Pimsleur Quick and Simple Brazilian Portuguese
The promise:
"Hold a real conversation in Brazilian Portuguese after finishing only 8 30-minutes lessons." This got me thinking.
It comes without any book, so you're really just listening and speaking all the time. Though the native speakers are very clear, I find it difficult to get every syllable without seeing it in written form. But I must admit that when I learnt my first language I hadn't any book either, so this makes some sense.
Though this sounds very easy, just listen and repeat, I personally wouldn't do it in the car. Because it's actually some mind work you do, you get asked questions and have to answer them rapidly (e.g., say "Hello" to a woman) And in most cases it's not as simple as in this example.
After finishing the 8 lessons, I feel both good and a little bit disappointed. Good because I could now travel to Brazil for a week or so and get along with asking for directions to the hotel. Disappointed because I don't really feel like I could engage in a real conversation with a native right now.
Maybe they take it too literally: "Hold a real conversation" meaning only one, and this one?
The advanced lessons get much more expensive, so one gets the feeling this course is just for lurking you into it. But at least it's a very inexpensive and easy way to get the taste of a language, and it's sufficient for your next holiday.
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