Overview of the Portuguese Language
Portuguese Language
The Portuguese language, known as português or língua portuguesa, is a Western Romance language originating from the Iberian Peninsula in Europe.
Geographical Distribution
Portuguese is spoken across various parts of the world, notably in:
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇦🇴 Angola
- 🇨🇻 Cape Verde
- 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau
- 🇲🇿 Mozambique
- 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe
- It also has a co-official status in 🇹🇱 East Timor, 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea, and the 🇨🇳 Macau region of China.
Total Speakers
Approximately 260 million people speak Portuguese, with around 230 million native speakers and 25-30 million second language speakers.
Official and First Language
Portuguese is the official language in nine countries and one dependency, and it is the first language for the majority of the population in these regions.
Language Family
It belongs to the Indo-European language family, within the Italic group, and is part of the Romance languages that evolved from Latin.
Similar Languages
Portuguese shares similarities with other Romance languages, especially Spanish, Italian, French, and Romanian, due to their common Latin roots.
Writing System
The language uses the Latin script in its writing system, which is also adapted into Portuguese Braille for the visually impaired.
Global Significance
Portuguese is a significant global language due to its widespread use and historical influence, especially in the Southern Hemisphere and as part of the colonial history of Portugal. It’s also an official language of several international organizations.