Language Competence

Studying Portuguese at BYU has been one of the most meaningful parts of my undergraduate experience. As I have progressed through the major, I have come to appreciate how much language learning involves patience, consistency, cultural understanding, and the willingness to keep improving even when progress feels slow. Looking back, I can see how much I have developed in speaking, writing, listening, and reading, especially in Portuguese, while also continuing to grow in Spanish. The artifacts in my portfolio represent different areas of proficiency, but more importantly, they reflect the effort and growth that have shaped me during my time at BYU.

One of the areas where I have seen the most growth is Portuguese. In speaking, I’ve reached an advanced mid level of oral proficiency, which reflects my ability to communicate clearly and effectively on a variety of topics. While serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil I learned to speak through teaching others, but my proficiency didn’t come until years later, studying the language, and eventually speaking more Portuguese in my day to day than English. This did not happen all at once. It came through repeated practice in class discussions, presentations, and conversations that pushed me to speak with more fluidity and precision. I have learned how to explain my thoughts in greater detail, support my opinions, and speak in a way that feels increasingly natural. I know now the difference in sounds between “avó” and “avô” and can explain how and why that is articulately.

My Portuguese writing has also grown significantly. I currently write at an advanced low level, and that reflects a great deal of work over time. Writing has challenged me in a different way than speaking because it demands greater control, organization, and attention to detail. Through my classes at BYU, I have had many opportunities to practice writing in Portuguese, and those experiences have helped me become more comfortable expressing my ideas in a clear and structured way. One such experience is when Paloma Vidal, the great South American writer and translator came to BYU for a minicourse. I learned more about writing in one week than I have in years. I have learned how to connect ideas more effectively, develop arguments, and write with more maturity than I could when I first began. At the same time, writing is one of the areas where I still see room for growth.

Listening and reading in Portuguese have become my strongest skills. I’ve reached a superior level in both areas. Listening at a high level requires being able to follow complex ideas, tone, and meaning in real time. Throughout my studies, I have become much more confident in my ability to understand lectures, conversations, and other authentic spoken Portuguese. The same is true for reading. Both listening and reading have helped me develop patience, focus, and a greater appreciation for nuance in language.

My development in Spanish has also been very important to me. Although my Portuguese abilities are stronger overall, my study of Spanish at BYU has helped me become a more confident and capable communicator. In oral proficiency, I have reached the advanced low level, which reflects my ability to sustain conversations, explain ideas, and communicate in a way that goes beyond memorized language. Speaking Spanish has required me to be persistent and willing to make mistakes as part of the learning process. Over time, I have become more comfortable expressing myself and participating in discussions, and that growth has been very rewarding.

Writing in Spanish has been more difficult for me, but it has also been an area of real development. I am currently at the intermediate high level in Spanish writing, and that reflects both progress and potential. I can express my ideas clearly in connected writing, but I also know that I need to keep developing greater sophistication and control. In many ways, writing shows me most clearly how language learning is a gradual process. Even when it is challenging, it is satisfying to look back and see improvement. My Spanish writing experiences at BYU have helped me become more thoughtful about grammar, structure, and word choice, and they have strengthened my ability to communicate with intention.

I have developed stronger communication skills, but I have also developed perseverance, discipline, and greater cultural awareness. Language study has taught me how to listen more carefully, read more attentively, and express myself with more clarity. It has also reminded me that growth often comes little by little, through steady effort over time.

As I continue forward, I want to keep using and developing these skills in intentional ways. In Portuguese, I want to continue strengthening my writing so that it becomes as strong as my listening and reading. I also want to maintain my speaking ability by continuing to have meaningful conversations and by using Portuguese in academic, professional, and personal settings. In Spanish, I want to continue building both my oral and written proficiency, especially in writing, so that I can communicate with greater confidence and sophistication. I hope to keep reading, listening, speaking, and writing in both languages long after graduation and especially in graduate programs both now and in the future. Helping others understand the amazing cultures that are out there is one of the most gratifying things I can do, and language is the bridge.

Overall, my experience at BYU, tasting and researching culture through language has helped me see learning as a lifelong process. The proficiency levels represented in my portfolio are important milestones, but they are not the end of that process. They represent where I am now and also point toward where I want to go. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to grow in Portuguese and Spanish, and I look forward to continuing to use these languages in ways that will shape both my personal and professional future.