answer out loud.
- A model answer follows each response.
- Teaches European Portuguese
MobileWeb
Glossika
Glossika trains you with sentences you hear many times.
- Glossika has a separate Portuguese (Portugal) course.
- A placement test, sentences and repeated native-speaker audio.
- Teaches European Portuguese
MobileWeb
italki
italki is the paid route for one-to-one lessons. Read a teacher's profile to see where they are from.
- italki's Portugal filter lists individual European Portuguese teachers who also speak English.
- Conversation and correction come from your teacher.
MobileWeb
Other Apps We Looked At (1)
- HelloTalkA chat app with a page for Portuguese in general. You can swap voice messages and join voice rooms, so ask each partner whether they speak the Portuguese of Portugal. The basic exchange is free, with VIP as an extra.
| App | How you speak | Feedback from | English help | What is free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | Ask Poppy to roleplay | Poppy's explanations | Poppy answers in English | Reading lessons Poppy wrote for other learners |
| uTalk | Record phrases made for Portugal | Your own comparison with the model audio | Yes | Starter words |
| Practice Portuguese | Record your voice | Your own comparison, plus an estimated accuracy score | English notes and translations | — |
| Pimsleur | Answer audio prompts | Model answers | — | A free introductory lesson |
| Glossika | Repeat sentences | Native-speaker audio | — | — |
| italki | Live lessons | Your teacher | Depends on your teacher | The download only |
| HelloTalk | Voice messages, voice rooms | Your partner | Depends on your partner | Exchange |
Which European Portuguese app should a beginner choose for speaking?
If you are serious about learning European Portuguese, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. If you want to say European Portuguese aloud from your first session, Pimsleur's course starts with prompts you answer out loud.
Which apps were recorded for Portugal, not Brazil?
uTalk's Portuguese recordings were made for Portugal, and Glossika has a separate Portuguese (Portugal) course. HelloTalk lists plain Portuguese, so ask each partner which variety they speak. Our European Portuguese comprehensible input comparison covers how to hear Portugal's Portuguese before you speak it.
Does any app score my European Portuguese pronunciation?
uTalk lets you compare your recording with a native speaker's and judge the match yourself. Practice Portuguese does the same and also shows an estimated accuracy score, which is its own measure and not an independent test. Pimsleur and Glossika play model audio. italki teachers and HelloTalk partners can correct you.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. Lessons Poppy wrote for other learners are free for everyone to read. Custom lessons cost us money to make, so you need Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons.
