English is widely spoken in Portugal, ranking 8th (Very high) in EF English Proficiency Index. Many Portuguese people speak English fluently, particularly among younger generations and professionals.
Why Do Portuguese People Speak Good English?
Portugal English Proficiency Speaking Index and trends from 2011 to 2023
English is widely spoken by the Portuguese and other foreign communities living in Portugal. Based on the English Proficiency Index, Portuguese people are known for speaking English well. One of the main reasons is that students in Portugal start learning English at a young age. In most schools, English lessons begin when kids are around 8 or 9 years old.
Portugal English Proficiency Index by Age Trends
Another reason is that most TV shows, movies, and songs in Portugal are in English. Instead of being dubbed into Portuguese, most English-speaking shows and movies are subtitled. This way, people can hear English while reading the Portuguese translation.
Tourism also plays a big role. Portugal’s international tourism is an important economy, with many visitors from English-speaking countries. In popular places like Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve Region, local people need to speak English for daily tasks. Most local businesses have bilingual speakers.
… English speakers make up the largest group of foreign property buyers, taking advantage of excellent homes at affordable prices…
Real estate in Portugal is a major draw, especially for English speakers, who are the largest group of foreign property buyers. With a growing economy, new tech companies, and lower property prices compared to other countries, Portugal is becoming more popular. Since the 1970s, many English-speaking visitors have bought homes here, with a big increase in the last 10 years. At Lisbon Property, we now offer great opportunities in new condo developments. Take a look!
How well do people speak English across different regions and cities in Portugal?
Portugal has a strong education system with many high-level university courses taught in English.
All of these factors make English a cultural language in Portugal—starting English lessons early in life, exposure to English through media, tourism, and a strong education system help Portuguese people become good English speakers.
Why English Matters to Americans Living in Portugal
Since English is widely spoken in Portugal, more English speakers are visiting and moving there. This increase influences the number of services directed to them.
- Lisbon and Porto International Airports: with direct flights to North American main airports within a 6-hour flight.
- High English Speaking: Portuguese people are very friendly, and most of them speak English, especially in cities and places where tourists visit. In larger cities like Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve region, English is often used in business and everyday life.
- Affordable Cost of Living: Portugal has a lower cost of living than the U.S. and Canada, especially in housing, restaurants, supermarkets, and transportation. You can live comfortably in Portugal with a fraction of North America’s living cost.
- Safety: Portugal is one of the safest countries in the world, ranked 7th on the Global Peace Index.
- Mild Climate: Portugal is a sunny country, with 2500-3200 hours of sunlight per year. With different climates across regions: the Algarve region, in the south of Portugal, is warmer and sunnier year-round; in the North region, winters are cooler and rainy, and in the central region, like Lisbon, has mild winters and hot summers.
- Residency and Visa Options: Portugal has easy options available for North Americans to live here with special residential & investment visas. Two popular options are the D2 Visa and the Golden Visa.
- The D2 Visa is for people who want to start a business or work as an entrepreneur in Portugal.
- The Golden Visa is for people who invest money in Portugal, like buying a property or supporting a business.
Both of these visas allow you to live in Portugal. After living here for a few years, you can apply to European Union citizenship.
- Quality of Life: With over 300 days of sunshine a year, long oceanic coaslilne, beautiful beaches, rich cultural heritage, and a relaxed pace of life, Portugal provides an excellent quality of life for those looking to enjoy leisure, all-year outdoor activities, and a sense of well-being.
- Health Care: Portugal has a high standard of healthcare system, and it is significantly more affordable than in North America. Residents, including expats, have access to both public and private healthcare systems.
- Cuisine: Portuguese food is excellent and extremely affordable, and it uses high-quality local ingredients, like fresh seafood, olives, cheese, and meats. The Mediterranean diet, which is popular in Portugal, includes lots of fresh vegetables, fish, and olive oil, and is considered one of the healthiest diets in the world. Portugal is also famous for its wines, with well-known wine regions like Douro, Alentejo, and Dão.
