Portuguese (Elementary 1)

his course is designed for people who plan to travel or work in Portugal, Brazil or East Timor. The main aim of the course is to enable the student to cope with day-to-day situations and to communicate effectively in Portuguese. It is also ideal for those who wish to gain some insights into the Portuguese culture. Suitable for complete beginners.

This course covers general topics such as

• Greetings and introductions;
• Exchange personal details;
• Where a person lives – cities, countries;
• Transport;
• Food – types, likes and dislikes;
• Time – tell the time and days of the week.

Students will read and listen to dialogues, simple texts about everyday activities, and songs. Short exercises including phonetics will also be used to consolidate the new vocabulary and language structures. To develop oral communication skills, students are given opportunities to engage in short conversations on given topics.

Grammar is taught in the context of assisting students to understand how the language works. For instance, the verb “to be” is introduced to facilitate the exchange of personal information.

By the end of this course students should be able to:

• Greet people and introduce themselves and others with confidence;
• Engage in simple conversations and exchange personal information such as name, nationality, address, telephone number;
• Talk about themselves and their families;
• Write personal details: name, nationality, date and place of birth;
• Read a short dialogue;
• Use simple Portuguese to entertain guests;
• Order and purchase food and goods;
• Have a basic understanding of Portuguese culture.