At a glance
Rules checked in October 2026. Requirements change: before you apply, check the official site of your country’s authorities.
Which certificates are accepted
| Exam | What to know |
|---|---|
| CIPLE (CAPLE, University of Lisbon) | The best-known route: an A2 exam in all four skills run by CAPLE at the University of Lisbon’s School of Arts and Humanities. You can take it in Portugal or abroad (around 100 exam centres in 35 countries) and register online on the CAPLE website. Any higher CAPLE exam, such as DEPLE (B1), counts too. |
| PaN (state test by IAVE) | The Prova do Conhecimento da Língua Portuguesa para Aquisição da Nacionalidade is an A2 test made for nationality by IAVE, an institute of the Ministry of Education. Reading, writing and listening in 75 minutes with no speaking part, pass mark 50%; it is held at designated schools in Portugal and at venues accredited by Camões abroad, and you register online with a Portuguese tax number (NIF). Sessions are rare: in autumn 2026 IAVE was not planning any before the end of the year. |
| PLA or IEFP course certificate (A2 or higher) | Português Língua de Acolhimento courses are run by state schools, IEFP job centres and Centros Qualifica, often for free, and a certificate showing you completed A2 replaces the exam. A2 certificates from the older Português para Todos programme also count, as do certificates from dual-certification vocational training with at least 100 hours of Portuguese modules. |
| Portuguese school certificate | A certificate from a recognised state, private or cooperative school in Portugal showing that you passed Portuguese, or Portuguese as a non-native language, in at least two school years. Useful if you went to school in Portugal. |
| School certificate from a Portuguese-speaking country | If you went to a state or recognised private school in a country where Portuguese is official (Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and others), that school’s certificate proves the language. A foreign document usually has to be legalised, in most countries with an apostille. |
Who does not need a certificate
- Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries (Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde and others): they are presumed to know the language unless their lack of Portuguese is obvious. The presumption does not cover the new culture and history requirement.
- People aged 60 or over who cannot read or write, and people with serious health problems or a disability confirmed by a multi-purpose medical certificate (atestado médico multiuso): the test is adapted for them, for example an oral-only version of the PaN.
- Children of foreign parents born in Portugal who apply under the special rule for minors (one parent legally resident for at least five years, the child at school): the law does not ask them for the language and culture proof.
- People who have rendered, or are called to render, important services to the Portuguese State: the government can waive both the residence period and the language and culture requirement.
Civics test: culture, history and the State (rules not yet published)
Since 19 May 2026 the Nationality Law requires proof, “by test or certificate”, of sufficient knowledge of Portuguese culture, history and national symbols, plus knowledge of fundamental rights and duties and of how the State is organised, and a solemn declaration of adherence to the principles of the democratic rule of law. The government had 90 days to set out the details in the Nationality Regulation, but as of October 2026 the format, the number of questions, the pass mark and where to take it have not been published. Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries are presumed to know the language, but not this part.
Tips- Don’t put the language exam off: the A2 certificate is needed either way, and it doesn’t expire.
- Start with the areas the law names, for example the national symbols (a bandeira, the anthem “A Portuguesa”), key dates in history (5 October 1910, 25 April 1974) and the organs of sovereignty under the 1976 Constitution (o Presidente da República, a Assembleia da República, o Governo, os tribunais).
- Before you apply, check the IRN website or ask at a registry office (conservatória): once the regulation is out, it will say which test or certificate counts and where to take it.
How the exam works
The first half of the written paper; the official sample has 20 questions. You match sentences to text messages, answer A/B/C questions on short notices and ads (a flat to rent, opening hours, a job ad, school enrolment), match sentence halves about a formal letter and answer multiple-choice questions on a short story. Answers are marked in pencil on the answer sheet.
Tips- Read the question first, then find the place in the text: the answer is almost always worded differently. The notice says encerra, the question says está fechado; dias úteis means “weekdays”.
- Learn the language of signs and ads: aberto, encerrado, horário, feriados, marcação prévia, arrenda-se, vende-se, T2 (a two-bedroom flat).
- Watch the clock: about 40 minutes for reading leaves half an hour for the two texts and 5 minutes to check. Fill in the answer sheet as you go.
Two short texts. In the official sample: a reply to a text message (25–35 words, telling friends you’re running late) and an email of about 60–80 words telling Portuguese friends why you couldn’t visit them at the weekend. You write in blue or black pen on the answer sheet; drafts are not marked.
Tips- Cover every point of the task and keep to the word count: a missing point or a text that is far too short costs marks even without mistakes.
- The second text usually asks you to tell what happened, so learn the simple past of common verbs (fui, tive, estive, fiz, pude) and linking words: primeiro, depois, por isso, mas.
- Learn set phrases: to friends Olá! or Caros amigos… Um abraço, Beijinhos; formal Exmos. Senhores… Com os melhores cumprimentos. Keep 5 minutes to check accents (não, informação), gender and contractions (no, na, ao).
The official sample has 25 questions. Part 1: ten short recordings (an interview, a shop, a bus ticket office, a public service counter, directions) with A/B/C questions; part 2: ten sentences to match with where you would hear them (school, taxi, market, health centre, consulate, post office, airport). Every recording is played twice, and at the end you get 5 minutes to copy your answers onto the answer sheet.
