The official language of Portugal is Portuguese, although accents and dialects may vary widely from one region to another. It belongs to the "Romantic" language family and all the words are spelled with a "Latin" alphabet.

In Portugal, English language is normally readily understood, especially in the tourist areas and mostly by the younger Portuguese generation.

All transport hubs, including railway stations and airports also have full English translations and signposting. When dining out, most restaurants and cafes in Algarve have English menus and, if not, waiters are always happy to translate.

Below you will find some practical words and sentences that will make your travel experience a lot easier and a lot more fun.