I had what I thought was an unusual reason for wanting to learn Portuguese (especially, Brazilian Portuguese). I decided I wanted to learn Portuguese so I could understand the lyrics therefore be even more enthralled with the beautiful music of Brazil. I searched on line for Portuguese teachers, and –what luck! I found Street Smart Brazil right off! I have not ever second-guessed my choice for my learning platform! I never fail to be impressed with the professionalism and dedication that Luciana, the school’s founder, and her instructors have! Luciana and her instructions have developed a large variety of classroom materials on numerous topics that will keep students interested in learning Portuguese, meaning the materials are not all “fill-in-the-blank” type. (Mind you, some have to be, to teach fundamentals. . . .) The instructors do their utmost to make sure that any questions a student has are answered; any linguistics uncertainty cleared up, before proceeding. I thought that it would be great to talk to people from Brazil about their music. Street Smart Brazil is helping me to do just that! I’ve met many Brazilians, and it is so nice to talk to them in their language, even though I’m still learning. I very highly recommend Street Smart Brazil to anyone that is interested in learning Portuguese; I think that they will very pleased!
-Ray
When I decided to learn Portuguese, I quickly became lost in a sea of learning materials. I knew I needed a strategy and guidance from a native speaker to make the most of my limited time to study. I decided to take one-on-one lessons with a Street Smart Brazil tutor, and that decision is making all the difference learning to speak Portuguese. I look forward to my weekly classes because I can see and hear my progress. My conversations with my tutor are the key ingredient that has brought learning Portuguese to life. I know when I travel to Brazil later this year, my experience will be more meaningful and deep because of my ability to communicate. I highly recommend Street Smart Brazil to anyone who has decided to learn this amazing language or simply wants to improve their existing skills.
– George
When I first started Street Smart Brazil I knew basically zero Portuguese beyond simple greetings. Fast forward four months, I am in Brazil holding simple conversations, ordering food at restaurants and able to get around São Paulo without issue. After my trip, I continued my lessons and every day I am more confident in my Portuguese. The instructors tailor the material to your specific goal, whether it’s a crash course to prepare for a trip or building on an already solid foundation. I have a very busy and unpredictable work schedule, Street Smart Brazil has been more than accommodating to that and are extremely flexible with rescheduling. If you want to learn Brazilian Portuguese, they are the best of the best.
– Kevin
I started using Street Smart Brazil nearly two years ago to improve my Portuguese after finding Luciana’s YouTube page. I love the classes! My Portuguese went from broken to advanced in just a few months. My teacher is flexible with any schedule changes that I may have as well. I love the classes because I’m not just learning Portuguese, but I am learning about Brazilian culture as well. My next trip to Brazil can only be better since I have a greater proficiency in the language and culture.
-Carlesha
I just came back from Brazil (Rio De Janeiro). I was there for work for one week and I was so proud to conduct a couple of hour long meetings completely in Portuguese! This is all thanks for you and your amazing teachers.
– Sam
Street Smart Brazil is an amazing place to learn Portuguese, whether you are a beginner trying to learn the conversation basics, or more advanced looking to expand your professional vocabulary, I would recommend their courses 100%.
I was looking for private and flexible Portuguese lessons online. I had lived in Brazil as a child, spoke fluently, fast forward 10 years and I found myself struggling to make conversation with other Portuguese speakers.
After my lessons with Street Smart Brazil, I am now able to have meaningful conversations and I feel confident speaking Portuguese at work or at a social setting. My teacher is incredible at what she does. She was able to understand my learning needs and helped me get out of my comfort zone. The Street-Smart method of learning is different as they tailor the lessons and topics that are most relevant and practical to you, so you will be learning the language in no time. Muito obrigada equipe Street Smart Brazil!
– Silvia
I loved my Portuguese classes! I was enrolled with Street Smart Brazil for a few years and I would continue if I could! Street Smart Brazil makes learning a language fun and exciting while never having a dull moment. I was able to take classes before work on my own time and the lessons were structured around what I needed to improve on. I chose the 1-on-1 classes via video chat, which I would highly recommend! At first I was hesitant with the idea of digital learning, but Street Smart Brazil has everything planned out perfectly. I learned, not only, about the language but about the culture as well. Now speaking with Brazilians is a breeze! Whether it is to travel to Brazil, work in Brazil or reconnect with your roots, I would highly recommend Street Smart Brazil for any Portuguese related learning.
– Yasmin
Update to Yasmin’s testimonial: She is back practicing her beautiful Portuguese with us after finishing grad school 🙂
My experience with Street Smart Brazil has been great! My teacher is excellent and very patient, she tailors my classes to my pace and what I need to work on. I also learn about Brazilian culture. I’ve been trying to learn another language for a long time and focused on Portuguese on my own but never got anywhere, these classes are exactly what I needed to have a breakthrough! The classes are engaging and fun. My Portuguese has a ways to go but I know I will get there with the help of Street Smart Brazil!
