Should You Learn Portuguese in India?

Are you not sure about learning Portuguese in India?

While many people speak Portuguese around the world, not many are learning it in India. Here are some compelling benefits, scope, and career options for studying Portuguese!

History of the Portuguese language

It was developed in the Western Iberian Peninsula from Latin, the tongue of the Roman Empire, from which all Romance languages spring.

Vulgar Latin evolved into the Galician–Portuguese language.

It then broke off into Galician and Portuguese after incorporating Galicia into Spain and the independent development of Portugal.

Modern Standard European Portuguese (português padrão or português continental) is based on the language spoken in the area, including and surrounding Coimbra and Lisbon.

Portuguese-speaking African countries also prefer it.

There is a written standard in Brazil under the formal guidance of the Ministry of Education.

It was developed and curated by the Brazilian Academy of Letters (ABL), which publishes the official spelling of words.

The Empire of Portugal

Since the fall of Rome, no empire based in Europe has extended outside the continent. However, two voyages in the 1490s laid the foundations for future empires.

One was led by the well-known explorer Columbus, sailing west for Spain, who stumbled upon America in 1492—Vasco da Gama, adventuring south and east for Portugal.

In their great voyages of discovery in the 15th century, they developed ocean-going skills.

Their ships and sailors were the best for many decades and were indispensable in “The Age of Discovery.”

It was the first country to be affected by Atlantic expansion in the 15th century. This was due to its knowledge of the development of cartography and navigation.

The Tordesillas treaty was between the Crown of Castile and the King of Portugal.

It defined who would own lands yet to be discovered and was signed in 1494.

The treaty divided the newly discovered territories outside of Europe into two halves.

The east and south sides were from Portugal, and the west was to Castile (later to become part of Spain).

Vasco da Gama reached India in 1498. Pedro Álvares de Cabral commanded the second expedition sent to India, but on that voyage, he officially found Brazil in 1500.

Portugal colonized Brazil in the 1500s. Later, they banned local languages, including Tupi, and required people to speak Portuguese strictly.

In the 16th century, Portugal ruled areas from the Atlantic to the Far East, making it a vast empire.

Throughout the 16th century, Portugal had no European rivals on the long sea route around Africa.

Portuguese-speaking population in the world

It is the sixth most natively spoken language in the world.

More people speak Portuguese as their native language than French, German, Italian, Korean, or Japanese.

Nearly 250 million people speak it across four continents.

It is the official language of eight countries, six of which are in Africa (Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tome, and Principe).

And one each in Europe (Portugal), South America (Brazil), and Asia (Timor Leste).

It is also spoken in the Portuguese islands of Madeira and Azores and is a mandatory school subject in Uruguay and Argentina.

It is taught at schools in many countries, including Venezuela, Zambia, the Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Namibia, Swaziland, and South Africa.

15% of Uruguay’s population speaks it as a native language (in the northern regions closer to Brazil). Still, it is not an official language in any capacity.

Galician, spoken in Galicia (northwestern Spain), is merely a Portuguese dialect rather than an independent language; this would make northwestern Spain a part of the Lusophone world.

It is also one of Macau’s official working languages (Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China).

Additionally, several international organizations, such as Mercosur, the Organization of Ibero-American States, the Union of South American Nations, the Organization of American States, the African Union, the Economic Community of the West African States, the Southern African Development Community, and the European Union, use Portuguese.

There is also an active movement to make it the seventh official language of the United Nations.

Founded in July 1996, CPLP – Community of Portuguese Language Speaking Countries is a multilateral forum privileged to deepen the mutual friendship and cooperation among its members.

Nine members, including Equatorial Guinea, and six associate observers, such as Mauritius, Senegal, Georgia, Japan, Namibia, and Turkey.

The global lusophone population is quite significant.

Lusophones (lusófonos) speak the Portuguese language, either as native speakers or as learners.

Thousands of people also speak the Portuguese language in Goa, Daman, and Diu in India.

In 2014, Goa successfully hosted the Lusophone Games (which is to the Portuguese world what the Commonwealth Games are to the former British colonies).

Portuguese dialects around the globe

Portuguese has multiple dialects and a vibrant history that has influenced several languages. Two primary groups of variants are European and Brazilian.

There are differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and syntax, but they can include gaps in grammar.

The dialects within Portugal can also be further divided into northern, southern & central dialects.

Due to its geographical isolation from Portugal, Brazil has developed a dialect distinct from Europe’s.

Since almost 80% of Portuguese speakers are Brazilian, Brazilian is the most famous Portuguese dialect globally.

Some dialects used in Brazil are Caipira, Carioca, Cearense, Baiano, Fluminense, and Espírito Santo.

A unique dialect is also spoken in the areas between Uruguay and Brazil. This dialect is called Portunhol Riverense.

Several other dialects exist, such as Angolan (Spoken in Angola), Moçambicano (Spoken in Mozambique), Guineense (Spoken in Guinea-Bissau), and Timorese (Spoken in East Timor).

Africa, Asia, and Oceania are categorized into creole and non–creole forms. Creole is a mixture of local languages with Portuguese.

About three million people worldwide speak these Creoles.

Some well-known Indo-Portuguese creoles spoken in Goa, Daman, Diu, Korlay in India.