Tips- Use the reading time before the recordings to go through the questions and underline what to listen for: a time, a place, a price, a reason.
- Get used to the European accent: unstressed vowels almost disappear (telefone sounds like “tlfon”), and s before a consonant or at the end of a word sounds like sh (estação, dois). Listen to RTP radio and Portuguese podcasts rather than Brazilian ones.
- Mark an answer on the first listening and check it on the second. Practise numbers, times and prices by ear: many questions depend on them.
Usually taken with another candidate and led by an examiner, and it is video-recorded. Three parts: introducing yourself (name, where you’re from, work, family, life in Portugal), a role-play of an everyday situation (a shop, the doctor’s, a booking, asking the way) and a conversation on a current topic where you give simple opinions.
Tips- Prepare a 1–2 minute introduction and answers to the usual questions: Como se chama? De onde é? Há quanto tempo vive em Portugal? O que faz?
- For role-plays, learn polite phrases: Queria…, Podia…?, Desculpe, onde fica…? Address strangers as o senhor and a senhora, the polite form of address in Portuguese.
- In the conversation give an opinion with a reason: Acho que…, porque…; Na minha opinião… React to what your partner says, and if you don’t understand, ask: Pode repetir, por favor?
How it is scored
CIPLE gives one overall grade: reading and writing together are worth 45%, listening 30% and speaking 25%. You pass with 55% of the total: Suficiente 55–69%, Bom 70–84%, Muito Bom 85–100%; below that the result is Insuficiente. Reading and writing can bring you at most 45%, so you can’t pass without points in listening and speaking, and for nationality any passing grade will do.
How many words you need for A2
A2 means about 1,500–2,500 word families (Milton and Alexiou, 2009; the figures come from research on English and French and work as a guide). What matters most is everyday vocabulary from notices, messages and conversations in shops, at the station, at the health centre and at public offices, in its European form: comboio, autocarro, telemóvel, pequeno-almoço rather than the Brazilian trem, ônibus, celular, café da manhã. For listening, learn numbers, dates, times and prices on their own.
Check where you are now: the free vocabulary test takes 3 minutes and shows how many of the 5,000 most frequent words of the language you know.
Take the vocabulary test →Vocabulary for the exam topics
- a autorização de residência residence permit
- o cartão de cidadão Portuguese ID card
- o número de contribuinte tax number (NIF)
- a morada address
- o impresso form (on paper)
- a senha queue ticket (also password)
- a marcação appointment, booking
- a junta de freguesia parish council office
- a renda rent
- o senhorio landlord
- o T2 two-bedroom flat
- o rés-do-chão ground floor
- o andar floor, storey; also a flat
- a casa de banho bathroom, toilet
- o frigorífico fridge
- a fatura da luz electricity bill
- o comboio train
- o autocarro bus
- a paragem bus stop
- o bilhete ticket
- o passe monthly travel pass
- o horário timetable; opening hours
- virar à direita to turn right
- seguir em frente to go straight on
- o emprego job
- o currículo CV, résumé
- a entrevista job interview
- o ordenado salary, wages
- o contrato de trabalho employment contract
- o chefe boss
- as férias holidays, annual leave
- o Centro de Emprego job centre
- o centro de saúde local public health centre
- o médico de família GP, family doctor
- a consulta doctor’s appointment
- a receita prescription (also recipe)
- a farmácia pharmacy, chemist’s
- as urgências A&E, emergency department
- a dor de cabeça headache
- o número de utente national health service number (SNS)
- o pequeno-almoço breakfast
- a pastelaria café and pastry shop
- a conta the bill (in a café or restaurant)
- o talão receipt
- a devolução return, refund
- trocar to exchange (an item)
- os saldos the sales
- o feriado public holiday
Paste a topic name from the list above into the generation chat in the app and get a word set made for your exam, with examples in context, audio and smart reviews. You can get words for any other topic the same way.
Grammar for A2: what you need
Ser for who you are and what something is, estar for states and where things are, ter for age and obligation (ter de). They carry your introduction in the speaking test: Sou engenheiro, tenho 35 anos e hoje estou cansado.
The key tense for the email about what happened. Learn the regular forms (falei, comi, parti) and the irregular fui, tive, estive, fiz, pude, disse: No sábado fiquei doente e não pude ir à festa.
Used for polite requests in the role-play and for background and habits in the past: Queria marcar uma consulta para amanhã, por favor.
In Portugal an action in progress is estar a plus the infinitive, not the gerund you hear in Brazil, and plans use ir plus the infinitive: Agora estou a trabalhar numa pastelaria e no próximo ano vou estudar.
Em, de, a and por merge with the article, and mistakes here stand out in writing: Vou ao centro de saúde e depois passo pela farmácia.
In a plain statement the unstressed pronoun goes after the verb with a hyphen; after não, que, question words and some adverbs it goes before: Chamo-me Sarah, mas não me lembro do nome dele.
The app has a big grammar section for every level from A1 to C2, with short lessons and exercises. Paste a topic name from the list above into the generation chat and get exercises on exactly that topic. Any other topic works the same way.
