Private live classes for adults who want to speak with people they care about, build a life in Brazil, or stop translating every sentence in their head.
First class free · 30 minutes · no credit card
Four private classes
Live 1:1 sessions every month
A plan built for you
Level, goals, and real-life needs
Feedback that continues
Class summaries and weekly practice
A serious program for adult life
Personalized does not mean improvised. Your classes follow a clear progression, but every example, conversation, and practice task is chosen around the Portuguese you actually need.
Expats living in or moving to Brazil who need Portuguese for daily life
Partners and spouses of Brazilians who want to connect with their family
Heritage speakers who grew up hearing Portuguese but never learned formally
Retirees planning to relocate to Brazil and need practical fluency
Polyglots and language enthusiasts who want the real, spoken version
Anyone who tried apps, courses, or marketplace tutors and is ready for a real teacher
Dra. Carla Dias
PhD, USP · 12+ years teaching Portuguese
Structured enough to create progress. Personal enough to fit a real life.
Your route from first words to fluency
The destination is not a grammar score. It is a growing set of things you can understand, say, write, and do in Brazilian Portuguese.
Foundation
You learn
Greetings, introductions, numbers, dates, family, daily routine, food, colors, present-tense verbs, articles, and gender.
You can do
Introduce yourself, ask for basic information, understand simple phrases, read short notices, and write a simple message.
Foundation
You learn
Simple past and future tenses, shopping, health, transportation, housing, free time, everyday expressions, and expanded vocabulary.
You can do
Describe past experiences, make plans, hold simple conversations, read short texts, and write messages and brief narratives.
Independent
You learn
The subjunctive, the imperfect past tense, discourse connectors, expressing opinions, simple debates, Brazilian culture, and press texts.
You can do
Express opinions, tell stories, hold conversations on familiar topics, read articles, and write organized texts.
Independent
You learn
The subjunctive and conditional in complex contexts, formal and informal language, argumentation, opinion writing, and varieties of Portuguese.
You can do
Debate current topics, understand films and podcasts, write essays and formal emails, and negotiate meaning in complex interactions.
Advanced
You learn
Academic and professional language, irony, cultural subtext, indirect speech, literary and journalistic texts, and stylistic nuance.
You can do
Express yourself with fluency and precision, understand complex texts, produce long and coherent writing, and take part in sophisticated debates.
Advanced
You learn
Full command of registers, idiomatic expressions, regional varieties, creative writing, and critical analysis of authentic discourse.
You can do
Communicate like a native speaker, understand any text or audio, and produce elaborate discourse in any context.
Not sure whether you are A2, B1, or somewhere between?
Answer 12 questions to get an estimated CEFR level, your main weakness, and a matched learning resource.
What your monthly plan includes
Every part of the plan exists to connect one class to the next, so your progress does not disappear when the Zoom call ends.
Four 60-minute 1:1 sessions each month, built around your level, life, and reasons for learning.
A CEFR-aligned route from A1 to C2, adapted to what you already know and what you need next.
Google Classroom, a class-summary PDF, and clear practice suggestions so the learning continues between sessions.
Direct correction, pronunciation guidance, and explanations that help you notice and fix patterns as you speak.
Personal, never improvised
Dra. Carla chooses the right sequence and materials for your level, then uses your real needs to make that sequence relevant.
Core textbooks
SAMBA! Vol. 1 (A1–A2) and Vol. 2 (B1–B2), paired with Gramática Ativa Vols. 1 and 2
Custom materials
Worksheets, audio, video, and activities developed in-house by HappyPortuguese
Skills covered
Listening, reading, speaking, and writing — integrated into every class
Framework alignment
Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) — A1 to C2
Format
Private 1:1 classes · Online
How the program begins
The order matters: first we locate your starting point, then we build a plan, then each class adds a skill you can use outside the lesson.
A real 30-minute lesson — not a discovery call. We figure out your level, your pronunciation baseline, your biggest gaps, and what you want to be able to do. You leave with something useful.
After the first class, Dra. Carla sends a written plan: which areas to focus on, how often to study, and what to expect at 1, 3, and 6 months. No pressure to enroll.
One, two, or three weekly sessions that build on each other. The curriculum adapts as you progress — no repetitive filler lessons, no time wasted on things you already know.
The goal of every program is the same: real conversations in real life. We keep returning to situations you care about until the language becomes easier to access without translating every sentence.
Current tuition
From $95/month · four private 60-minute classes
Choose 4, 8, or 12 monthly classes. A single private drop-in is $30.
Useful before your first class
These guides answer the questions adult learners usually have before choosing a level, pace, or focus.
Find your place on the route
What each level actually sounds like in Brazilian Portuguese, with concrete examples you can use to self-assess.
Read articlePlan realistically
Realistic timelines based on your starting point, study frequency, and what “fluent” means for your life.
Read articleFor B1 and B2 learners
Why progress slows after the basics—and the changes that help adult learners start moving again.
Read articleSpeak more clearly
The sounds that repeatedly cause confusion and a focused way to practise each one.
Read articleQuestions before you choose
The practical details about level, format, progress, scheduling, and what happens after the first class.
Yes. Adult Classes are designed for all levels, from A1 (zero Portuguese) to C2 (near-native). Your free first class is a real placement session — Dra. Carla assesses your level, identifies your gaps, and designs your plan from there.
Start with the free online level assessment for an estimated CEFR level from A1 to C2. It takes about five minutes and identifies your main weakness. Dra. Carla then confirms your placement during the free first class by listening to how you understand, speak, and respond in real time.
One class per week produces steady, measurable progress. Two classes per week produces faster results. Consistency matters more than intensity — students who attend regularly, even once a week, reach conversational fluency within 6–12 months.
Each live class combines guided conversation with the grammar, pronunciation, listening, or vocabulary you need for your current goal. You work with real Brazilian Portuguese, receive corrections while you speak, and leave knowing what to practise before the next session.
The current Adult plans are private 1:1 classes. Choose four, eight, or twelve 60-minute classes per month, or purchase one private drop-in.
Monthly students receive a dedicated Google Classroom, a summary PDF after every class, personalized teacher feedback, and a weekly Brazilian video, song, podcast, or other piece of authentic content connected to the learning plan.
Yes. Adult Classes work especially well for heritage speakers who understand more than they can express, and for partners or spouses who want to participate more naturally with Brazilian family. The curriculum begins with the skills you already have instead of treating you like a complete beginner.
Happy Portuguese teaches Brazilian Portuguese, including pronunciation, vocabulary, everyday expressions, and cultural context. Dra. Carla also explains regional and formal differences when they matter, especially at upper-intermediate and advanced levels.
Adult 1:1 plans are $95 for four private 60-minute classes, $180 for eight classes, or $270 for the twelve-class intensive. These prices include the package discount. A single private drop-in is $30.
Life happens. Classes can be rescheduled with at least 24 hours notice at no penalty. Monthly plans renew through Stripe and can be canceled through the customer portal or with 15 calendar days notice by email.
Your first class is free — a real 30-minute lesson, not a discovery call or sales pitch. You will work on actual Portuguese content, get a level assessment, and leave with a written study plan. No credit card and no obligation to continue.
Your first class is a real 30-minute lesson. Dra. Carla will listen to how you understand and speak, identify your starting level, and send you a clear study plan.
No credit card · no obligation · useful even if you do not enroll