On a scale of 800 points, the Portuguese obtained 612 points, well above the world average of 488 points, according to the Education First English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) 2025 ranking, which included 2.2 million participants.

In the English test, which assessed reading, listening, speaking and writing skills, Portugal appears in 6th place, only slightly below the Netherlands, which occupies 1st place with 624 points, followed by Croatia, Austria, Germany and Norway.

The study shows that oral expression continues to be the biggest challenge. In more than half of the countries evaluated, speaking English is the weakest skill. In Portugal, for example, oral communication scores 130 points lower than reading, a skill in which the Portuguese were stronger, obtaining 632 points.

The differences between men and women are also becoming increasingly blurred, with men performing slightly better, according to data accessed by Lusa.

Looking at the country as a whole, the central and northern regions show the highest levels of English proficiency: Coimbra, Braga, Aveiro, and Viseu are the districts where English is spoken best. In terms of cities, Coimbra leads the national ranking with 639 points, followed by Guimarães and Aveiro.

Among the regions with the worst results are Bragança and Viana do Castelo, both with district averages below 600 points. Setúbal is the city with the lowest national score (596).

The youngest participants, between 18 and 20 years old, are the best in English, according to the results of an online test, which shows that as the age of the respondents increases, their scores decrease.

In Portugal, students and teachers obtained the best results, with averages around 650 points. Professionals in the legal and Information Technology fields follow, according to the study accessed by Lusa.

Constança Oliveira e Sousa, from EF in Portugal, highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence (AI)-based translation tools on oral and written expression: “These tools allow for instant translations, which can decrease the motivation to learn a language from the beginning,” she argued.

On the other hand, she acknowledged that AI can also bring new opportunities for language learning, namely through personalized exercises accessible at any time of day.