22d • General discussion
Sabados Sábios
Most people stay stuck in Portuguese because they only watch shows, scroll Instagram, and listen to podcasts. They feel busy, but they are not actually training the skills they need to speak.
This post turns Mikel’s 3 step method into a simple Portuguese routine you can follow in 20 to 40 minutes a day, even with a busy job.
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🌟 Big idea summary
- Passive input alone is not enough. Just watching Netflix or YouTube in Portuguese will not magically give you conversation skills.
- Kids take 10,000 plus hours because they live all day in the language. As adults, we do not have that luxury, so we need focused practice, not just exposure.
- You need a bank of useful sentences you can say automatically in real situations. Grammar is secondary to having ready to use phrases.
- Repeating the same sentences in your ears and mouth is what makes them stick so you can speak without translating.
- Daily active speaking, even if you just talk to yourself for a minute, is the bridge between I understand a bit and I can actually have a conversation.
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🧱 Step 1, Build your Portuguese phrase bank
Instead of random vocab, we build a personal bank of sentences that you would actually say in your real life, in your accent and context. Think of it as your Portuguese toolbox for everyday situations, not a textbook list.
Pick short, high frequency sentences first. Here are examples to copy or adapt:
- I have a busy day today.
Portuguese: Eu hoje tenho um dia cheio.
Pronunciation: [eh-oo OH-zh eh TENG-yo oong DEE-ah SHAY-oo]
- I am working from home.
Portuguese: Estou a trabalhar a partir de casa.
Pronunciation: [shtoh ah trah-bah-LYAR ah par-TEER d kah-zah]
- I do not understand, can you repeat slowly please
Portuguese: Não percebo, pode repetir devagar, por favor
Pronunciation: [nown per-SEH-boo, POD reh-peh-TEER d-vah-GAR, poor fah-VOR]
- I am learning Portuguese, I will speak slowly.
Portuguese: Estou a aprender português, vou falar devagar.
Pronunciation: [shtoh ah ah-pren-DER poor-too-GAYSH, voh fah-LAR d-vah-GAR]
- Where are you from in Portugal
Portuguese: De onde é que é em Portugal
Pronunciation: [dohn-deh EK EH eyn poor-too-GAL]
Micro tasks to start today 👇
- Write 10 English sentences you actually said in the last 24 hours, then get or create a natural Portuguese version for each (use me, AI, or a dictionary to check).
- Put the Portuguese sentences into a simple list or app (Notes, Anki, Google Doc) with audio if possible, or your own recording.
- Tag them by situation, for example work, family, café, small talk, so you can find what you need quickly.
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🎧 Step 2, Listen on repeat
In the video, Mikel explains that repetition is what turns language from information into automatic skills, and adults need far more focused repetition than they think. Looping the same phrases trains your ear and makes speaking much easier, because the sentences start to feel familiar in your mouth and brain.
Simple daily listening routine (10 to 20 minutes)
- Create a short audio track with 10 to 20 of your Portuguese sentences, either recorded by a native speaker, by a tool, or by you at slow, clear speed.
- Listen on repeat for 10 to 15 minutes while walking, cooking, or commuting, ideally without looking at the text.
- For 5 minutes, do silent shadowing, listen and move your mouth along without sound, then whisper along, then say them out loud.
If you use native clips (for example a short YouTube from Portugal), keep them under 1 or 2 minutes and replay the same clip every day for a week instead of jumping to new content.
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🗣 Step 3, Speak every day
Mikel is very clear, you will not become a confident speaker if you never actually speak, even if you understand almost everything. Speaking daily, even alone, builds the muscle memory and confidence you cannot get from passive input.
Use talking to yourself, recording, and quick self correction as your daily gym for Portuguese:
- Talk out loud using your phrase bank, as if you were explaining your day to a Portuguese friend.
- Record short voice notes, listen back, and adjust one or two things, for example a sound or a missing article.
- Do not chase perfection, chase clarity and consistency.
🔁 7 day speaking challenge
Each day, about 5 to 10 minutes total:
- Day 1, Record a 60 second audio where you introduce yourself, name, where you are from, why you are learning Portuguese. Use at least 5 phrases from your bank.
- Day 2, Record 60 seconds about your typical work day. Use time phrases like de manhã, à tarde, à noite and 5 to 10 of your sentences.
- Day 3, Record 60 seconds about your family or friends, where they live, what they do, how often you see them.
- Day 4, Record 60 seconds as if you were ordering in a café or restaurant. Include greetings, ordering, asking for the bill.
- Day 5, Record 60 seconds about your weekend plans or what you did last weekend. Focus on past tense, even if it is simple.
- Day 6, Re record any one of the previous days, but try to sound smoother and more relaxed, using the same sentences from memory.
- Day 7, Free topic, 60 seconds about anything you like, but try not to look at your notes. Then listen and write down 3 phrases you want to improve next week.
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✅ Do this today checklist
In the next 24 hours, keep it small and concrete:
- ✍️ Write your first 10 English sentences from your real life and translate them into Portuguese.
- 📒 Save those 10 Portuguese sentences in one place, digital or paper, where you will see them every day.
- 🎙 Record yourself reading the 10 sentences slowly and clearly, even if your pronunciation feels rough.
- 🔁 Listen to that recording on repeat for 10 minutes while you do something light.
- 🗣 Record one 60 second voice note where you use at least 5 of the sentences, then listen back once.
- ⏰ Choose a fixed 15 minute slot tomorrow for your phrase bank plus listening plus speaking routine.
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💬 Community engagement prompt
- Post your first 5 Portuguese sentences from your new phrase bank in the comments, with English versions, so we can check and refine them together.
- If you feel brave, record a 30 to 60 second audio using those 5 sentences, share how it felt, and tell us one thing you noticed when you listened back.
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