– Dakota
Street Smart Brazil is the best lessons you can get for such an affordable price. I was initially skeptical about doing virtual Portuguese classes, but after doing the trial class, I learned that Street Smart Brazil is fun and engaging. I enjoyed all my classes with my instructor. The best part of these classes is that they are one on one and the instructor was always able to adapt the assignment and topics to match my level and areas that I need to further work on. I’m a native Spanish speaker, so I caught on quick and my teacher made sure to always adapt the lessons to my abilities. After 4 months, I became conversational in Portuguese and was impressing my Brazilian friends! I would highly recommend Street Smart Brazil!
– Alexis
Street Smart Brazil has been incredible. As someone who is focused on international business as a profession and a passion, learning languages has always been critical in helping me bridge cultures and really get to know people. I’ve worked with dozens of language teachers in my life and, incredibly, Street Smart Brazil’s conversation class stands out as one of the best ways to learn, not to mention the most convenient. I’ve been really impressed by the way the classes have been really relevant to me, from both a topic and level perspective. Moreover, our classes have been a team effort between the teacher and small handful of students pushing, supporting, and taking an interest in each other. The improvement in my Portuguese should be testimonial enough to Street Smart Brazil’s value, but let me just say that it was an immensely enjoyable ride to achieve it!
– Jessica
I started traveling to Brazil 3 years ago for business and used Pimsleur to give me some basic proficiency. My employees in Brazil were always impressed with my willingness to learn their language and my rudimentary attempts at speaking. As part of this interest, I was looking for Portuguese videos when I came across your YouTube videos and that’s how I came to know Street Smart Brazil. Now that I’ve invested in 1-on-1 lessons, I can’t say enough good things about the program or the instructor.
– Richard
As a language lover, I have learned multiple foreign languages through multiple sources and media. I must say that Street Smart Brazil is absolutely the best language program that I have encountered. I wish there would be programs for other languages that are just as good as Street Smart Brazil.
My instructor understands exactly where I stand, and she adjusts our materials accordingly. In just a few months, I was able to learn materials that I would never have been able to master in a few years in college or some other classes. Before signing up for Street Smart Brazil, I thought that Portuguese was a mysterious Romance language that was too difficult to even read, but now I have really fallen in love with the beauty of the language.
Before signing up for Street Smart Brazil, I thought that Portuguese was a mysterious Romance language that was too difficult to even read, but now I have really fallen in love with the beauty of the language.
Other than the linguistic aspect, I have learned so much about Brazilian culture and way of life. I barely knew anything about Brazil and assumed that it must be similar to other South American countries and Western nations in general. However, now I know just how unique its culture is: all the way from food to music. Now I listen almost solely to Brazilian music, which covers a much wider range of genres than one might expect.
I can also have meaningful conversations with Brazilians, who really appreciate it when someone shows interest in their language and culture.
– Daniel
I really enjoy studying with Street Smart Brazil. I have learned a tremendous amount and always look forward to the class. In June I
traveled to São Paulo, Brazil, to visit my girlfriend and meet her family. I was able to communicate with them in simple conversation. My goal is to become fluent. I know I will accomplish this with my teacher’s instruction.
– Drue
I absolutely love learning Portuguese with Street Smart Brazil! Top four strengths of Street Smart Brazil:
* A perfect combo of order and flexibility: you have a road map of the learning process, you learn all the key things you are supposed to learn but there is space for tailoring the lessons your interests and needs;
* You can learn anywhere and anytime: no time wasted for getting to you class and you can take it literally anywhere in the world and at any time convenient for you (a 3AM class at a Taipei hotel room comes to mind 🙂
* Teachers love their job: teachers are professional language specialists and are enthusiastic about their craft;
* Technology: a beautiful website, online video lessons, and a well-curated Twitter feed round up a very professional operation that is Street Smart Brazil!
– Togzhan
I highly recommend Street Smart Brazil. They’ll have you speaking Portuguese in surprisingly little time and you’ll learn a lot about Brazil and its people and culture.
– Kenneth
Especially if you are in Rio de Janeiro, I highly recommend this class! You don’t have to fight traffic to get to class, your teacher will show up on time, you can make your own schedule, and the material will be adjusted exactly to your level.
– Sarah
I love my Portuguese lessons. My instructor is fantastic. She listens to
my requests and allows me to practice what I want to practice. I also like
the written exercises and the fact that I can practice conversation with my teacher. I can work on my speaking and listening. She moves at a pace that I can follow, and she always challenges me to learn more.
