Recently, I overreacted.

Someone posted an innocent question online asking, "Where are the most popular English-speaking 60+ expat communities in Portugal?" I responded, not particularly politely, "Malaga." Perhaps my reaction stemmed from an incident a few weeks earlier at Lisbon Airport, where I stood behind an American woman who loudly asked the attendant, "English? English?" in a tone steeped in entitlement

Certainly, Americans and Brits alike sometimes carry reputations for expecting others to cater to them linguistically. Historically speaking, perhaps 500 years ago, the Portuguese themselves might have shared a similar sense of superiority. Yet, today, Portugal is known for its exceptional hospitality, often ranked among Europe's most welcoming countries. The Portuguese are remarkably tolerant and open-hearted.

So, I was not in a good place. Portuguese love to be critical - from politics, the weather, sport and birds. But, they usually stop short of criticism of Portugal's essence. So, there's a deeper issue here about respect for Portugal's core—its language. As Fernando Pessoa wrote, "A minha pátria é a língua portuguesa" (My country is the Portuguese language). Understanding Portugal requires knowing its language—a true "home-brew" created from Latin roots brought by the Romans, branching profoundly by Galego (from today's Galicia and northern Portugal), infused with Arabic influence, and refined across centuries and oceans.

To fully grasp the context, consider Iberia after Rome's fall in the west and before the arrival of the Arabs. Many languages emerged during this tumultuous era, only to be overshadowed or absorbed by Castilian. By 1500, the term "Spanish," derived from the Roman name for the peninsula, implied dominance—and indeed, from 1580-1640, Portugal fell under the Spanish crown. A minha pátria é a língua portuguesa.

Then came the Portuguese diaspora, spreading the language and culture across continents, carrying with them their identity and traditions. To embrace Portugal truly means to embrace its language.

The Portuguese language  is not only a shared heritage but also a foundation for rich literature and poetry. Today, Portuguese is spoken as a first language by more than 235 million people across nine countries spanning from the Americas to Asia. More than 80% of these speakers live in Brazil, but significant communities also thrive in Europe and Canada, with smaller groups in Macau, India's Goa, and Oceania.

Portuguese is now the fifth most spoken language globally and the third among Western languages, following English and Spanish. Its growing importance is recognized through official status in countries such as Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste,

Without Portuguese, one misses the power of "Alma Minha Gentil" or the despair of "O Livro do Desassossego." Without Portuguese, you cannot fully know Saramago, Garcia de Resende, Manuel da Fonseca, Camilo Castelo Branco, or Eça de Queiroz. Without Portuguese, the Fado or the poems of Penedo da Saudade remain elusive.

A minha pátria é a língua portuguesa.

To reject our language, especially in a place where it has resonated for 900 years, is essentially to reject our very essence. So, to those who come here as guests or residents, I ask this: Portuguese language will help you become part of a unique and special place. It is a glimpse at our past, our present and how we think and see the world. And without Portuguese, there is no Portugal.