European Portuguese is the one to learn if you're moving to Portugal, studying there, or talking with Portuguese friends and family. Many big apps teach Brazilian Portuguese, so this page checks, app by app, which ones teach the Portuguese of Portugal and what each one gives you.
The two kinds share their writing and are understood by speakers of both, but they sound different. People in Portugal say for informal "you" and for bus, where most Brazilians say and . For apps that cover Portuguese as a whole, see our Portuguese app comparison. For tutors, podcasts, and free resources, see the best ways to learn European Portuguese.
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.
Bubblegum is more about reading and listening than speaking. For conversation, try the tutors and partners in the best ways to learn European Portuguese.
- Lessons are written in Portugal's Portuguese, with audio for every lesson.
- Read and listen to news and stories in European Portuguese about things you care about.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you review them by reading. You can also export them to Anki.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- You can't turn a book from Portugal into a lesson. However, you can paste a passage in the chat, and Poppy will go through it line by line.
- 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
Memrise
Memrise has a European Portuguese course apart from any Brazilian one. It suits learners who want to hear real speakers from the start.
- The course is called Portuguese (EU), with 500+ lessons, 300+ videos, and 75+ AI conversations.
- Short video clips show people saying each phrase.
- Teaches European Portuguese
MobileWeb
Practice Portuguese
Practice Portuguese is a one-language app, so everything in it is the Portuguese of Portugal. You can follow its units in order or pick a topic you need.
- Teaches only European Portuguese, with lessons from A1 to B2.
- Its store page lists free dialogues, grammar and culture notes, and offline audio with adjustable speed.
- Flashcards
- Teaches European Portuguese
MobileWeb
Pimsleur
Pimsleur keeps its European Portuguese course apart from its Brazilian one. It works for learners who would rather hear Portuguese than read it.
- A separate audio course titled Portuguese (European).
- Audio lessons with a Voice Coach, and a driving mode.
- Teaches European Portuguese
MobileWeb
Glossika
Glossika's Portugal course is separate from its Brazil course. It trains your ear and your replies together.
- A Portuguese (Portugal) course from A1 to C1, with 5,000+ words and sentences.
- You listen to and say sentences it prepares for you.
- Teaches European Portuguese
MobileWeb
Drops
Drops suits learners who want a bank of words they recognize, between longer lessons.
- A course made for European Portuguese, with audio recorded by native speakers.
- Games of about five minutes.
- Teaches European Portuguese
Mobile
uTalk
uTalk teaches words and phrases through audio and games, starting with greetings and moving on to food and travel.
- More than 2,500 everyday words and phrases across 60+ topics.
- Its European Portuguese course is separate from its Brazilian one.
- Teaches European Portuguese
MobileWeb
The number of languages you can use an app in isn't the same as the languages its lessons explain things in, so check one lesson in your language before you pay.
| App | Languages You Can Use It In | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 76 | Supported language pairs |
| Memrise | 22 | Full list |
| Practice Portuguese | 1 | Full list |
| Pimsleur | 3 | Full list |
| Glossika | 2 | Full list |
| Drops | 16 | Full list |
| uTalk | 140+ | Full list |
| Busuu | 15 | Full list |
| Duolingo | 33 | Full list |
Busuu's Complete Portuguese course teaches Brazilian Portuguese, and its page doesn't mention European Portuguese. Duolingo's Portuguese course also teaches Brazilian Portuguese. They are fine for the grammar both kinds share, and you can add European audio from the apps above.
Which European Portuguese app should a beginner choose?
If you are serious about learning European Portuguese, start with Bubblegum. Poppy, your AI tutor, writes lessons at your level about things you like. Or start with Memrise's Portuguese (EU) course, or with Practice Portuguese if you like one-language apps. For a full path, see the best way to learn European Portuguese.
Can I use a Brazilian Portuguese app first?
Yes, because the writing and most grammar are shared. Expect to relearn some words and the sounds, like for , once you start hearing people in Portugal.
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.
Sources
- Bubblegum: European Portuguese lessons
- Memrise: Portuguese (EU) course
- Practice Portuguese on the App Store
- Pimsleur: Portuguese (European) audio course
- Glossika: Portuguese (Portugal) course
- Drops: Learn European Portuguese
- uTalk: Learn Portuguese (European)
- Busuu: Complete Portuguese (Brazilian)
- Duolingo Wiki: Portuguese (the course teaches Brazilian Portuguese)
- Practice Portuguese
- Pimsleur
