The Best CIPLE Exam Preparation in Lisbon (2026 Review)

The best CIPLE preparation depends on your goal. The CIPLE is the A2 Portuguese exam set by CAPLE at the University of Lisbon's Faculty of Letters, and CAPLE says that under current Portuguese law it is the minimum level for Portuguese nationality. It has three parts: reading and writing, listening, and a 15-minute speaking test, usually taken in pairs, which is a quarter of the marks. Some people want past papers, some want a weekly class, and some simply need to stop freezing when an examiner asks them a question in Portuguese.

If the speaking test is the part that worries you, a speaking course you can do every day is the closest fit. On Echoa you hear an English cue, build the Portuguese sentence and say it out loud, and Sam answers every sentence you say: around fifty spoken answers in a 15-minute lesson. In a class, the hour is shared with the rest of the group.

This guide is for adults in Lisbon preparing for the CIPLE, often for nationality, comparing each kind of preparation by price, format, closeness to the exam and how much speaking it gives you.

How we chose the best CIPLE preparation in Lisbon

We compared each option on what most helps someone pass the CIPLE, and the speaking part in particular.

Evaluation criterion	What we evaluated
Speaking practice	How much of the time you spend saying Portuguese yourself; for a class, at most the class length divided by the group size
Feedback	Whether someone answers or corrects what you actually said
Closeness to the exam	Whether you work on the CIPLE's own papers and tasks, or sit a mock test
Format and location	In person in Lisbon or online, and whether the times fit round work
Price	The published price for what you get, from each provider's own website
Certificate route	Whether the option leads to the CIPLE itself or to another accepted A2 certificate

Prices were checked in November 2026 and may change with level, schedule and format; confirm the current price on each provider's website before booking. Each option gets a "Best for" label as an editorial recommendation, not an overall ranking.

Our other exam guides cover fide test preparation in Zurich, DELE A2 preparation in Madrid, DELF A2 preparation in Paris, inburgeringsexamen preparation in Amsterdam and CILS B1 Cittadinanza preparation in Rome.

Online vs. in-person CIPLE preparation in Lisbon: which should you choose?

A speaking course online suits people whose worry is the 15-minute paired speaking test, the one part of the CIPLE you cannot practise on paper. Lessons in person suit people who want a teacher to take them through the papers that carry the other three quarters of the marks. If you are choosing between self-study apps, Practice Portuguese vs Pimsleur compares two of them.

Factor	Speaking course online (Echoa)	Lessons in person in Lisbon
Flexibility	Any time, on your phone or computer	Times agreed with the school, or set by the school or centre
Individual attention	Sam, Echoa's AI teacher, answers every sentence you say	One-to-one at Iberlínguas; shared with a group in a class
Speaking time	Every answer in the lesson is yours	At most the hour divided by the group size
Exam practice	None of the CIPLE's own papers or a mock test	Exam preparation lessons at Iberlínguas, in person in Lisbon
Cost	€39 a month, first 3 lessons free	€45 an hour one-to-one at Iberlínguas; PLA, for those eligible, listed as free in the latest terms we could read
Certificate	None; you sit the CIPLE	PLA ends in an A2 certificate; private lessons prepare you for the CIPLE
Social side	Just you	A teacher, and classmates in a group
Commute	None	To the school or centre

• Choose a speaking course online if the speaking quarter of the marks is your weak part.
• Choose lessons in person if you want a teacher to take you through the papers and run a mock test with you before the day.

Many learners do both: the sample papers or a teacher for the format, and a speaking course on the days in between, so the answers come out when the examiner is waiting for them. If you are still working towards A2, Portuguese classes in Lisbon compares the city's classes.

Which CIPLE preparation is best for you?

• Choose Echoa if you want to practise speaking Portuguese every day, at any hour, for €39 a month.
• Choose CAPLE's sample papers if you want to see exactly what the reading, writing and listening papers look like, free.
• Choose Emma Sherratt if you are near A2 already and want a weekly class covering the whole exam, with monthly mock speaking tests.
• Choose Iberlínguas Lisboa if you want one-to-one coaching, in person in Lisbon, on your own timetable.
• Choose PLA if you are eligible and want a state course that ends in an A2 certificate.
• Choose CIPLE School if you would rather pay for a long course than sit an exam, once you have checked the certificate is accepted for your application.

Portuguese Connection, the Lisbon school whose sister brand is CIPLE School, also plans tailored CIPLE preparation in Lisbon, mixing group and individual classes, with hours and price agreed with you.

Ready to speak Portuguese with confidence for the CIPLE?

Portuguese. Accelerated. Speaking practice for the part with the examiner. Lesson 1 takes about 15 minutes and ends with you asking for a table for two, out loud, in Portuguese, which is close to the CIPLE's own task of calling the waiter and ordering a meal. The first 3 lessons are free. No card needed.

FAQ

How much does the CIPLE exam cost?

€95 in CAPLE's registration data, and the fee is not refunded. You register and pay online on CAPLE's website only, choosing an exam centre, and pay within 24 hours or the registration is cancelled. Extras in 2026 include €25 to have your exam re-marked and €30 for an urgent certificate.

What does the CIPLE speaking test involve?

It lasts 15 minutes, usually with two candidates at once, and is recorded on video. It has three parts: talking with the examiner about yourself, acting out everyday situations such as ordering a meal, asking the way, booking a hotel room or asking for something in a shop, and a conversation on a current topic. Speaking is 25% of the marks; reading and writing are 45% and listening 30%.

What score do I need to pass the CIPLE?

The certificate grades are Muito Bom (85–100%), Bom (70–84%) and Suficiente (55–69%). Below 55% the result is Insuficiente, and you receive a statement of results instead of a certificate.

Do I need a preparation course for the CIPLE?

No. CAPLE says candidates can prepare however they like, and it runs no preparation courses itself. Anyone aged 16 or over can sit the CIPLE, with no lower exam needed first. CAPLE's free sample papers are the most reliable guide to the written and listening parts.

When are the next CIPLE exam dates?

Every 2026 date has now passed: the last international session was on 5 November, and the extra Saturday sessions held only in Portugal ended on 17 October. CAPLE had not published its 2027 calendar when we checked on 6 November 2026. Registration closes 21 days before the first exam date, and you can sit only one exam per session. About 100 authorised centres (LAPE) in 35 countries.

Do I need the CIPLE for Portuguese nationality?

You need to prove A2 Portuguese. In the Regulation's wording we read (2013, as amended), the CIPLE is one accepted proof; others are the state Portuguese test (PaN), which has reading, writing and listening but no speaking part, an A2 certificate from a public school or IEFP centre such as the PLA course, and Portuguese passed at school for at least two years. Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries are presumed to meet the language requirement, unless their lack of Portuguese is plain. A new Nationality Law of 18 May 2026 adds proof, by test or certificate, of Portuguese culture, history and national symbols, and its regulation, approved on 29 October 2026, had not been published when we checked, so the accepted proofs may change. Applications pending on 19 May 2026 stay under the previous rules.

What should I bring on the day?

The original ID you registered with (citizen card, passport or residence permit). Arrive 20 minutes early; phones, dictionaries and correction fluid are not allowed. Your result appears on CAPLE's website, and you collect the certificate from the exam centre 15 to 20 working days after results are published.