Rating: 
Summary: The best way to start
Review: This is an excellent start to speaking Brazilian Portuguese. The course is totally audio with the exception of some reading practice of words used in the course. Grammer is important but that can come much later. It's an expensive course but worth every penny. Get it in auction if possible. Each lesson is half an hour long which I can always manage sometime during the day. I have noticed that the male and the female speaker seem to have differing dialects and the male speaks faster and is harder to understand. I asked a brazilian man about this and he said that genders differ in the way they speak the language in Brazil. This is probably a good thing for my practice, but it can be a bit confusing sometimes. This is not a deal breaker by any means! I would also recommend reading "How to learn any language; quickly, easily, inexpensively and on your own" by Barry Farber for some great tips. I have many language books and tapes but this is, without a doubt, the very best. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Not better than a course in person
Review: This series is okay. However, if your local college offers Brazilian portuguese (and you have the time), I think it would serve you better and may also be less expensive. When I was an undergrad, I took several courses in portuguese. It has been 7 years since I spoke the language (and even then I was not extremely fluent tho' could hold a conversation, understand, and picked up the accent). I have started to begin learning it again. But, the tapes don't give you the immersion that you can get from a classroom setting where, if you advance enough, you are forced to think in the language...not just repeat memorized phrases...and you usually have a lot of classmates who grew up using the language. The tapes don't teach you (nor do they profess to, I believe) how to say a completely new phrase using the words you've learned....that is, how to translate what you want to say in english to what you want to say in portugues.
I don't think this series is worth [very much].
Rating:
Summary: Not better than a course in person
Review: This series is okay. However, if your local college offers Brazilian portuguese (and you have the time), I think it would serve you better and may also be less expensive. When I was an undergrad, I took several courses in portuguese. It has been 7 years since I spoke the language (and even then I was not extremely fluent tho' could hold a conversation, understand, and picked up the accent). I have started to begin learning it again. But, the tapes don't give you the immersion that you can get from a classroom setting where, if you advance enough, you are forced to think in the language...not just repeat memorized phrases...and you usually have a lot of classmates who grew up using the language. The tapes don't teach you (nor do they profess to, I believe) how to say a completely new phrase using the words you've learned....that is, how to translate what you want to say in english to what you want to say in portugues.
I don't think this series is worth [very much].
Rating:
Summary: A very easy way to learn to speak Portuguese.
Review: This series is the best way I have found to learn a language. It runs through a scenario, breaks down the sentences for verb tense, gender, etc. and will sound out difficult words syllable by syllable. When a phrase is used that the meaning is not what the words literally mean, they explain it in an easy to understand manner. While it's always helpful to speak with a native, this course will help you accelerate your learning process so you can make the most of you conversations with your amigos brasilieros. I would buy a book to use along with the course. It's mainly an audio course and having a grammar book, or a "Portuguese in 10 Minutes a Day" type book will help greatly.
Rating:
Summary: A very easy way to learn to speak Portuguese.
Review: This series is the best way I have found to learn a language. It runs through a scenario, breaks down the sentences for verb tense, gender, etc. and will sound out difficult words syllable by syllable. When a phrase is used that the meaning is not what the words literally mean, they explain it in an easy to understand manner. While it's always helpful to speak with a native, this course will help you accelerate your learning process so you can make the most of you conversations with your amigos brasilieros. I would buy a book to use along with the course. It's mainly an audio course and having a grammar book, or a "Portuguese in 10 Minutes a Day" type book will help greatly.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent tape if you are at the beginner level
Review: very good if you are a complete beginner to portuguese. however, if you already know some portuguese, the material is a little repetitive and boring. overall, i would have to say that i recommend it.
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