Main Content

Portuguese

The Portuguese-Speaking World

Portuguese is the language of Portugal, including the autonomous regions of the Azores (Açores in Portuguese spelling) and Madeira. Additionally, it is the official language of Brazil, Mozambique (Moçambique), Angola, Guinea-Bissau (Guiné-Bissau), São Tomé e Príncipe, the Cape Verde Islands (Cabo Verde), and East Timor. It is also still spoken in Macau and Goa. Over four million Portuguese who have emigrated to various countries retain their first language. Galician, spoken in northwestern Spain, is very similar to Portuguese. Altogether, Portuguese is the native language of approximately 240,000,000 people. It is the sixth most spoken language and it ranks third, behind English and Spanish, among European languages used around the world.

Map of Portuguese Speaking World
(click map for larger image)

Why learn Portuguese?

  • Portuguese is an important global language spoken on all world continents
  • Next to English and Spanish, Portuguese is a major language of the American continent
  • According to UNESCO, Spanish and Portuguese are the top two fastest-growing European languages
  • Also according to UNESCO, Portuguese, has the highest growth potential as an international language due to evident expansion in southern Africa and South America.

Portuguese complements other various majors and minors at SJSU, including:

  • Business major
  • Spanish major
  • Latin-American Studies minor
  • International Business

Our Portuguese offerings are a sequence of lower and upper division courses which form an official minor. Many departments recognize this minor as a fulfilling requirement for their major programs.

Lower Division Courses

  • Portuguese 1A - Elementary Portuguese (5 units)
  • Portuguese 1B - Elementary Portuguese (5 units)
  • Portuguese 1X/1Y- Elementary Portuguese
    Individualized Learning (1-10 units) by appointment with instructor
  • Portuguese 20A - Intermediate Portuguese (3 units)
  • Portuguese 20B - Intermediate Portuguese (3 units)
  • Portuguese 20X/20Y - Intermediate Portuguese
    Individualized Learning (1-5 units) by appointment with instructor

Upper Division Courses

  • Portuguese 102A - Portuguese Culture (3 units)
  • Portuguese 102B - Brazilian Culture (3 units)
  • Portuguese 101A - Advanced Portuguese (3 units each)
  • Portuguese 101B - Advanced Portuguese (3 units each)
  • Portuguese 180 - Special Studies (1-4 units)

Minor Sequence of Study

Preparation for the minor

  • Portuguese 1A - Elementary Portuguese (5 units)
  • Portuguese 1B - Elementary Portuguese (5 units)

Requirements for the minor

  • Portuguese 20A - Intermediate Portuguese (3 units)
  • Portuguese 20B - Intermediate Portuguese (3 units)
  • Portuguese 101A - Advanced Portuguese (3 units)
  • Portuguese 101B - Advanced Portuguese (3 units)
  • Portuguese 102A - Portuguese Culture (3 units)
  • Portuguese 102B - Brazilian Culture (3 units )

Special Major in Portuguese Studies

A Special Major in Portuguese Studies is available by completing all requirements for a Minor in Portuguese at SJSU and completing additional units through certain departments on campus and summer courses at other universities in the USA, as well as in Brazil or Portugal. For more information, please contact:

Deolinda Adão
Portuguese Coordinator / Advisor
Clark Hall 412J
408-924-4022
dadao@sbcglobal.net

Scholarships

Available for students minoring in Portuguese:

Portuguese Endowment Trust

In order to support the Portuguese Studies Program, a Portuguese Endowment Trust (PET) has been established through the generosity of the Portuguese Ministry of Education, the Gulbenkian Foundation of Lisbon, the Luso-American Education Foundation, and other organizations and individuals in the Portuguese community.

Donations to the Portuguese Studies Program

The Portuguese Studies program is accepting monetary donations to help maintain its Portuguese Minor program at San Jose State University. Your help is direly needed in view of the state budget limitations.

Please send your donation to:
San Jose State University
WLL, Portuguese Studies Program (CL421)
One washington Square
San Jose, California 95192-0091

Other Links

For more information on art, music, news, language, online dictionaries, and other cultural or language references on the various Portuguese-communities around the world, please go to:

For more information, please contact:

Deolinda Adão
Portuguese Coordinator / Advisor
Clark Hall 412J
408-924-4022
deolinda.adao@sjsu.edu