Portugal Among Top 10 English-Speaking Countries Globally

Portuguese Achieve 612 Points in EF English Proficiency Index Out of 800

Portuguese students and professionals ranked sixth in the 2025 Education First English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), among 123 countries. Portugal scored 612 points on an 800-point scale, well above the global average of 488. The ranking evaluated 2.2 million participants, testing reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills.

Speaking Remains the Weakest Skill, With Portuguese Scoring 130 Points Below Madeira Reading

The EF EPI results show that oral English is the most challenging skill worldwide. In Portugal, speaking scored 130 points lower than reading, which was the strongest skill at 632 points. Constança Oliveira e Sousa of EF Portugal noted the role of AI translation tools:

These tools allow instant translations, which can reduce motivation to learn a language from the start

Top English Speaking Regions in Portugal

Coimbra, Braga, Aveiro, and Viseu Lead Regions With Highest English Proficiency

Regionally, central and northern Portugal performed best. Coimbra topped the national ranking with 639 points, followed by Guimarães and Aveiro. Madeira Ranks 4th. In contrast, Bragança and Viana do Castelo had the lowest district averages, while Setúbal was the city with the lowest score at 596 points.

Young Adults and Education Professionals Show Strongest English Results

The study highlighted that Portuguese aged 18 to 20 achieved the highest scores, with performance decreasing as age increased. Students and teachers scored around 650 points, outperforming professionals in other fields. Legal and information technology professionals followed closely, according to EF Portugal.

Sources:
JM-Madeira
Ef.edu.pt