Yes I have had the opportunity to write in my target language, it's interesting because it uses a lot of letter symbols (sorry, I'm not sure the correct term for this). I also prefer to write free hand, mainly because I like writing better in general. I retain more information than typing, meaning I'd retain more of the language when writing, in my opinion.The greatest patterns I see is between the grammar structure with Spanish and even English in a sense too. The Portuguese language structure uses a base Subject-Verb-Object (I found this tidbit on the internet) word order like English but reflects Spanish with the fact that adjectives typically follow nouns (ex: carro azul means blue car).
Complexity comes from adding modifiers like adjectives/adverbs after nouns/verbs, using different verb tenses, and connecting clauses with conjunctions. Knowing parts of speech is decently important when trying to communicate in written contexts. Parts of speech, in my opinion, are the most important parts of language when understanding clear written communication. Good understanding of parts of speech, especially where to place what, leads to comprehensible writing. Even if it's simple, showing an understanding of the grammar structure makes communication easier.
Some examples with practicing Portuguese:
Write the following sentence in preterite, present, and future: I go to the supermarket.
Eu vou ao supermercado. (present)
Eu irei ao supermercado. (future)
Eu fui ao supermercado. (past)
Identify the subject, verb, and object of these sentences:
Eu = S, ir = V, Supermercado = O
Replies
Hi Libby, I like that you are approaching learning the language very thoughtfully. I agree that writing free hand helps retain more information than typing. I also like your attention to the grammar structure and patterns and how it shows similarity with both english and spanish. Your supermarket tense drill is simple yet super effective, and breaking it into subject, verb, and object will definitely help build a solid grammatical foundation.