- Proximity to Other European Destinations: Portugal’s location makes travelling around Europe easy. Big cities like Lisbon, Porto, and Faro have many flights to other big cities in Europe. These flights take between 1 to 3 hours, which makes it easy to visit different parts of Europe.
Portugal mean air temperature 2023, from north to south of the country
English speakers communities in Portugal
The number of English-speaker communities in Portugal is growing every year, according to Portuguese Official numbers of INE, AIMA & SEF (source in end of article).
Table with data of Where Do Most English Speaking Foreigners Live in Portugal (by District)
According to 2021 official numbers, the largest British communities in Portugal live in the Algarve, Lisbon, Leiria, Madeira, Porto, and Comporta.
For Americans, the biggest communities are in Lisbon, the Algarve, Porto, Cascais, Leiria, and Comporta.
The largest Canadian communities in Portugal are in Lisbon, the Algarve, Leiria, Porto, and Comporta.
British and Irish Citizens in Portugal
- Population Size: Approximately 47.000 British nationals reside in Portugal.
- Main Locations:
- Algarve: This region has the most British people living there. In some towns, more than 20% of the people are foreigners, and many of them are British.
- Lisbon: A sizeable British community exists in the capital, attracted by business opportunities and urban lifestyle.
- Porto: Smaller but growing British expat population.
American Citizens in Portugal
- Population Size: Around 6.800 U.S. citizens live in Portugal.
- Main Locations:
- Lisbon: The majority reside here, drawn by the city’s culture and business environment.
- Porto and Algarve: Also popular among American expats seeking a quieter lifestyle or retirement.
Canadian Citizens in Portugal
- Population Size: Around 1.700 Canadian residents.
- Main Locations:
- Similar to American expats, Canadians favor Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve region.
Australian and South African Citizens
- Population Size: Smaller communities, each with a few thousand residents.
- Main Locations: Mostly in Lisbon and the Algarve.
The number of English-speaking expats in Portugal has been growing, especially after the country introduced special residency programs like the Golden Visa and the D7 Visa. Portugal has also become a popular place for digital nomads (people who work online from anywhere in the world) from English-speaking countries. Many of them choose to live in cities like Lisbon and Porto.
Sources for More Information about English in Portugal
For the most accurate and up-to-date statistics, you can consult the following sources:
- Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (SEF):
- SEF publishes annual reports titled “Relatório de Imigração, Fronteiras e Asilo”, which provide detailed statistics on foreign residents by nationality and region.
- Website: SEF Official Site (https://www.sef.pt/pt/Pages/homepage.aspx)
- Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE):
- Portugal’s National Statistics Institute offers census data and demographic information.
- Website: INE Official Site (https://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpgid=ine_main&xpid=INE)
- Embassy Publications:
- British Embassy in Portugal and U.S. Embassy in Portugal ometimes release reports with information on how many of their citizens live in Portugal.
- Websites:
- British Embassy Lisbon (https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-lisbon)
- U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Portugal (https://pt.usembassy.gov/)
How many people speak portuguese around the world?
According to Ethnologue, in 2023, Portuguese is spoken by approximately 264 million people worldwide.
Portuguese is an official language in the following countries:
- Brazil, having the largest number of Portuguese speakers.
- Portugal, the origin of the Portuguese language. As the country where the language first developed, Portugal holds historical importance in the spread of Portuguese during the Age of Exploration, in the 15th and 16th centuries across Africa, Asia, and South America.>
- Cabo Verde
- Mozambique
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Timor-Leste
- Equatorial Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
These countries have Portuguese as an official language and use it for communication in government, education, and daily life.
Portuguese-speaking communities also exist in several other countries and regions, although it is not an official language there:
- Macau (co-official with Chinese)
- Andorra
- Luxembourg
- Aruba
- Bermuda
- Curaçao
- Gibraltar
- Jersey
- Liechtenstein
- Paraguay
- Sint Maarten
- Switzerland
2023 most spoken languages in the world, by ethnologue – https://www.ethnologue.com/
