Languages

Language as the architecture of thought across cultures.

Active Journeys

Language Current Target Focus

Spanish

B2

C2

Literature, professional, native fluency

Portuguese

A1

B2

Brazilian Portuguese, business, literature

Why These Languages?

Spanish

  • Literature — Reading Cervantes, García Márquez, Borges in original

  • Cultural bridge — 500+ million speakers worldwide

  • Professional — Serving Spanish-speaking communities

  • Personal — The joy of another world of expression

Portuguese

  • Global reach — 260+ million speakers

  • Business — Brazil as major economic power

  • Literature — Pessoa, Machado de Assis

  • Linguistic bridge — Spanish accelerates Portuguese

CEFR Framework

Level Can Do Certification

A1 (Beginner)

Basic phrases, introduce self

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A2 (Elementary)

Simple conversations, routine tasks

DELE A2

B1 (Intermediate)

Travel, express opinions, describe experiences

DELE B1, Celpe-Bras

B2 (Upper Intermediate)

Complex texts, technical discussions, spontaneous interaction

DELE B2, Celpe-Bras

C1 (Advanced)

Implicit meaning, flexible language use, academic/professional

DELE C1

C2 (Mastery)

Near-native fluency, subtle nuance, literature

DELE C2

The Romance Language Advantage

Spanish and Portuguese share ~89% lexical similarity:

  • Shared vocabulary — cognates accelerate acquisition

  • Similar grammar — verb conjugation patterns transfer

  • Phonetic awareness — distinguishing similar sounds sharpens listening

  • Cultural context — Iberian and Latin American history intertwines

Learning Methodology

  1. Comprehensible input — massive reading and listening

  2. Spaced repetition — vocabulary retention

  3. Active production — writing and speaking from day one

  4. Cultural immersion — media, music, native content

  5. Systematic grammar — structured study alongside input

Related

  • Literature — Reading in Spanish and Portuguese