Which language would you rather learn? Italian or Portuguese?

[TDAS04]

?

[°Leprechaun]

I'd like to learn both, but Portuguese is my priority.
I've studied a lot of Italian, but it's been years and I could remember a lot if I studied it again.

[Sol]

Portuguese would be much more useful, since it's one of the most spoken languages in the world. Probably also a bit easier for me since I know a (tiny bit) of Spanish, while Italian is a bit more divergent. I'm also more interested in Lusophone literature and culture (with apologies to Battista!).

[Mr. Smith]

Italian, since the old man is fluent and Great Grandmama was Calabrian.

I do find my Spanish takes on a very slight Italian accent if I'm not careful. I've learned to temper it by affecting with a "ceceo" [aka all lisp, all the time] and using vosotros.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I would like to learn Italian. I would love to spend time in Italy, and also I am interesting in reading some books by the psychiatrist Eugenio Borgna (who remains untranslated in any other language afaik).

[Frodo]

How different is Portuguese to learn from Spanish?  

[Meclazine for Israel]

Portuguese.

Helps with working in Brazil.

[Landslide Lyndon]

How different is Portuguese to learn from Spanish?  

I remember my teacher (who was fluent in all Latin languages except Romanian) told me once that Portuguese is like the redneck version of Spanish (and also much harder to learn because of the grammar).

[HillGoose]

i cooka da pizza

[quesaisje]

Portuguese for exactly the reasons Sol describes, but I would probably take Italian first, if we were talking about reading alone. That's not meant as a complaint about Portuguese literature, it's just a matter of opportunity cost.

[Crumpets]

Hmm... I'd say I'm vaguely more interested in learning Italian, but Portuguese is much more useful in my line of work. Probably still lean Italian, though.

[Lechasseur]

Italian

[Cokeland Saxton]

Portuguese because it's more common

[Red Velvet]

How different is Portuguese to learn from Spanish?  

You might understand some similar words here and there but won’t be able to understand people at all, at least not fully.

In general, Portuguese speakers understand Spanish speakers more usually, but the opposite is harsher to see. Hispanic native tourists here in Brazil can even prefer talking in English often.

So as a non-native Hispanic speaker, it’s unlikely you would understand if I talked in Portuguese with you if you only have some average knowledge of Spanish.

Spanish is probably the easiest of romance languages to learn for non-speakers IMO, followed by Italian.

I would put Portuguese in 3rd tbh; French 4h and Romanian 5th.

Catalan is often forgotten but I would put it around Italian or Portuguese level of difficulty. It’s also one of the romantic languages.

Galician is also romantic, but quite similar to Portuguese actually, so it’s around same level of difficulty. So from easiest to hardest:

1. Spanish
2. Italian / Catalan
3. Portuguese / Galician
4. French
5. Romanian
6. Latin

Btw, even Portuguese speakers might have trouble communicating between themselves depending of which Portuguese they speak. Portugal people may understand people from Brazil, but the opposite is harsher because European Portuguese is more “mouth-shut” than the Brazilian one.

Stereotype of Portugal Portuguese is that it sounds like “Russians trying to speak Spanish” while Brazilian Portuguese stereotype is that we sound like we’re singing when we talk because it’s very melodic with emphasis on vowels, while in Portugal they cut those.

[Battista Minola 1616]

Portuguese would be much more useful, since it's one of the most spoken languages in the world. Probably also a bit easier for me since I know a (tiny bit) of Spanish, while Italian is a bit more divergent. I'm also more interested in Lusophone literature and culture (with apologies to Battista!).

You don't need to apologize, my answer to the question is also Portuguese (ha ha ha)*. I'm a lot more offended by the implication that you would learn languages based on 'usefulness'. I'm also not sure Portuguese would be easier for you, because of phonology.

*Although I guess I am already learning Portuguese right now, so the answer is actually neither?

[Battista Minola 1616]

Italian, since the old man is fluent and Great Grandmama was Calabrian.

I do find my Spanish takes on a very slight Italian accent if I'm not careful. I've learned to temper it by affecting with a "ceceo" [aka all lisp, all the time] and using vosotros.

I don't think using Iberian Spanish is going to make you sound less Italian...

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Italian, since the old man is fluent and Great Grandmama was Calabrian.

I do find my Spanish takes on a very slight Italian accent if I'm not careful. I've learned to temper it by affecting with a "ceceo" [aka all lisp, all the time] and using vosotros.

I don't think using Iberian Spanish is going to make you sound less Italian...

You need to speak Argentine Spanish if you want to do that.

[Battista Minola 1616]

Italian, since the old man is fluent and Great Grandmama was Calabrian.

I do find my Spanish takes on a very slight Italian accent if I'm not careful. I've learned to temper it by affecting with a "ceceo" [aka all lisp, all the time] and using vosotros.

I don't think using Iberian Spanish is going to make you sound less Italian...

You need to speak Argentine Spanish if you want to do that.

Vo' no va manyar si vo' no laburá, claro?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Italian, since the old man is fluent and Great Grandmama was Calabrian.

I do find my Spanish takes on a very slight Italian accent if I'm not careful. I've learned to temper it by affecting with a "ceceo" [aka all lisp, all the time] and using vosotros.

I don't think using Iberian Spanish is going to make you sound less Italian...

You need to speak Argentine Spanish if you want to do that.

Vo' no va manyar si vo' no laburá, claro?

たくさんアルゼンチン人 はイタリア語の方言話せました。
(Many Argentines spoke Italian dialects.)
私の曽祖父 はシチリア島に出身でした。特にパレルモ。うん、これ関係するできるな。
(My My great-grandfather was from Sicily. Specifically Palermo. So, I can relate to this.)