Learning Portuguese in Portugal

Speaking Portuguese is not only a matter of comfort: the language appears on forms, in medical appointments, at school meetings and, later, in applications for permanent residence or nationality. For people who arrive without the language, or with Portuguese that works at home but not at a public counter, there is a public network of courses. This guide explains that network using AIMA’s pages: who gets in, what is taught, how long it takes and where the certificate counts.

What PLA courses are

The Portuguese as a Host Language (PLA) courses are for migrants in Portugal. AIMA explains that they used to be called Portuguese for Speakers of Other Languages (PFOL) or Portuguese for All (PPT), and that they were created by Portaria 183/2020 of 5 August, amended by Portaria 184/2022 of 21 July.

AIMA defines the target group as people aged 16 or over whose mother tongue is not Portuguese and/or who lack basic, intermediate or advanced Portuguese skills, under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). In its FAQs, AIMA adds that the courses are for these people regardless of whether their status in the country is regular. Anyone under 16 follows a different route, school, described in the guide on your children’s school.

Who can enrol and with which documents

Enrolment requires one of three kinds of proof. Participants must hold a residence title, under the law that applies to foreign nationals, or present one of these documents:

• proof that a procedure has been started to extend stay in the national territory, or to grant or renew a residence permit;
• proof of an application for international protection or temporary protection;
• proof that a Social Security Identification Number (NISS) has been assigned.

Holders of a short-stay visa for seasonal work, a temporary-stay visa or a residence visa are also covered.

This means you do not have to wait for your residence card to start. If you have a NISS, you already have a document AIMA accepts for enrolment. The NISS guide explains how to get one.

How the levels are organised

The courses are based on frameworks in the National Qualifications Catalogue and are divided into short-duration training units (UFCD). AIMA groups them into two paths.

Path A: A1 and A2 (Basic User)

Level	Unit	Hours
A1	Me and my daily routine	25
A1	Eating habits, culture and leisure	25
A1	The human body, health and services	25
A2	Me and the world of work	25
A2	My past and my present	25
A2	Communication and life in society	25

Path B: B1 and B2 (Independent User)

Level	Unit	Hours
B1	Me, society and culture	50
B1	Me and others	25
B1	Cultural current affairs	25
B2	Society and life projects	50
B2	Current affairs	25

AIMA clarifies that the unit “Cultural current affairs” deepens knowledge of the host country’s culture and is not compulsory for the B1 certificate if the person has already completed the previous two units of that level. Although the units add up to more than 150 hours, AIMA allows some flexibility, always counting a total of 150 hours to complete B1 and B2.

For people who use an alphabet other than the Latin one, or another writing system, the catalogue includes a specific 25-hour unit on the graphic dimension and the alphabet in Portuguese, which should be added.

Duration

Each path, A or B, has a maximum duration of 150 hours. How long that takes on the calendar depends on the provider and the number of hours per week. When you enrol, ask which days and times the course runs, because the timetable varies from place to place.

Where to find courses

AIMA states that PLA courses are run by:

• public-network schools, through the Directorate-General for School Establishments;
• IEFP training centres, directly managed and participated;
• Qualifica Centres.

To find a course near home or work, AIMA points to two routes. The first is the Portal da Oferta Formativa: search the “Designação do Curso” field for “Português Língua de Acolhimento”. The second is to write to AIMA’s Directorate for the Promotion of the Portuguese Language, at lingua.portuguesa@aima.gov.pt, which tells you the nearest school, training centre or Qualifica Centre.

Then contact that provider directly to ask about the enrolment process, start dates, timetables and other requirements. AIMA says these vary. There is no single national calendar, nor one enrolment deadline that applies everywhere.

Cost

AIMA answers that the courses are free in the great majority of cases, but it may depend on the type of provider and on whether the course is co-funded by EU funds. Courses can receive funding from PESSOAS 2030 and FAMI 2030. When you enrol, ask whether there is any fee or cost for materials, and ask for the answer in writing if you have doubts.

The certificate and where it counts

PLA courses are certified. AIMA states that a certificate at level A2 or above proves knowledge of Portuguese for:

• an application for a permanent residence permit;
• an application for long-term resident status;
• an application for Portuguese nationality, according to AIMA, under the earlier regime described below.

For nationality, AIMA added that anyone who obtains an A2 or higher certificate is exempt from the Portuguese Language Test, known as the “nationality test”. That answer refers to the Nationality Regulation as worded by Decree-Law 26/2022, which predates Organic Law 1/2026. For applications submitted after 19 May 2026, the law asks for a test or certificate covering the language and also culture, history and national symbols, and the new Regulation may change which certificates count. So a PLA certificate remains proof of language, but check the citizenship guide, and the counter where you will submit, for what is required on the date you apply.

Other ways to prove Portuguese

The same AIMA FAQ page lists several ways to prove knowledge of the language for nationality, under article 25(2) of the Portuguese Nationality Regulation, as worded by Decree-Law 26/2022:

• a certificate from a recognised school, if the person passed Portuguese or Portuguese as a Non-Native Language in at least two school years;
• a certificate of a pass in the public-network Portuguese language test (the PaN, linked to the Educational Assessment Institute) or, abroad, at venues accredited by Camões, I.P.;
• a Portuguese as a foreign language certificate obtained by a test at a recognised assessment centre, such as CAPLE;
• a certificate of completion of level A2 or above issued by a public school or by IEFP centres;
• a PLA course certificate attesting A2 or above;
• a qualifications certificate with Portuguese-language units from a qualification in the National Qualifications Catalogue, totalling at least 100 hours.

This list is the one AIMA publishes under the earlier Regulation. The nationality regime changed in 2026, so do not treat it as the final list for your application; the citizenship guide follows that evolution.

Learning on your own: the Online Portuguese Platform

AIMA also has an Online Portuguese Platform, for adult speakers of other languages to acquire European Portuguese. It is for self-study and does not confer any kind of certification. It is organised into two levels, A and B, with 24 functional thematic modules in text, audio, video and image, and is available in Portuguese, English, Arabic and Spanish. Access is free at pptonline.aima.gov.pt, and questions can go to pptonline@aima.gov.pt.

It works well as a complement before a course, or between classes, but it does not replace the certificate if you need to present one.

Other options gov.pt mentions

gov.pt notes that, besides PLA courses, pupils on Education and Training Courses, Professional Courses and Specialised Artistic Courses can have Portuguese as a Non-Native Language within the course. For adults aged 18 or over who want to complete basic or secondary education, there are EFA courses, and RVCC at Qualifica Centres. See also the guide on studying in Portugal.

Where Portuguese enters the residence process

For family members who are reunited with a resident, the law provides integration measures including Portuguese-language training, and renewal depends on proving it. Keep the certificate from any course you take. The family reunification guide covers this point. For an overview of what to do next, use the What is my path? assistant. Administrative terms such as “title” or “apostille” are in the glossary.

Practical steps

1. Gather the document that proves your situation: residence title, proof of the residence application or the NISS.
2. Look for the course on the Portal da Oferta Formativa or write to lingua.portuguesa@aima.gov.pt.
3. Contact the school, IEFP centre or Qualifica Centre and ask about dates, timetables, costs and the level you should start at.
4. If your alphabet is not Latin, ask about the unit on the alphabet in Portuguese.
5. At the end, ask for the certificate and keep a copy. If you will use it in an application, check beforehand that it is accepted for that procedure.