– Kate
I really enjoyed the lessons with my instructor; there was not a single moment of boredom throughout any of the lessons. Initially, I had asked my teacher to help me work on the subjunctive, thinking it would be a little tedious as most grammar work is, but she sent me texts, videos and music that were actually fun to work through. Each week she would send me very interesting articles to work through that we would then discuss during our lessons.
– Tania
I have been using Street Smart Brazil for over two years now. I am pleased with my development in Brazilian Portuguese. I have had opportunities to use Portuguese on my job and intend to create more opportunities to use Portuguese in the future. The tutors are attentive and professional and most importantly, they make the classes fun and engaging!
– Davidson
If you can’t move to Brazil to learn Portuguese, the next best thing is to join the classes at Street Smart Brazil.
Years ago, I started out with Luciana for one hour a week. It seemed a long time and it was hard. But Luciana taught me the Portuguese that Brazilians actually use, and she made it fun!
I wanted a longer class so we made it an hour and a half. Now, I think that isn’t enough. Time flies – O tempo sempre voa. If I start my class tired after work, we go at it and at the end, I am full of energy!
– Gary
The biggest difference between my Street Smart Brazil lessons and others I’ve taken is that my teacher knows English and understands what American expressions I’m trying to convey in Portuguese.
My teacher is delightful – funny, relevant, insightful. I will trust her to find a balance in my future sessions between what I want and what I really need.
– Bibi
I’ve been extremely happy with my classes through your program. My instructor is great and very good at formulating lessons which are
challenging but also accessible for a beginner like me. She’s also been very helpful in teaching me about Brazilian culture, colloquial expressions, and explaining tricky grammatical concepts.
I think Skype is a great way to take language lessons, especially in the 1-
to-1 format; I feel that I’ve gained a solid grasp on speaking and
understanding Portuguese in only 5 months of lessons, and that I will be
able to express myself comfortably and confidently while living in Brazil.
Taking lessons through Skype has also been great in terms of flexibility;
on occasions when I have a schedule conflict, my instructor has been
very helpful and accommodating in changing the times of our lessons so
that I could continue classes while traveling or otherwise busy.
Learning Portuguese through SSB has been a great experience for me
and I won’t hesitate to recommend it to others in the future or possibly
sign up for more complex classes for myself.
– Bernard
I can highly recommend learning Portuguese with Street Smart Brazil. I
have very good tutoring. My teacher is competent and nice. Her classes are great and she challenges me every single time in a very motivating way. She is excellent!
– Marina
I really like studying with Street Smart Brazil. The quality of instruction and materials that Street Smart Brazil provides exceeds any I have received elsewhere. I actually look forward to it every weekend. While other classes I have taken are less expensive, Street Smart Brazil offers the most interesting, engaging, and largest variety of learning tools I have seen. As a result, my language learning is really moving forward!
– Anne
Street Smart Brazil has exceeded my expectations. There is a genuine feeling that anyone can learn and improve in any language. The approach is patient, encouraging, and most of all, empowering.
– Anuj
Street Smart Brazil helped me to attain a Celpe Bras proficiency rating of advanced intermediate. Not only have I improved my reading and writing skills, I can speak more fluently on a wide range of topics and situations. The Street Smart Brazil materials are an amazing blend of writing, reading, audio and video lessons so the student receives Brazilian Portuguese immersion training in the comfort of their home. I have had classes while in Houston, Caracas, and Lagos while my instructor is based in Brazil. My expectations have been exceeded by Street Smart Brazil. Further, my instructor is outstanding, an extremely qualified person with tertiary plus education and with a great passion for imparting the nuances of her native tongue! I have bought every possible book, DVD, CD on Portuguese, but SSB undoubtedly has taken my Portuguese to another level!
– Auby
I am really enjoying my lessons. My teacher is so patient with me which really puts my nerves at ease as I struggle a lot with confidence. I feel already more and more comfortable and confident speaking back to her in Portuguese, I can’t believe how much I have learnt in so many few lessons so far. I also really like the structure of the lessons and how we have a plan and work in a progressed way, it allows me to focus my
attention. So at the moment Eu estou muito feliz!
– Theodora
Learning with you guys has been great, and I can say that my trip to Brazil was much better knowing Portuguese!
– Greg
Street Smart can certainly claim to be a one-stop shop for its students’ Portuguese needs. It has done a remarkable job in rigorously selecting a group of teachers who meet the highest standards in language tuition while remaining supple and responsive to their students’ needs. Over the course of a few lessons, I have been able to make great strides in tackling those aspects that I found most challenging in Portuguese grammar, pronunciation, and writing, while studying texts and audiovisual material that was substantively relevant to my own work and professional needs. All this, coupled with the flexibility of booking lessons around a busy schedule, should make Street Smart Brazil stand out as the first choice of anyone setting out to learn or improve their Portuguese.
