· 7 min read
Portuguese vs Spanish: Which to Learn First?
By Language Lab editorial team
Portuguese vs Spanish compared: 24 weeks against 30 by US State Department figures, how alike they are, where each is spoken, exams and free courses.
Portuguese and Spanish are close cousins and both sit in the easiest official group for English speakers. The US State Department lists Portuguese at 24 weeks of classes and Spanish at 30, inside a Category I range of 552 to 690 class hours. Both come from Latin, both give each verb tense six endings, and the BBC's guides say each gives a head start on the other. They differ in where they take you. Spanish has 520 million native speakers by the Instituto Cervantes' count and is the language of Spain and most of Central and South America. Portuguese is the language of Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and four other countries. Pick by destination: Brazil or Portugal on one side, Spain and Spanish-speaking America on the other.
Side by side
| Portuguese | Spanish | |
|---|---|---|
| State Department category | Category I | Category I |
| Class time | 24 weeks | 30 weeks |
| Spelling and sound | Some sounds are harder to pronounce; there are nasal sounds | Phonetic: written the way it is pronounced |
| Verbs | Six different endings in each tense | Six different endings for each tense |
| Where it is spoken | Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé, East Timor | Spain, Central and South America, the USA, Equatorial Guinea |
| Official exams | CAPLE exams in Portugal; Celpe-Bras in Brazil | DELE and SIELE |
| Free official course | Plataforma de Português Online, from Portugal's AIMA | Instituto Cervantes' Aveteca activities; Open University beginner courses |
Which is easier?
On the official figures, Portuguese by six weeks, though both are in the easiest category. The BBC's guides point to sound as the difference. They call Spanish a phonetic language in which the way it is written is the way it is pronounced. Its Portuguese guide says some sounds can be harder to pronounce, and its alphabet page covers accents and nasal sounds. It also offers reassurance: pronunciation mistakes generally will not change what you actually meant.
How similar are they?
Very. The BBC's Portuguese guide says many words and aspects of Portuguese are shared with all the Romance languages, such as Spanish, Italian and French, and that if you know Spanish you will notice similarities, including the six endings of each tense. It also points to galego, spoken in the Spanish region of Galicia, as the closest language to Portuguese. The Spanish guide says learning Spanish gives you a head start with Portuguese.
| English | Portuguese | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Sim | Sí |
| Thank you | Obrigado, obrigada | Gracias |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? |
| a beer | uma cerveja | una cerveza |
| red wine | vinho tinto | un vino tinto |
| Have a great trip | Boa viagem | ¡Buen viaje! |
| Good luck | Boa sorte | Buena suerte |
Most rows are near-twins. Thank you is the exception, and a reminder that the two are separate languages: Portuguese says Obrigado or Obrigada, depending on whether the speaker is a man or a woman.
Where each will take you
- Spanish: 520 million native speakers and more than 630 million potential speakers, according to the Instituto Cervantes. Official in Spain and spoken across Central and South America.
- Portuguese: the language of Portugal and Brazil, and of Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and East Timor. It also has official status in Macau.
- Two varieties of Portuguese: European and Brazilian. The BBC's guide notes, for example, that você, a word for you, is more widely used in Brazil.
Exams
| Portuguese | Spanish | |
|---|---|---|
| Main exams | CAPLE: six exams from A1 to C2, from ACESSO to DUPLE; Brazil's Celpe-Bras | DELE: A1 to C2; SIELE: one multilevel online exam |
| Validity | CAPLE certificates and diplomas have no limit of validity | DELE has no expiration date; SIELE is valid five years |
| Sessions | CAPLE: May, July and November; Celpe-Bras: every semester | DELE on set dates; SIELE by appointment |
| Nationality | CIPLE, level A2, is the minimum for Portuguese nationality | Check the requirement with the Spanish authorities |
Which first?
- You are going to Brazil or Portugal: Portuguese.
- You want the largest number of speakers and countries: Spanish.
- You want the easiest sound system to start with: Spanish, which is written as it is pronounced.
- You plan to learn both: start with the one you need first. The BBC's guides say each helps with the other.
- You cannot decide: try the free beginner material for each for a week.
Language Lab offers both. Its Portuguese and Spanish courses are built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor.
Frequently asked
Is Portuguese harder than Spanish?
Not by official class time: the US State Department lists Portuguese at 24 weeks and Spanish at 30. Portuguese pronunciation is the part the BBC's guide flags as harder, with nasal sounds.
How similar are Spanish and Portuguese?
Very similar. Both are Romance languages with shared vocabulary and the same six-ending verb pattern. Compare Quanto custa? and ¿Cuánto cuesta?
If I speak Spanish, can I understand Portuguese?
You will recognise a great deal. The BBC's Portuguese guide says that if you know Spanish you will notice similarities, and its Spanish guide says Spanish gives a head start with Portuguese.
Which is more useful, Portuguese or Spanish?
Spanish has more native speakers, 520 million by the Instituto Cervantes' count. Portuguese is essential for Brazil, Portugal and Portuguese-speaking Africa.
Should I learn Spanish or Portuguese first?
The one you will use first. Each gives a head start on the other.
Is Brazilian Portuguese different from European Portuguese?
They are two varieties of one language. The BBC's guide gives one everyday example: você, a word for you, is more widely used in Brazil.
Sources: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; BBC Languages, A Guide to Portuguese and A Guide to Spanish (10 facts), and Portuguese and Spanish Quick Fix phrases (archived pages); Instituto Cervantes, El español: lengua para el mundo 2025, Difference between DELE and SIELE, and Aveteca; CAPLE, University of Lisbon; Inep, Celpe-Bras; AIMA, Plataforma de Português Online; Biblioteca Municipal de Coimbra, note on obrigado and obrigada. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, Mucio Scorzelli / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
