Top 10 Brazilian Songs to Help You to Learn Portuguese Through Music

Jack A Berning -

A great way to learn Portuguese is through listening to Brazilian songs. Music is good for your brain—and can help you to learn how to speak Portuguese more effectively. In this article, we’re going to talk through how to combine music and language learning through some of the best Brazilian songs.

There is a ton of proof out there that music aids in memorization, and when it comes to learning a langugae, retention is key.

We know that you love music. So why not use it to learn Portuguese? The goal of this article is to provide you with the coolest, easy-to-understand Brazilian songs to help you speak Portuguese more fluently. I've compiled a list with all types of genres, so that your particular tastes are met.

4 Benefits of Brazilian Songs to Help You to Learn Portuguese

Music has an incredible effect on the brain. Pairing music with language study can help to:

Have you ever noticed that song lyrics are easier to memorize than other forms of text?

There are studies proving that words associated with rhythm and melody are more like to stick in our brain and compensate for flaws in memory. That's why so many great teachers take advantage of the benefits of music to encourage faster and more productive learning for their students.

The best way to build vocabulary is through experiencing the language first-hand. This is especially true with Portuguese, as many words are used in a nuanced fashion. throug music, you can get more in touch with Brazilian culture all while sharpening your language skills!

How to Best Use Brazilian Songs to Learn Portuguese

While simply listening to Brazilian songs is a great way to help you to learn to speak Portuguese, there are some best practices that can make the experience all the more beneficial.

Pick Songs That You Like

The most important step in learning Portuguese through songs is to pick songs that are consistent with your tastes. Try out a couple of different genres (Brazil is known for samba!) to see what type of Brazilian music speaks most truly to you.

This will encourage your brain to want to return to these songs, thus making language study less of a chore and more of a treat!

Break The Song Down

You don't have to put pressure on yourself to learn all the lyrics right away.

As with any method of language learning, it's a process. Try breaking the song down into chunks. Get the chorus down first, then work into the verses. This will make it easier to piece together the narrative of the song and understand it's message more fully!

Sing Like Nobody's Listening

The best way to learn Portuguese is to speak Portuguese (or in this case-- sing it!)

Whether your singing voice is good or not, take some time to let loose on your own rendition of the song. This will help with pronunciation, and make it easier for the song to stick in your brain!

Build Voice Muscles

Singing in portuguese is a great practice for building the voice muscles necessary to speak the language.

This is especially true for adult learners who lose certain muscles as they become entrenched in their native tongue. In order to speak like a native of Brazil, you need to naturally rebuild the muscles to speak correctly, naturally, and fluently.

10 Best Brazilian Songs to Learn Portuguese

Now that you're a believer that music can help you to learn Portguese, let's get into our list of best songs available to you!

Pop Songs

  1. Jorge Ben Jor - Mas Que Nada

Jorge Ben Jor is one of the most inconic Brazilian musicians. Mas Que Nada has a lively, rhythmic beat and references samba-- embracing the cultural spirit and soul of Brazil.

  1. Tribalistas - Ja Sei Namorar

The Tribalistas were a short-lived pop group that produced several hits. Ja Sei Namorar is a great song for beginners for its use to pretense and everyday vocabulary verbs.

  1. Chico Buarque - Construção

One of Brazil's most iconic heartthrobs, Construção was one of the artist's most popular hits. This song is great for intermediate learners with lots of use of the conditional tense.

  1. MC G15 - Deu Onda (Kondazilla)

This song was especially popular in Brazil's cultural center, Rio De Janeiro, bringing dance and fashion culture to the forefront. This song contains a ton of Brazilian slang that will make you sound like a local!

Rock & Samba Songs

  1. Gilberto Gil - Chiclete com Banana

What could be a worse comination that gum and banana? That's the point-- serving as a satire for the artists choice to combine rock and samba music. Gil's version is slow and pronounced, making it easy to learn Portuguese from.

  1. Sambasonics - Vem Balançar

This dance hit is a great way to get your brain feeling funky during a study session. This song contains a ton of great dance culture, and is an awesome way to pick up fun vocabulary words.

  1. Seu Jorge - Carolina

Need to express your undying devotion to someone you love in Portuguese? This is the song for you. But be careful, it will make you want to fall in love with a Brazilian!

  1. Paula Lima - Vou Deixar

Paula Lima serves as a feminist icon for Brazilian samba music. The lyrics are fairly simple, and provide nice reprieve from a genre that is typically dominated by the male gaze.

Modern Hits

  1. Nego Do Borel - Você Partiu Meu Coração

Nego do Borel recently adjusted his lyrics to reach a more mainstream audience, and it worked. The Funk singer topped the charts with Você Partiu Meu Coração, "You Broke My Heart."

  1. Anitta - Essa Mina É Louca

Brazilian funk-pop singer Anitta, born in Rio de Janeiro, is one of Brazil's largest mainstream artists. This song captures the current moment for women in Brazil, and contains a ton of great vocabulary for you.

Bonus Song

Thiago Brava - Dona Maria

One of my personal favorites, Thiago Brava brings a cross-genre hit that is fun for any ocassion, and a great way to pick up vocabulary and experience several verb tenses.

Using Brazilian Songs Is a Great Method for Learning Portuguese

Brazilian songs will help you to learn Portuguese naturally and efficiently because:

  • They help you nail-down pronunciation
  • You learn about Brazil's culture
  • Your grammar skills and vocal strength will improve with less effort than traditional language study methods

When you listen to music, your brain gets a boost that makes it easier to learn Portuguese. It’s a great tool to help you stay motivated and dedicated to your language learning practice, and is sure to pick up your mood.

Also, wouldn’t it be pretty awesome to sing entire songs in Portuguese? And the best part is, you can take them with you throughout the day (the songs on this list are sure to be stuck in your head!)