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. --- 🌟 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. --- 🧱 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]

Hey guys, there will be no scheduled online conversation practice tonight at 6pm. We will be back next week for that. Have a great week and happy Portugesing 😊

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