Do Brazilian Students Need to Learn German?

Over 1,500 German degree programs are taught entirely in English. It is genuinely possible to study, socialise, and work part-time in Germany with minimal German — especially in Berlin and Hamburg. That said, learning German changes the experience dramatically: it opens access to the full range of courses, makes bureaucracy (Anmeldung, Ausländerbehörde, health insurance) much less stressful, and significantly improves your employment prospects in Germany. Most Brazilian students who stay in Germany long-term say learning German was the single most important investment they made.

Portuguese and German are both Indo-European languages, but they are not closely related. However, Brazilian Portuguese speakers consistently report that German pronunciation — particularly vowels and the rhythm of speech — feels more accessible than for English speakers. Written German also shares Latin-root vocabulary through academic and scientific terms. More concretely: southern Brazil has had German-speaking communities since the 1820s. Students from Santa Catarina or Rio Grande do Sul may already have exposure to German words, place names, and even basic phrases. This is a modest advantage, but a genuine one.