What language should I learn for South America?

[Benjiman]

I'm going to South America in February. I'm going to spend a month in Brazil, followed by a month in Bolivia and a month in Peru. I'm going to take either Portuguese or Spanish classes... Any suggestions on which would be more useful for the whole trip? Like do Spanish speakers understand Portuguese better than vice versa or anything?

Cheers

Ben

[buildersmate]

Portuguese speakers tend to understand more Spanish than vice versa because the Spanish language is the more common.

[Mr Veritas]

As the whole of South America speaks Spanish (with the sole exception of Brazil who speak Portugese) I would imagine that Spanish classes would be the best.
Many (but not all) people in Brazil understand/speak some Spanish.
Very few (if any) of the Spanish speaking countries understnd/speak Portugese,with the exception of those countries that immediately border Brazil.

[coccinelle]

They also speak English! but it's always appreciated to say a few sentences in the local language.

[alavahalf]

Just to confuse you further...a few weeks ago I was talking to someone in the Furteventura who speaks fluent spanish.
She has lived in the Canaries for 10 years.
She told me she went to mainland Spain and has trouble understanding the locals, even though she translates as one of her jobs.
She advised me if you intend living in the Canaries or South America...the preffered language to learn would be Spanish/ Latin American style.
I did'nt even realise there was a difference.

..Una Cervesa por favor......that's all I need..!

[Mr Veritas]

alva is right.
We have a friend living in the deep south of Brazil.
She had never been to Portugal before,and when she did she had some difficulty in understanding them (and vice versa).
She was speaking "Brazilian" Portugese.

[Benjiman]

Thanks everyone!! I'll look for Latin America Spanish lessons :)

[sitges]

Your best bet is to take lessons in the country you are going to visit. If you know basic spanish you will be able to pick up the Latin America dialect when you get there. However if you do not know any spanish and try to get lessons before you go, you will only be able to get Castilian Spanish which is what they speak in Spain. Your best bet is to try an find someone from a South American country living near you that can give you conversational lessons.

[theshedman]

Hi Ben, whichever version of Spanish you learn you should be understood. The main difference seems to be the way they pronounce a couple of letters. And as alva says the main thing to learn is, una Cervesa y Gin con Limon por favor. If I forgot other half she wouldn't be happy lol. Good luck.

[jno]

I think Latins don't lithp the way Thpaniardth do. You will have two months in Spanish-speaking countries, one in Portuguese, so I guess Spanish wins.

[filthiestfis]

Good to see you lot learning Spanish. It is spelled 'cerveza'. If you ask for a 'gin con limon' your request will be understood, however, gin= ginebra.

[theshedman]

Hi all, my spelling has never been the best in English so even worse in Spanish filthiestfis LOL. Other half likes her Gin with Lemmonade but have you tried getting proper lemmonade in Spain. Usually 7up.