Learning Tiers
Each tier builds on the previous one. Words and sentences only use vocabulary from their tier and below.
1
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?'
2
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?'
3
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.'
4
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.'
5
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!'