An 8-week preparation plan
Do the official CIPLE sample from the CAPLE website under exam conditions: 75 minutes for reading and writing, 30 for listening with the audio file. Choose an exam centre and session (registration closes 21 days before the exam) and set a routine of 20–30 minutes and 10–15 new words a day, for example from the CIPLE topic sets in NewLexi.
Topics Documents and Home. Grammar: ser, estar and ter in the present. One reading task a day: notices, text messages and opening hours; collect the words on signs, such as aberto, encerrado, dias úteis and feriados.
The simple past: regular verbs and fui, tive, estive, fiz, pude, disse, with the lesson and exercises in the NewLexi grammar section. Write three 60–80 word emails about something that happened (you were ill, you missed the train). Topic Work.
Listening week: 15–20 minutes of European Portuguese a day (RTP radio, podcasts, series) plus one task from the sample. Numbers, times, prices and directions by ear. Topic Transport; grammar: prepositions and contractions (no, na, ao, do, pelo).
Speaking: a 1–2 minute introduction, role-plays (a shop, the doctor’s, a booking, asking the way) and polite phrases with Queria… and Podia…? Record yourself on your phone. Topic Health; grammar: the imperfect for polite requests.
A second full sample under exam conditions. Compare it with week 1 and go through every mistake. Topic Shopping and free time; write three 25–35 word replies to messages.
Your weakest skill every day, the others every other day. Two role-plays with a partner or teacher and a current topic with your opinion (Acho que…, porque…). Grammar: pronoun position (chamo-me, não me lembro).
A last timed run, then review only: your word sets, set phrases and your own mistakes, no new grammar. Check your ID, the address and the time of the speaking test, and get a good night’s sleep.
Common mistakes
Only the proofs listed in article 25 of the Nationality Regulation are accepted, such as CIPLE or a higher CAPLE exam, the PaN, an A2 certificate from a PLA or IEFP course, or a Portuguese school certificate. A certificate from a private language school or an online course won’t do, even if it says A2.
Many apps and courses teach the Brazilian variety, but the CIPLE texts and recordings are in European Portuguese: comboio, autocarro, telemóvel and casa de banho instead of trem, ônibus, celular and banheiro, and a pronunciation with swallowed unstressed vowels. Learn the European words and listen to European Portuguese every day.
Since 19 May 2026 the law also asks for proof of knowledge of culture, history, national symbols, rights and duties, plus a solemn declaration. Until the regulation is published, check on the IRN website what is accepted before you file.
Age, hunger, cold and being right take ter (to have), not ser: Tenho 30 anos, Tenho fome, Tenho frio, Tens razão. Ser is for who you are: Sou professor, Sou de Londres.
For something still going on, Portuguese uses the present with há: Moro aqui há três anos. A finished action takes the simple past: Já visitei o Porto (I’ve already visited Porto). Tenho visitado means “I’ve been visiting lately”.
How to submit the certificate
- The certificate goes with your naturalisation application to the IRN (Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado): you can hand it in yourself at a registry office, send it by post, or have a lawyer or solicitor (solicitador) file it online.
- You usually attach the original or a certified copy. Keep the original CIPLE certificate safe: CAPLE issues a duplicate only in exceptional cases.
- Certificates issued in Portugal in Portuguese (CIPLE, PaN, PLA) need no translation or apostille. A school certificate from abroad usually has to be legalised (in most countries with an apostille) and needs a certified translation unless it is in Portuguese, English, French or Spanish.
- Since 19 May 2026 the law also requires proof of knowledge of culture, history, symbols, rights and duties, and a solemn declaration. Until the regulation is published, check on the IRN website what is accepted before you apply.
- A language proof is not accepted if it comes from a private school or online course that is not on the official list, shows a level below A2, or only confirms attendance rather than completion of A2. If in doubt, the registry can ask the education authorities to assess a certificate, and one found insufficient does not count.
On exam day
- Bring the original ID you registered with: cartão de cidadão, passport or residence permit. Without it you usually can’t sit the exam.
- Arrive about 20 minutes early: you can’t join the written paper if you are more than 15 minutes late, and you can’t join the listening at all once it has started.
- Mark reading and listening answers in pencil and write your texts in blue or black pen: drafts and pencil writing are not marked. Dictionaries, correction fluid, phones and smartwatches are not allowed.
- In the listening each recording is played twice, and at the end you have 5 minutes to copy your answers onto the answer sheet: don’t forget to do it.
- The speaking test is usually in pairs and video-recorded, and the centre sets its time, sometimes on another day. If you don’t understand a question, ask: Pode repetir, por favor? or Desculpe, não percebi.
How NewLexi helps you prepare
NewLexi has word sets for every CIPLE topic, already split into categories, and if you need another topic, such as your job or the documents for your application, you can generate a set and start practising right away. The big grammar section covers every level from A1 to C2 with lessons and exercises, so the past tenses for the email task and pronoun position become automatic. For the written part, practise messages and emails with instant AI feedback, and for listening, read and listen to stories and dialogues with audio, written for your level and with your words.
