In previous blog posts I have explained the challenge posed by Portuguese, the first language I am attempting to add as a trained interpreter. When I began training to become an interpreter, the focus was on developing the skills required to do the job, given that I ha...

I'm not a big lover of New Year's resolutions, though the early weeks of January do normally allow me to take stock and recalibrate long-term goals. With that in mind, 2017 has seen me redouble my efforts with regards to studying Portuguese.

Whereas I made good progress...

"This is going to be much easier than I thought." That was what first crossed my mind as I sat smugly through my opening intensive Portuguese class after making the move to Lisbon. I understood every word the teacher was saying and surprised myself with how much vocabu...

Portuguese is the third language I'm studying to a serious level. I did an A-level in German but that language lies somewhere between dormant and extinct in the recesses of my mind. I began French at primary school after my mother signed me up to an after school club a...

I'll begin with a confession.

I don't like the term "add". Yes, I understand the verb is used, in this case, to describe bolstering one's language combination but to me it conjures up images of simple arithmetic or casually grabbing something from a shop shelf. 

Indeed I...

In March 2015, I moved to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. I was seeking a new professional challenge and a change of scenery, yet my primary objective was to learn the language, with a view to adding Portuguese to my working combination as a conference interpreter....