East Timorese Portuguese

East Timorese Portuguese
português timorense,
português de Timor Leste,
português nusantarano
Native speakers
489,113 (2015)[1]
Official status
Official language in
 East Timor
Regulated byCentro de Língua Portuguesa
Language codes
ISO 639-3–
GlottologNone
IETFpt-TL
Learning in multilingual East Timor, clockwise from left Portuguese, Bunak, Tetum and Fataluku

East Timorese Portuguese (Português timorense in Portuguese), or Nusantaran Portuguese (Português nusantarano in Portuguese), is the variety of the Portuguese language spoken in Timor-Leste. It is one of the official languages of Timor-Leste alongside Tetum. As with other Lusophone countries besides Brazil, the Portuguese language curriculum in East Timor is based on European Portuguese, with some localisations in pronunciation. East Timor is the only sovereign state in Asia with Portuguese as an official language (excluding Macau which is an autonomous region of China). There is a growing demand for Portuguese-language courses in the country, both at early-learning and tertiary levels of education.[2]

  1. ^ "Timor Leste, Tetum, Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesia or English?".
  2. ^ In Timor-Leste there are "numerous requests" to attend Portuguese language courses (article in Portuguese). Expresso. 6 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024