Choosing the right app is the most important step when you start learning Portuguese.

Many popular language apps teach you isolated vocabulary but completely fail to help you actually speak.

Some apps focus exclusively on Brazilian Portuguese while ignoring European Portuguese entirely.

I’ve tested the most popular language tools available today to see which ones actually work.

This guide breaks down the best apps to learn Portuguese.

I’ll show you exactly which tools will help you reach fluency faster.

Top Portuguese learning apps compared

Talk in Portuguese

Talk In Portuguese is the absolute best app for learning how to speak and understand real Portuguese.

Our platform was built specifically with second language acquisition methodology in mind.

We focus heavily on getting you to understand native speakers in everyday situations.

You’ll learn through comprehensive listening, speaking exercises, and realistic dialogues.

We clearly separate our curriculum into Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese.

This ensures you’re learning the exact pronunciation and vocabulary of the region you care about.

You can create your account and start practicing today on Talk In Portuguese.

Pimsleur

Pimsleur is a fantastic tool if your main goal is improving your pronunciation.

This app uses an audio-based spaced repetition system to help you memorize phrases.

You’ll listen to native speakers and repeat sentences out loud during each daily lesson.

It offers dedicated courses for both Brazilian and European Portuguese.

The main downside is that Pimsleur doesn’t provide much reading or writing practice.

It’s also one of the more expensive subscription options on the language learning market.

Babbel

Babbel is a highly structured app that feels like a traditional digital textbook.

It’s an excellent option if you want clear, direct explanations of Portuguese grammar rules.

The lessons guide you through sentence structure, verb conjugations, and practical vocabulary.

However, Babbel currently only offers a Brazilian Portuguese course.

If you’re planning to travel to Portugal, this app won’t teach you the correct accent.

The focus on reading and filling in the blanks can also become slightly repetitive over time.

Drops

Drops is a beautiful, visual app designed exclusively for building your vocabulary.

It teaches you new words by matching them to illustrations in fast-paced, five-minute mini-games.

You won’t learn any grammar, sentence structure, or conversational skills here.

Instead, it serves as a great supplementary tool to use alongside a more complete course.

Drops conveniently lets you choose between Brazilian and European Portuguese vocabulary.

It’s perfect for learning specific categories of words like food, travel, or clothing.

Italki

Italki isn’t a traditional lesson app, but rather a platform to find language tutors.

Speaking with a real human is eventually necessary to reach full fluency.

You can browse hundreds of native Portuguese tutors and book one-on-one video lessons.

It allows you to easily filter teachers by their specific country and region.

This means you can easily find a tutor from Lisbon, São Paulo, or anywhere else.

You can use this platform to practice the conversation skills you learn on our main app.

Choosing between European and Brazilian Portuguese apps

You must decide which variety of Portuguese you want to learn before paying for any app.

Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese sound incredibly different from one another.

They also use entirely different vocabulary words for everyday items and structure sentences differently.

Here’s a quick example of how a simple sentence changes depending on the region.

Using an app that mixes both dialects together will only cause you confusion and frustration.

Make sure the resource you choose clearly labels which specific dialect it’s teaching you.

Focus your time and energy entirely on the specific region you plan to visit or live in.