While knowing how to read and write in Portuguese is great, it’s more worthwhile to practice your listening skills so you know what native speakers are saying. And it’s even more interesting when the locals of whichever region you’re visiting can understand you when speaking a foreign language. To be confident with a Brazilian accent, (mainly the Carioca and São Paulo accents), the best solution is to immerse yourself in 100% Brazilian TV shows – a very effective and entertaining (let’s be honest here) method to quickly learn the language.

Last Updated: 03/13/2021

best Brazilian TV shows for learning portuguese

The Best Brazilian TV Shows for Learning Portuguese

We’ve done our homework (if you can call watching hours and hours of TV “homework”) and have selected some of the best TV in Brazil for you! We also describe how each series can help you learn Portuguese more quickly.

Avenida Brasil

(broadcast in Brazil from March to October 2012) 

When the president changes her agenda due to a TV series, you know it’s a good one. Avenida Brasil is a modern telenovela. In other words, it’s a mix between a soap opera and a mini-series.

What’s it about?

The main character, Rita, loses her mother at a very young age and grows up with her father and rather cruel stepmother. Rita’s life falls apart when she sees this lady in the arms of another man. Right as she’s about to tell her father everything, totally unexpectedly, he’s run over by a car and dies. The stepmother leaves her at the city dump, a locale well known to the homeless in her city. Several years later, Rita takes revenge. She goes back to her stepmother’s house, under the guise of a cook named Nina, and will do anything to get revenge.

Why should I watch it?

We know the telenovela format can be discouraging to some readers. But if you want to learn the language and familiarize yourself with Brazilian culture, Avenida Brasil is a must-follow series. It has ups, downs, an emotionally charged plot and has kept 38 million viewers on the edge of their seats. Even President Rousseff was hooked on it.

The series will at least give you a conversation topic if you ever visit Brazil (Hey, we all need icebreakers from time to time.) There’s a good chance the show can help you strike up a conversation.

Watch the first episode on Daily Motion

Mandrake

(first broadcast in Brazil in 2005)

Mandrake

This Brazilian TV show is a little dated now, but it still touches on relevant themes: drugs, alcohol, sex, even prostitution. That means that you’ll pick up a ton of Brazilian Portuguese slang! The story starts with Mandrake, a lawyer in Rio de Janeiro. He specializes in criminal defense, so his job is basically to bail people out of somewhat questionable scenarios, usually involving sex. The lawyer rubs shoulders with the upper classes of Rio de Janeiro – celebrities and other wealthy people from the glamorous city’s drug, prostitution, and nightlife scene.

Why this Brazilian show will suck you in 

Well, just like drugs, it’s hard to get out once you start. But the main thing about this Brazilian TV show is its interesting view of Rio de Janeiro. As pervasive as the notion of the favelas being devastated by drugs and prostitution is, Mandrake shows you that they affect all walks of life. American audiences who loved Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul will feel right at home with Mandrake.

Watch the first episode on Vimeo

Filhos do Carnaval

(produced by HBO Latino)

filhos do carnaval Brazilian TV shows

When Rio de Janeiro comes up, the Carnaval and samba usually follow. This is how the stage is set in Filho do Carnaval. As you can probably imagine, the picture this series paints of Carnaval is quite different than the one you’re probably thinking of. Here, it’s all about money and the conflicting relationships between fathers and sons.

What’s it about?

Anesio Gebara runs a samba school and, at the same time, an illegal lottery. He’s the patriarch of the family, and with age, he finds himself thinking more and more about the estate he’s going to leave behind. Which of his four sons will he leave in charge of the “family business”? That question puts even more strain on this volatile family.

Why should I watch it?

This series couldn’t care less about the glitter and rhinestones of the Carnival. Filhos do Carnaval takes you from the preparation of the Carnival to the beat of the samba, but not without taking you to the real-life overflowing cities of Rio de Janeiro. You will find very little glamour here, just realism and from time to time, evil.

Cidade dos Homens

cidade-dos-homens

The name might sound familiar to you; Cidade dos Homens (also named City of Men for international releases) is based off of the famous movie, City of God. In this Brazilian TV show, we follow the paths of Acerola and Laranjinha, two childhood friends from a Rio de Janeiro favela run by drug traffickers. The series brings up some powerful topics, like drugs, poverty, and urban violence.

You go through the day-to-day actives as well as the personal evolution of its two main characters in the heart of the favela. Once the second season begins, we’re no longer confronted by two children but rather two young adults grappling with their future and their role in society, much like all of us at one point.

Why you should watch the show and the movie

If you liked the original movie, then this series will definitely draw you in. On one hand, like the film, the series allows you to discover vocabulary you’d never find in a classroom. Favelas aren’t known for their politeness, so you will pick up a lot of slang. Which is great, because you’ll need it on the streets of Rio. But it isn’t all drugs and violence. The series paints a great picture of the comunidades, an integral part of Rio de Janeiro culture.

Buy the DVD on Amazon

Alice

(produced by HBO and broadcast in 2008)

alice

Alice is a young woman who one day decides to leave her small village to move to São Paulo. But in the end, the diversity of the inhabitants, the multiculturalism of the gigantic city, the madness of the many characters and the situations Alice is confronted with all help her discover her true self.

Why should I watch Alice?

This series is a lot like Sex and the City. However, the culture, the music, and the general life of São Paulo are very different than life in New York City! So there’s a lot to discover with Alice. When looking at São Paulo, you’ll quickly realize you’re taking in a totally different landscape than that of Rio. It gives you a glimpse at the immensity of Brazil’s most populous city and the multiculturalism of its residents. OK, but for languages, it gives you exposure to a totally different accent, perhaps even the one you should be studying.

Filho da Puta!

(produced by HBO)

filho-do-puta Brazilian TV shows

Filho da puta… We’ll leave the translation of this up to you. Juares Gomez is a soccer referee in Brazil. In other words, he’s one of the most hated people in his country. It goes further though. He’s divorced and is fighting his ex-wife for custody of his son. The series follows the daily life of this ref both on and off the field, portraying a dark yet humorous life. Even how the show is shot, constantly in movement, gives it a sadistic touch. Filho da puta! is a gritty series that covers many common topics in Brazil, their love of soccer, violence in the stands, and ethnic conflicts.

Why we love this Brazilian TV show

If you like soccer and ever plan on talking about it in Brazil, you have to watch this series. After watching Jaures’s torment throughout the series, you will be able to recognize how Brazilians show people they’re unhappy. That’s always good too.

Other Brazilian TV Shows

If you’ve watched most of these Brazilian TV shows (and with a little studying), you should have no problem having basic conversations with Carioca or Paulista speakers, or even dialects around the Amazon region. But if you want more practice, look into these other Brazilian TV shows:

  • Cama de Gato
  • Os Aspones
  • Os Normais
  • A Grande Familia
  • Mulher de Fases

If you’re an advanced learner, movies are a bit more challenging, so take a look at our selection of the best Brazilian movies to learn Portuguese.