Portuguese is the main language, specifically European Portuguese. I also hear English often, and you can get around even if you only speak English. On the metro and around the city, many signs and announcements appear in Portuguese and English, and sometimes even in French because there is a large French community here.
Lisbon is also very diverse. There are many international students and visitors. For example, there are several Chinese students in my classes who are learning Portuguese, and I also have classmates from Russia. I even met two French girls who spoke English. Seeing people from so many different countries shows how international Lisbon has become.
Portugal uses the euro, since it’s part of the European Union. Everything I’ve bought so far, from snacks to metro tickets, is in euros.
A bottle of water usually costs one or two euros, depending on where you buy it. I normally just carry my own bottle when I walk around or go to class.
