Customer Reviews

In-Flight Portuguese: Learn Before You Land

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I am no way implying that the product is bad - I am simply bringing it to people's attention before they purchase this that it is in fact BRAZILIAN portuguese and not European portuguese. Nowhere in this description or on the cover of the item does it tell you this. You have to infer it from the text on the back of the actual case: "Wondering how to make use of all that spare time on the plane while you're flying to Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, or Brasilia?" which you cannot see here on Amazon. All of the aforementioned cities are in Brazil. I just think it is wrong of the company not to plainly note on the package that this material is Brazilian portuguese. To me that is a lie by omission.

This is a very handy way to pick up very simple, conversational Portuguese if you have an hour to spare by working with a booklet and a very well produced cd. The sound quality is very clear and good as well. No substitute for a classroom setting but otherwise good for a quick lesson on the run.

It's Ok for learning basics, greetings, numbers, etc. I started listening on my daily commute several weeks before going to Brazil. The flight from Miami to Sao paulo was 8 hours and that wouldn't have been long enough. So unless you're a much faster learner than I, don't expect to learn even the basic greetings "in flight."

Go to any full-service bookstore and have a look at the language section. It has now reached mind-boggling proportions and how does one choose one producer from another? It is not easy and usually we purchase language tapes only to find them a bit inadequate.

The above statement is, of course, the key to being happy with your acquisition. None of these tapes are going to teach you the language, particularly not when they advertise themselves as being able to get you speaking reasonably proficiently in the course of a trans-Atlantic plane trip.

Take them for what they are worth; most Europeans are so pleased to have Americans attempt to speak the language rather than just speaking louder in English that your efforts will be rewarded. Walk into the cafe in the morning and say "hello" to the assembled crowd in Portuguese, and you will shortly be family.