Portuguese is the official national language in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, São Tomé and Príncipe, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and Macau, and is spoken as a native language by part of the population in 8 additional countries. The Portuguese language (native name: Português) has its roots in the Indo-European language family.
With a share of around 99%, it is most widespread in Portugal. In total, approximately 231.3 million people worldwide speak Portuguese as their native language.
Country Overview
| Country | Region | Official Language | Distribution | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | South America | yes | 97.5% | 204,233,000 |
| Angola | Central Africa | yes | 36.6% | 11,276,000 |
| Portugal | Southern Europe | yes | 99.0% | 10,179,000 |
| Mozambique | East Africa | yes | 10.7% | 3,156,000 |
| France | Western Europe | no | 1.2% | 804,000 |
| United States of America | North America | no | 0.2% | 654,000 |
| Canada | North America | no | 0.7% | 259,000 |
| Paraguay | South America | no | 3.2% | 223,000 |
| Guinea-Bissau | West Africa | yes | 8.1% | 152,000 |
| Switzerland | Western Europe | no | 1.2% | 102,000 |
| Luxembourg | Western Europe | no | 13.0% | 79,000 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | Central Africa | yes | 33.6% | 71,000 |
| Cape Verde | West Africa | yes | 10.0% | 54,000 |
| Andorra | Southern Europe | no | 10.8% | 8,000 |
| Jersey | British Isles | no | 4.6% | 5,000 |
| Macau | Far East Asia | yes | 0.7% | 4,000 |
(Source: laenderdaten.info)
Learn the Most Important Words in Portuguese
| German | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Hello | Olá! |
| Good afternoon | Boa tarde! |
| Bye | Tchau! |
| Goodbye | Adeus! |
| Yes | sim |
| No | não |
| Thank you | Obrigado! / Obrigada! |
| You’re welcome! | De nada |
| Cheers! | Saúde! |
| Excuse me | Desculpe,… |
| Help | Socorro! |
| Restroom | WC / casa-de-banho |
| My name is … | Eu chamo-me… |
| I would like … | Eu queria … |
| How much does … cost? | Quanto custa …? |
| Check, please! | A conta, se faz favor! |
| I don’t speak Portuguese. | Não falo português. |
| Entrance | Entrada |
| Exit | Saída |
