Learning Tiers

Each tier builds on the previous one. Words and sentences only use vocabulary from their tier and below.

Survival

87 words350 sentences87 total vocab

The basics. Greetings, yes/no, please/thank you, simple questions.

✓Greetings and goodbyes
✓Ordering water or coffee
✓Asking where something is
✓Saying please, thank you, sorry
✓Asking how much something costs

Example situations

'Um café, por favor.''Desculpe, onde é...?''Quanto custa?'

Getting Around

142 words250 sentences229 total vocab

Food, transport, shopping, time, weather. The daily routine words.

✓Ordering a meal
✓Buying a train or bus ticket
✓Asking about prices and paying
✓Telling time and talking about weather
✓Basic pharmacy and hotel interactions

Example situations

'Queria o prato do dia, por favor.''Este comboio vai para o Rossio?''Vai chover amanhã?'

Conversation

138 words140 sentences367 total vocab

Past tense, opinions, feelings, plans. Talking about things beyond the immediate.

✓Talking about what happened yesterday
✓Expressing opinions and preferences
✓Making plans with someone
✓Describing people and places
✓Talking about work and family

Example situations

'Ontem fui ao cinema.''Queres ir jantar no sábado?''Acho que é muito bonito.'

Depth

108 words75 sentences475 total vocab

Connectors, formal language, hypotheticals. Longer and more complex sentences.

✓Connecting ideas with although, however, therefore
✓Expressing if/would hypotheticals
✓Handling paperwork and official situations
✓Explaining problems in detail

Example situations

'Se tivesse mais tempo, viajaria pelo Alentejo.''O problema é que o contrato não inclui isso.'

Color

151 words75 sentences626 total vocab

Slang, filler words, cultural references. How people actually talk day to day.

✓Understanding colloquial expressions
✓Using filler words naturally
✓Switching between formal and casual
✓Cultural vocabulary: food, festivals, fado

Example situations

'Pá, isso é que era!''Tenho tantas saudades de casa...''Aquilo foi mesmo fixe!'