For Portuguese-speaking people, can you understand Spanish?

Answer 1

Hi! Depending on the individual and accent, if it is written or spoken, fast or paused, it can be made possible for speakers of both languages to effectively communicate.

Using myself as an example, If an Spanish speaker talks to me slowly or I see it written I can manage to understand it, using common sense, thinking about similar words or going for its etymology. However it requires an effort. I cannot engage in a conversation, can't reply in Spanish nor understand those that speak fast. As for accents (a personal example) It's easier for me to understand a Bolivian than a Mexican and I can barely understand a single word spoken by Argentinians.

I would rather speak in English than try to use a "Portunhol" to communicate with a Spanish speaker.