1-on-1 lessons are perhaps the best way to improve speaking skills, and because of this many students use LanguaTalk to learn to speak Portuguese fluently. That said, some people have other, more specific goals. Let your tutor know what your goals are and they'll tailor the lessons to your personal needs. Most tutors can help with any of the following:

• Practical Portuguese for travelling or integration
• CAPLE/CIPLE, CELPE-Bras, DEPLE, DIPLE, DAPLE and DUPLE exam preparation
• Business Portuguese
• Improving specific skills: speaking, reading, listening & writing
• Preparation for school exams – A Levels / Baccalaureate etc.
• Grammar (for all levels)
• Improving pronunciation

Most of the Portuguese tutors on our site are able to teach students of all levels. When you click on a tutor's profile you'll see if certain levels are not supported. For example, certain tutors cannot teach complete beginners.

Likewise, you can also see on the tutor's profile whether they're suitable for all ages. Lessons are sometimes taken via LanguaTalk to support school/college studies. Usually, the tutor will be able to customise the lessons to follow the material and topics covered in the student's exams. Note that as per our Terms & Conditions, students who are under 18 must get permission from a legal guardian before booking.

New to LanguaTalk? You'll have one credit for a free trial. Many, but not all, tutors offer trials for free. If they don't offer this, the price will be just 30 percent of their full lesson price, so you can still try a session at minimal cost. You can also take a trial session with another tutor if you have any issues with your first trial.

Trial sessions are 30 minutes. They allow you to assess whether the tutor is a good fit for you, and get a feel for learning online. The tutor will assess your level and aim to understand your needs and interests so that they can customise any lessons you decide to take. You'll be encouraged to speak in Portuguese as much as possible, but of course you can speak in English too! Book a trial today to see if taking Portuguese lessons on Zoom/Skype works well for you.

If, after your trial session, you don't feel that the tutor is quite right for you, you can book a trial with another tutor for just 30 percent of their full lesson price.

Lessons are taught 1-on-1 so that you receive your tutor’s full attention and can progress quickly. Each lesson is 55 minutes long and is taught via Skype or Zoom, allowing you to communicate with your tutor and share learning materials as if you were in the same room.

The tutors vary in terms of their teaching methods, resources, experience, and personalities. So we suggest you look at several profiles to choose the best tutor for you. Whichever tutor you pick, they'll aim to tailor the lessons to your individual needs.

The beauty of taking classes online is that you can learn anytime, anywhere. When you choose a tutor, just check their calendar to make sure that they have available times that fit your schedule. Some Portuguese tutors have limited availability due to teaching a lot of students.

We want students to have an exceptional learning experience on LanguaTalk, so we only accept the very best tutor applications. Though we consider qualifications and experience, we place equal value on communication skills, personality and reviews from previous students. Almost all of the tutors are native speakers of the language they teach, and they can speak English too.

Each tutor is unique - they have different backgrounds, strengths, teaching methods and personalities. So we suggest you browse several profiles to find the right tutor for you.

Our booking system is designed to be easy to use. You can see tutors' available slots in your local time zone. If you choose to book lessons with a tutor, you'll be able to buy them one at a time, or purchase in bulk with a volume discount. You can pay securely by card on our website.

You can manually add bookings to your personal calendar, or if you use Google calendar, you can add bookings automatically with our syncing feature. You'll also be able to receive email reminders to help ensure you don't forget to turn up.

You can reschedule or cancel lessons in a couple of clicks. Please note that this can be done up to 24 hours before the lesson time. We have this policy to be fair to tutors, who cannot replace lessons at the last minute and need some form of income protection.

How much do Portuguese tutors on Zoom/Skype typically charge per lesson?

Portuguese lessons via Zoom/Skype tend to be cheaper than face-to-face because the tutor doesn't need to travel. Online Portuguese tutors may cost anywhere from $7 to $30 per hour, but be aware that very cheap tutors on certain websites may lack experience. On LanguaTalk, Portuguese tutors typically charge between $10 and $25 per hour.

Of course, receiving Portuguese tutoring via Zoom or Skype is not the cheapest way to learn; you could learn via a free app instead. But if you're serious about learning, nothing beats 1-on-1 Portuguese lessons with a great teacher.

How long does it take to become fluent in Portuguese?

According to the Foreign Service Institute, if you already speak English, Portuguese is one of the easiest languages to learn. The exact amount of time it will take you to become fluent will depend on many factors, such as your current level, your knowledge of similar languages, your capacity to learn, how you study, and how intensively you study. Some students who take multiple Portuguese lessons on Zoom/Skype each week will be able to go from beginner to conversational fluency within a couple of months. Others will take longer. Combining 1-on-1 lessons with an online Portuguese tutor with regular self-study is an effective way to learn Portuguese fast.

Is it effective to take Portuguese lessons on Zoom/Skype?

Most tutors offer both Skype and Zoom as options for the lessons. If they only offer one of these, this will be stated on their profile. Both tools are free, easy to use and perfect for language learning. They allow you to do everything you would do in a physical classroom: speak, listen, read, write, and share learning materials. Your tutor will typically write corrections directly in the chat area so that you can later revise everything you’ve learnt.

Most Portuguese tutors using Skype/Zoom also use other technologies and resources to enhance the learning experience, for example Google Docs (for real-time collaboration), videos, and PowerPoint slides. If you're unable to take the Portuguese lessons via Zoom or Skype, please contact our support team and we’ll get in touch with the tutor you're interested in to see if they're able to use an alternative video technology, such as Google Meet.

How does learning with a Portuguese teacher on Zoom/Skype differ from learning face-to-face?

Students sometimes feel unsure about learning online because they think it won't be as effective as learning face-to-face. But usually when they try it, they find that the experience is almost the same and they often build a strong relationship with their tutor.

Once you start a video call with your chosen Portuguese tutor on Zoom/Skype, you’ll be able to communicate with them as if you were in the same room. They’ll usually also share learning resources with you (using Google Docs, YouTube etc.) and you’ll be able to collaborate in real-time.

What's the best way to learn Portuguese?

There is no 'best way' to learn a language - it depends on many factors, such as your needs, level and budget. If you can't afford to take 1-on-1 Portuguese lessons on Zoom/Skype, you can use a free app like Duolingo to build your vocab. And to improve your listening skills, you can try watching TV and listening to podcasts in Portuguese. But to learn how to actually speak a language, you need to talk to a native speaker on a regular basis and receive accurate feedback so that you improve. If you want to make fast progress, it's best to take private lessons that are tailored to your personal needs by an experienced teacher.