The Language

The official language of Portugal is Portuguese. Like French, Italian, Spanish and Romanian, Portuguese is a romance language derived from Latin.

Portuguese is spoken worldwide by 200 million people and is the fifth most spoken language in the world.

English or French is the second language in most schools in Portugal. In the typical tourist areas like Lisbon, Algarve, and Funchal (Madeira) the language barrier is not a big problem, at least not among the younger generation.

It is very helpful to learn a few Portuguese words and phrases. Any attempt to speak the language will be well-received.

The Portuguese are very polite. Remember to use "Por favor" (please)! "Obrigada" (thank you) if you're a woman, "Obrigado" if you're a man.