– Carlos
Street Smart Brazil has a wonderful program for teaching Brazilian Portuguese. All the teachers are professional, nice and a lot of fun to learn from. You learn a lot about everyday slang that is used in Brazilian Portuguese that is not in the books. In addition, you will learn a lot about the culture and country. I highly recommend Street Smart Brazil to anybody that is interested in learning Brazilian Portuguese!
– Davina & Diandre
I think Street Smart Brazil and all its services are great. It allows me to schedule my classes from home when I have time in my busy work week. I am so grateful for this as otherwise I simply would not have the time to continue with my Portuguese studies.
– Belinda
Street Smart Brazil has impressed me. Not only will your Brazilian Portuguese improve under their instruction but you will learn a lot about Brazilian culture.
– Naomi
A fantastic way to learn rapidly while having fun. I took two sets of classes with Street Smart Brazil and was really impressed with the quality of teaching; from the informative handouts to the schedule tailored exactly to my needs and above all, the teachers, who are hugely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I gained insight into Brazilian culture and found I made very rapid progress, enabling me later to work in Brazil. I would recommend Street Smart Brazil to anyone interested in learning about both the Portuguese language and the culture of a country so important in the world today.
– Danielle
My classes are awesome – I’m learning A LOT and it’s fun, convenient, and enjoyable. My instructor is a wonderful teacher, and she gives me a nice balance of grammar and oral & written comprehension.
– Vanessa
The quality of the instruction is outstanding. The instructors are flexible to schedule classes in times which are convenient. Being able to use Skype for face to face without traveling place to place is also a great plus.
– Jennifer
I’ve really been enjoying the classes and I’m learning a lot. The classes have motivated me to learn more and more! This is my first time taking classes via Skype – and I’m enjoying the convenience and the one-on-one teaching. My instructor is a GREAT teacher, very enthusiastic and very encouraging. She listens attentively to what I’m saying and she gives the right amount of feedback at the right time. The classes have been a great combination of grammar and conversation, and the exercises she gives me are directly related to the areas in class that challenged me.
– Vanessa
Street Smart Brazil impressed me with the structure and outgoing personalities! I was able to learn the language 2 months before I went to Brazil and I can say it was because of Street Smart Brazil. They make it easy and had really good lesson plans to help speed up the process. I can say I am now fluent in Portuguese in just 8 months because of them!
– Jonathan
Choosing to take classes at Street Smart Brazil was the best decision that I’ve made since deciding to learn Portuguese. My classes are going very well. Every week my instructor gives me more challenging and interesting work than the week before. I like the Street Smart Brazil material very much and I’m learning so much.
– Michael
Street Smart Brazil is very convenient and the professors are incredibly professional. I enjoy the classes because of the convenience and flexibility in my busy work schedule. I have been a student almost two years and have shown progress in conversational skills, where I started with basic traveler Portuguese to now talking and reading newspapers. Learning a language is a lifetime commitment.
– Brian
Street Smart Brazil is in my opinion the very best site for Portuguese learners on the web. Their teachers and lessons are definitely five-star quality. They not only teach you the language, but in addition spend time on the culture of the country. As long as I continue taking Portuguese, I will take from Street Smart Brazil!
– Jack
I am really happy that I chose Street Smart Brazil to learn Brazilian Portuguese. My teacher is fantastic and I am always looking forward to my next lesson. I am very impressed of the amount of material available on Street Smart Brazil. I enjoy their blogs and I have learned a lot from them.
– Deneb
Street Smart Brazil has great teachers. They are interested in creating a learning experience that I look forward to every week. I’ve progressed and become comfortable with my use and understanding of the language. Street Smart Brazil not only provides the teaching resources, but a wealth of other resources that you can benefit from using. I highly recommend Street Smart Brazil.
– Bill
Street Smart Brazil and their instructors have proven themselves to be patient, smart, helpful, and true professionals in their craft. Learning a new language for me has been one of the most challenging things I’ve done in life and they are the key reason I’ve stuck with it.
– Blake
Loved the experience. All the material I have learned I have not lost. I continue using my Brazilian Portuguese on a daily basis. I continue to discover more on my own through literature, music, film, and TV shows. Muito obrigada.
– Krystal
We found that knowing a little Portuguese was very helpful. We had an absolutely incredible trip! Words in an email can’t describe how amazing our time in Brazil was. And it was really nice knowing a few things on the menu! In fact, if someone gave us an English menu, I often wanted the Portuguese one so we knew what we were looking at! All of your suggestions were great! We experienced all traditional Brazilian dinners the second week while we were at the resort, so that was really fun. I’m dying to make Moqueca and hopefully somehow make pão de queijo!
– Suzanna & Jeff
After studying abroad and living in Brazil I use Street Smart Brazil to keep up my Brazilian Portuguese. It is not just a tutoring service but a community. Constantly keeping it fresh with new ways of learning the language and culture.
– Kevin
