Study Tips for Brazilian Students

Common Challenges & How to Overcome Them

Brazilian students share some common struggles when learning English in Ireland. Knowing about them in advance helps you improve faster.

Pronunciation Challenges

• The "th" sound: Portuguese doesn't have this sound. Practice words like "the", "think", "this" by placing your tongue between your teeth. It feels strange at first but becomes natural.
• Words ending in consonants: In Portuguese, we tend to add an "ee" sound (saying "big-ee" instead of "big"). Listen carefully and practise cutting words short.
• The "r" sound: English "r" is different from Portuguese. Listen to how Irish people say "red", "right", "around" and try to imitate.
• Irish accent: Don't worry if you find the Irish accent hard at first — even native English speakers from other countries do! It gets easier within a few weeks.

False Cognates (False Friends)

Words that look similar in Portuguese and English but mean different things:

• Actually means "de fato/realmente" (NOT "atualmente" — use "currently" instead)
• Pretend means "fingir" (NOT "pretender" — use "intend" instead)
• Push means "empurrar" (NOT "puxar" — use "pull" instead)
• Fabric means "tecido" (NOT "fabrica" — use "factory" instead)
• Parents means "pais" (NOT "parentes" — use "relatives" instead)

Daily Habits That Accelerate Learning

• Change your phone language to English. You use your phone dozens of times a day — make every interaction count.
• Watch Netflix/YouTube in English with English subtitles (not Portuguese). Start with shows you've already watched in Portuguese.
• Keep a vocabulary notebook. Write down 5 new words every day with example sentences.
• Talk to everyone. Order coffee in English, chat with your housemates, talk to people at the bus stop.
• Don't hang out only with Brazilians. This is the number one mistake. Make friends from other countries and use English as your common language.

Useful Apps

• Anki: Flashcard app with spaced repetition — excellent for vocabulary
• BBC Learning English: Free lessons, grammar, and pronunciation practice
• Elsa Speak: AI-powered pronunciation trainer
• HelloTalk: Chat with native English speakers who are learning Portuguese