Which language would you rather learn? Italian or Portuguese?

[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...

[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?

[Battista Minola 1616]

I am actually curious if anyone here is conversational in both languages (I wouldn't count myself just yet; unfortunately unlike with Spanish I encounter Portuguese speakers very rarely so I cannot get a proper assessment).

[Battista Minola 1616]

PORTUGUESE

Bom dia, tudo bom? Quero ir a praia hoje, beber água de coco e sentir o mar gelado bater no meu tornozelo.

Depois, vou almoçar ao ar-livre de chinelos. Gosto de comer bacalhau ou outros frutos do mar como camarões; ostras ou lulas.

De noite devo curtir um cinema com os amigos, comendo pipoca e bebendo refrigerante. Não é uma boa ideia?

SPANISH

Buenos días, todo bien? Quiero ir a la playa hoy, beber agua de coco y sentir el frío del mar golpear mi tobillo.

Después almorzaré al ar libre en chancletas. Me gusta comer bacalao o otros frutos del mar como gambas; ostras o calamares.

Por la noche debería disfrutar de una película con amigos, comiendo palomitas y bebiendo refrescos. No es una buena idea?

ITALIAN

Buon giorno, tutto bene? Voglio andare alla spiaggia oggi, bere acqua di cocco e sentire il mare freddo battere sulla mia caviglia.

Dopo pranzerò all'aria aperta in infradito. Mi piace mangiare baccalà [merluzzo] o altri frutti di mare come gamberi; ostriche o calamari.

Di notte dovrei guardarmi un film con degli amici, mangiando popcorn e bevendo delle bibite. Non è una buona idea?

Obviously similar, but not nearly as similar (although context dependent - for instance if you replace your almoço/lunch with a jantar/dinner then suddenly Spanish is a lot more like Italian than Portuguese). However as you pointed out that would be levelled out by differences in pronunciation.

[Battista Minola 1616]

"Ano" means "year" in Portuguese, but in Spanish it means "anus." "Año" is the Spanish word for year, so if you want to text someone "how old are you?" in Spanish, better be careful not to ask "how many anuses do you have?" instead.

("Anno" is the Italian word for year. And the Latin word is "annus.")

And "ano" also means "anus" in Italian; in Latin unsurprisingly it was "anus", hence also the English word. (Originally it just meant "ring" - from its diminutive "anulus" come the Italian/Spanish/Portuguese words anello/anillo/anel.)