I from Ecuador an I only get about 5 maybe 6 words of spoke italian. Of Portugues I understand about 8 or 9.
Italian & Portugese Lexical Similarities
I originally from Mexico. I been to Portugal a few times, Lisbon, Fatima and Algarve. I had no trouble to understand them at all. I also been to Brazil, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Recife in the N.E. Those accents are all distint. and the accent changes alot from speaker to speaker even within those cities. Most of them I understand perfectly, but some of the others maybe about 80%, but still more than enough to communicate real good.
The thing is many peoples thinks that Portuguese from Portugal is hard to understand, but for me in some ways it was easier than when I was in Brazil. The thing I notice about the Portuguese of brazil is that is very musical, but they often don't pronounce the syllables on the ends of words, for example: falar = falah, ver = veh, chorar = chorah, aprender = aprendeh. I still understood them well. In Portugal they usually do pronounce the syllables at the ends of their words. What they are in the habit of doing in Portugal though is not pronouncing the vowels at the beginning of the words. Even still, it was not a problem for me. The point is that not all the Portuguese and Brazilians speak that particular way. A lot of them in Portugal and Brazil speak Portuguese almost as clear as the clearest Spanish if you know what I mean. Anyway, me and my Mexican friends had no trouble understanding any of them, and the majority of the time they spoke to us in Portuguese, not Spanish. But there were many who did speak Spanish fluently.
But when I was in Italy, us and the Italians always had to use a mix of Spanish, Italian, English and alot of hand gestures. It was kinda funny because we always looked like we were doing sign language. And still some things got mixed up in the end which was embarrasing sometimes. The only times this didn't happen was when some italians knew how to speak Spanish well enough.
The thing is many peoples thinks that Portuguese from Portugal is hard to understand, but for me in some ways it was easier than when I was in Brazil. The thing I notice about the Portuguese of brazil is that is very musical, but they often don't pronounce the syllables on the ends of words, for example: falar = falah, ver = veh, chorar = chorah, aprender = aprendeh. I still understood them well. In Portugal they usually do pronounce the syllables at the ends of their words. What they are in the habit of doing in Portugal though is not pronouncing the vowels at the beginning of the words. Even still, it was not a problem for me. The point is that not all the Portuguese and Brazilians speak that particular way. A lot of them in Portugal and Brazil speak Portuguese almost as clear as the clearest Spanish if you know what I mean. Anyway, me and my Mexican friends had no trouble understanding any of them, and the majority of the time they spoke to us in Portuguese, not Spanish. But there were many who did speak Spanish fluently.
But when I was in Italy, us and the Italians always had to use a mix of Spanish, Italian, English and alot of hand gestures. It was kinda funny because we always looked like we were doing sign language. And still some things got mixed up in the end which was embarrasing sometimes. The only times this didn't happen was when some italians knew how to speak Spanish well enough.
Luisito your explanation makes so much sense.
I'm Anglo but studied Spanish in school, and I agree completely when you say that Portuguese, whether spoken in Brazil or Portugal, is quite easy to understand, even though each variety has its unique accent. I know this because I too have travelled to Portugal and Brazil, as well as to several Spanish speaking countries in Latin America. I never had any problems understanding Portuguese in those two countries no matter where I was.
But I can't say that I was able to communicate with ease when I was in Florence, Venice or Rome. I understood a moderate amount of Italian at best. But when I was in France I couldn't help but notice the similarity of the vocabulary and grammar between Italian and French. That said, my knowledge of Spanish was a huge asset for understanding Portuguese, but my Spanish wasn't too decisive for me in Italy though.
Just my two cents worth. Thanks.
I'm Anglo but studied Spanish in school, and I agree completely when you say that Portuguese, whether spoken in Brazil or Portugal, is quite easy to understand, even though each variety has its unique accent. I know this because I too have travelled to Portugal and Brazil, as well as to several Spanish speaking countries in Latin America. I never had any problems understanding Portuguese in those two countries no matter where I was.
But I can't say that I was able to communicate with ease when I was in Florence, Venice or Rome. I understood a moderate amount of Italian at best. But when I was in France I couldn't help but notice the similarity of the vocabulary and grammar between Italian and French. That said, my knowledge of Spanish was a huge asset for understanding Portuguese, but my Spanish wasn't too decisive for me in Italy though.
Just my two cents worth. Thanks.
I don't know one Portuguese who can speak Portuguese normally with a Spanish native person. They always change accent, no matter what.
If you say you understand the language from TV or something, that's a different thing.
If you say you understand the language from TV or something, that's a different thing.
My friend from Colombia didn't understand a bit when I played her a part of the brazilian interview to Alexandre Pires thru my Ipod. I guess it's the pronunciation thing. In 2 days, when they learn the pronunciation rules, speakers of Spanish can understand almost everything, in Brazilian Portuguese.
What Milton says is true because I've seen it happen in a classroom setting where a couple days of rules of pronunciation and a lesson on words that don't translate or mean totally different things (like ainda, a gente, embora, janela, joelho, etc....) and for the most part a Spanish speaker can follow more than 90% of the conversation splicing together whatever is left from the words they understand around the phrases that they can't understand. Though standard Brazilian Portuguese I am talking about the newscaster or what you hear in soap operas in Brazil is much easier for Spanish speakers to understand without hassle. My mom's Puerto Rican friend complains about a Soap Opera called "Chocolate com Pimenta" because it is dubbed in a Mexican Spansh for viewers. Many people have complained that it should not be dubbed at all but rather have some subtitles scrolling on the bottom. I totally agree with the proposed change.
Milton is right.