Kristang is Spoken in Malaysia, Angolar is Spoken in coastal areas of São Tomé Island, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Crioulo do Barlavento (Creol) is Spoken in Barlavento islands of Cape Verde.

There are some other known Creoles, such as Macanese, Spoken in Macau and Hong Kong,

Examples are Annobonnese on the island of Annobón, Equatorial Guinea, Saramaccan in Suriname, and Portuguese Creole in Sri Lankan coastal cities.

Top Reasons to Learn Portuguese in India

There are numerous benefits and perks of learning foreign languages in India.

1. Career options after learning the Portuguese language in India

There is increasing demand and scope for Portuguese language experts in India in various industries like finance, accounts, technology, technical support, IT/ITES, tourism, and education.

Today, the global economy is seeking specialists in the Portuguese language.

Proficiency can offer many jobs involving languages from MNCs in Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

Due to Brazil’s rapidly growing economy and its economic and geographic closeness to the United States, learning Portuguese is an attractive opportunity for many people.

Brazil has the world’s seventh-largest economy and is rapidly growing. It is influential in global markets for agriculture, energy, iron and steel, textiles, machinery and equipment, and manufacturing.

It is not as popular as other European languages like French, Spanish, or German.

However, The demand for Portuguese is growing in India for multiple reasons.

2. India and the Portuguese-Speaking World

All eight Portuguese-speaking countries offer different stakes for Indian interests. Together, they represent eight valuable votes and a lot of influence on the global stage.

Only 2 percent of India’s total trade is with these eight countries across four continents.

It is now time for Portugal and India to revive this legacy, explore its economic potential in the 21st century, and strategically couch their relationship in Portuguese-speaking countries.

3. India – Brazil Relations

For a long, India and Brazil had remained unexplored by each other.

Today, Brazil has become one of India’s most important trading partners in the entire LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) region.

Now, India and Brazil share a very close and multifaceted relationship at the bilateral level and in plurilateral fora such as BRICS, BASIC, G-20, G-4, IBSA, International Solar Alliance, and Biofuture Platform, as well as in broader multilateral bodies such as the UN, WTO, UNESCO, and WIPO.

The regional powerhouses share a relationship that is gradual and progressive.

India and Brazil are emerging nations, and both countries have enormous potential to grow bilaterally.

This is yet another critical reason to learn the Portuguese language in India.

4. Beautiful, Easy, and Gateway to other Romance languages

Portuguese is relatively easy to learn, especially if you know other Romance or Germanic languages.

French, Spanish, Italian, or even English have many words, and grammar rules are nearly identical. 

If we compare Portuguese to Asian languages (Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, for example), studying Portuguese is a cakewalk!

Portuguese is probably the second-best choice after the Spanish language in India if you are looking for a straightforward and essential language to learn.

It is one of the most beautiful, harmonious, and joyous.

As the Brazilian writer Olavo Bilac poetically said, Portuguese is “a última flor do Lácio, Inculta e Bela” (the last flower of Latium, rustic and beautiful).

If I say It is music to my ears, it is no exaggeration. Don’t believe me?

Look at some of the videos to see what I mean.

Understanding Portuguese has a knock-on effect when learning other Romance languages, such as French, Spanish, Italian, and Romanian.

Knowing one makes it much easier to pick up any others. But, again, all of them evolved from Latin, still share grammar and syntax, and have lots of similar vocabulary.

5. Enjoying Music, Movies, and of course, Football

Brazilian music, festivities, and movies are very much appreciated all over the world. Brazil is the only country that has won the World Soccer Cup five times, and Portugal is the UEFA Euro 2016 champion.

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best football players in the world.

Proficiency in Portuguese can help you to understand the commentary on the football game you’re watching.

The popularity of the Portuguese language in Goa

Portuguese ruled Goa from 1510 to 1961.

They were the first Europeans to settle and colonize India. They came to India mainly to trade spices but gradually made colonies here.

The first Portugal-India encounter occurred in May 1498, when Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut (present-day Kozhikode).

Afonso de Albuquerque invaded Goa in 1510 and fought the Battle of Goa with the Sultan of Bijapur Adil Shah’s forces.

In this battle, he was able to take possession of some of Goa’s territories and make them his colonies.

In 1530, the capital of Portuguese India was transferred from Cochin to Goa.

Over a few decades, Portugal’s empire was spread in many isolated colonies in the entire peninsular India.

By 1534, the Portuguese acquired Mumbai, Vasai, Virar, Daman and Diu, Surat, Goa, and Hooghly-Chuchura in 1579.

By the 19th century, they were confined to only Goa, Daman, and Diu.

They retained it till 1961, when the armies of Independent India forced them out.

Goa is an ideal place to learn this language, thanks to Portuguese-speaking locals and many Lusophone activities, including screening films for Portuguese learners, music concerts, seminars, and events.

You can also learn Portuguese in Delhi, Mumbai, and other parts of India by enrolling in one learning center.

The Instituto Camões, a Portuguese international institution dedicated to promoting the Portuguese language and culture, has two centers in India — New Delhi and Goa.

Goa offers the best environment for studying this language and could become a hub for Portuguese studies in India.