My friend comes from Cúcuta (Colombia) where they speak the purest Spanish (an exception in Latinamerica). This morning I sent him the "sambas de enredo" (samba songs) from the carnival of Rio de Janeiro 2008. The first time he listened to them, he did not understand a bit of the texts. After he learned the pronunciation rules (it just took him a couple of minutes to learn them!), he was able to understand everything. One hour after he got the CD he was mastering brazilian portuguese. As easy as that!
My friend comes from Cúcuta (Colombia) where they speak the purest Spanish (an exception in Latinamerica). This morning I sent him the "sambas de enredo" (samba songs) from the carnival of Rio de Janeiro 2008. The first time he listened to them, he did not understand a bit of the texts. After he learned the pronunciation rules (it just took him a couple of minutes to learn them!), he was able to understand everything. One hour after he got the CD he was mastering brazilian portuguese. As easy as that!
In Puerto Rico (and most probably in the rest of Latin America) they prefer to watch brazilian soap operas in Brazilian Portuguese instead of Mexican Spanish. As JGreco said people just have to learn some pronunciation rules (which are easier for them than those of Mexican Spanish!) and a couple of words (like ainda, a gente, embora, janela, joelho) and that's it.
Mexican spanish is more difficult for them, since they have to learn more foreign words. That's why many people complain that brazilians soap operas like e.g. "Whisky com Guaraná" are dubbed in Mexican Spanish.
Mexican spanish is more difficult for them, since they have to learn more foreign words. That's why many people complain that brazilians soap operas like e.g. "Whisky com Guaraná" are dubbed in Mexican Spanish.
Yes, Portuguese, either Brazilian or from Portugal is definitely easier for me to understand than Italian, French etc. Italian for example, would require much more effort on my part to understand almost the full context of a conversation. But without any training in Portuguese, I have conversed with many Portuguese speakers, from Portugal and Brazil alike. I understand just about 90% of what they say.
With the Italian speakers, I never seem to feel that I truly understood what they said...it's like I sort of think I understand, but deep down I know I really didn't, and I can tell by the funny way they look at me that they are not understanding me too well either. Portuguese is almost totally compatible with Spanish though. Just my opinion, but I know many other Spanish speakers who say the same thing.
With the Italian speakers, I never seem to feel that I truly understood what they said...it's like I sort of think I understand, but deep down I know I really didn't, and I can tell by the funny way they look at me that they are not understanding me too well either. Portuguese is almost totally compatible with Spanish though. Just my opinion, but I know many other Spanish speakers who say the same thing.
I am a Portuguese and I understand Tuscan Italian much better than Catillian Spanish becuase the pronounciation of the former is much clearer. I understood most of what the very first Italian speaking person said I met. A Portuguese speker would understanf an Italian speaker provided that the latter use it in the complete sentence.
Don't you know that Italian is the most readily comprehensible Romance language to to other languages that belong to the same family?
Don't you know that Italian is the most readily comprehensible Romance language to to other languages that belong to the same family?
I am a Portuguese and I understand Tuscan Italian much better than Caatillian Spanish becuase the pronounciation of the former is much clearer. I understood most of what was said by the very first Italian speaking person I ever met. A Portuguese speaker would understand an Italian speaker provided that the latter use it in the complete sentence.
Don't you know that Italian is the most readily comprehensible Romance language to to other languages that belong to the same family?
Don't you know that Italian is the most readily comprehensible Romance language to to other languages that belong to the same family?
"The Italians are not white."
I've seen in my last holidays in Veneto and Milan region more blond people than in south Germany.
I've seen in my last holidays in Veneto and Milan region more blond people than in south Germany.
Guest, If you said that Latin is the more comprehensible to Italians than to other romance speakers, then I would agree with you. But I asssure you that of all the romance languages Spanish and Portuguese still have the closest affinity to one another. Now, that doesn't mean that Portuguese and Spanish speakers don't understand Italian, on the contrary.
As a Spanish speaker, if I was lost in a boat at sea, I would feel more consoled with a Portuguese speaker, than with an Italian speaker. Culturally, the Portuguese are more like us Spaniards.
As a Spanish speaker, if I was lost in a boat at sea, I would feel more consoled with a Portuguese speaker, than with an Italian speaker. Culturally, the Portuguese are more like us Spaniards.
<< Guest, If you said that Latin is the more comprehensible to Italians than to other romance speakers, then I would agree with you. But I asssure you that of all the romance languages Spanish and Portuguese still have the closest affinity to one another. Now, that doesn't mean that Portuguese and Spanish speakers don't understand Italian, on the contrary. >>
Sure! Let me ask you what are <santch>, <munj> , and <shlent> if you can really understand continental and brazilian portuguese?
<< As a Spanish speaker, if I was lost in a boat at sea, I would feel more consoled with a Portuguese speaker, than with an Italian speaker. Culturally, the Portuguese are more like us Spaniards. >>
But the Portuguese speakers fo not feel the same way. Don't you know that Portuguese speakers hate the hispanics when ever they say that? Look they are even petitioning the universities to have a separate Portuguese studies instead of Spanish and Portuguese studies.
Sure! Let me ask you what are <santch>, <munj> , and <shlent> if you can really understand continental and brazilian portuguese?
<< As a Spanish speaker, if I was lost in a boat at sea, I would feel more consoled with a Portuguese speaker, than with an Italian speaker. Culturally, the Portuguese are more like us Spaniards. >>
But the Portuguese speakers fo not feel the same way. Don't you know that Portuguese speakers hate the hispanics when ever they say that? Look they are even petitioning the universities to have a separate Portuguese studies instead of Spanish and Portuguese studies.
''Don't you know that Portuguese speakers hate the hispanics when ever they say that? ''
Portuguese people might not like Spain, but Brazilians do.
Portuguese people might not like Spain, but Brazilians do.