Brazilian vs European Portuguese: Learning the Difference

Portuguese is one of the most popular languages for non-native speakers to learn, and for good reason! It’s a historically relevant language with roots stretching back as far as the Roman Empire. Portuguese is also one of the most spoken languages in the world. Over 260 million people speak it as a first or second language. What’s more, its European Romance language roots make it a great language to acquire before learning French, Italian, or (especially) Spanish.

But how different is Brazilian Portuguese from European Portuguese? For curious learners, a better question might be, which language is worth learning, and are the languages mutually intelligible?

We have compiled a Beginner’s Guide to understanding the differences between Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese, complete with examples and fun facts!

Is Brazilian Portuguese Different from Portugal Portuguese? 7 Key Distinctions

1. There are many more speakers of Brazilian Portuguese.

In 2023, the entire population of Portugal amounted to 10.53 million. That’s only half the population of Brazil’s biggest city, São Paulo. In 2023, Brazil’s population came in at a whopping 216.4 million. You will find much more Brazilian influence in the Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) world than European Portuguese.

2. Brazilians use você and Portuguese use tu. 

In Portuguese, like in all Romance languages, there is more than one way to say “you.” Tu is the informal way, and você is formal. However, the term você became so popular in Brazil that it is now commonplace to call everyone você (save some parts of the south that border Argentina).

In Portugal, tu is used in almost every situation, even with teachers and employers. Brazilians would immediately recognize the Portuguese accent for this simple detail.

However, it is important to note that SOME Brazilians (mostly in the northeast) do, in fact, use the pronoun tu, but most of them conjugate it as if it were você. For example, to ask, “Are you going to the party?” some Brazilians might say colloquially, “Tu vai para a festa?” instead of “Tu vais para a festa?”

3. Portuguese don’t use the gerund.

Before you ask, “What’s a gerund?” it’s any nonfinite verb form, meaning action in continuation. For example, “writing” is the gerund of “to write,” and “doing” is the gerund of “to do.” Brazilians use the gerund as much as English speakers do. The Portuguese, however, use a different grammatical structure that replaces the gerund with the preposition “a” followed by the infinitive.

4. The pronunciation is completely different.

In the same way that British and American English speakers have very distinct accents, Portuguese and Brazilians do, too.

Most second-language learners of Portuguese will notice that the Portuguese speak with their mouths closed and very short vowel sounds, while the Brazilians open their mouths and practically sing when they speak.

For example, take the word querido (dear). In Brazil, this word is pronounced kay-ree-doh with an elongated open vowel. It is pronounced kree-doh in Portugal, where the r is rolled and gives an Eastern European/Russian effect.

Another difference is what the Brazilians call the “sh.” Take the word gostoso (delicious), for example. In Brazilian, the “st” combination has the same phonetics as English. In Portugal, it is pronounced go-shto-so.

Rio de Janeiro is the only place in Brazil where the “sh” trait is found, mostly because of the city’s Portuguese influence (as opposed to German and Italian in the south and African and Indigenous in the north).

5. Many basic vocabulary terms differ in Brazil and Portugal.

Everything from how to say “Hi,” “Please,” and “Where is the bathroom?” changes from Brazil to Portugal, including, of course, slang. Here is a list of the most important everyday vocabulary terms that will help you survive conversations with both Brazilians and Portuguese.

6. The Portuguese are very literal, even in their language.

Whereas Brazilians are known to speak in a warm and welcoming tone in the Lusophone world, the Portuguese are known for being extremely literal.

For example, if a Brazilian asks a Portuguese “Qual é seu celular,” literally meaning “What’s your cell,” a Portuguese might respond “Samsung” instead of responding with their cell phone number. This is a cultural phenomenon known throughout Brazil (and the butt of many Brazilian jokes) because, in Portugal, all questions will be answered with direct responses. So ask carefully!

Similarly, if you ask for something in a restaurant in Portugal that they don’t have, they will respond, “Não.” Brazilians might throw in a “Sorry, we ran out!” or “Maybe try next door.” In Portugal, there is minimal small talk or beating around the bush. It is what it is. When assessing Brazilian Portuguese vs Portuguese distinctions, this is one of the more underrated aspects. Try listening to a native of Lisbon speak a sentence, then listen to someone from São Paulo say the same thing. Technically, the two people are speaking the same language (with minor differences). And yet, 9 times out of 10, the Brazilian Portuguese speaker will use more words to say the same thing. This aligns with the general perception that Latin American cultures and personalities are livelier and more emotional than their Old World brethren.

7. Brazilians are not strict when it comes to grammar.

As you may have noticed in #2, where you learned that some Brazilians conjugate tu as if it were você, Brazilians are not very strict regarding grammar when they speak. When it comes to the imperative, conditional tenses, or even the use of indirect pronouns, Brazilians use “estão nem aí” (a charming expression meaning “I really don’t care.”)

Brazilian Portuguese vs Portuguese: Which One Should You Learn?

Learning both variations of Portuguese is beneficial as the language continues to grow in the world of business and pop culture. However, we recommend starting with Brazilian Portuguese first since many language learners say it is easier to learn than European Portuguese.

Choosing the Right Portuguese for Your Interests

The better question might be, which Portuguese language interests you most? When choosing Brazilian vs European Portuguese, it helps to figure out what draws you to it. Do you want to connect with relatives in Europe, make business connections in Latin America, or visit a particular Portuguese-speaking country? 

Portuguese is spoken in Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, East Timor, Macau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe. So, if you’d like to learn more about any of them or even visit, this could be your sign! Maybe you are interested in a particular country’s culture, like Brazil’s catchy music and addictive soap operas?

Whatever the case, you’re the only one who can answer the Brazilian Portuguese vs Portuguese question. The thing to remember is that there’s no “wrong” version of the language to learn. Once you learn one, you will only have to make slight vocabulary and grammar changes to speak the other. Talk about a WIN-WIN!

And keep in mind that whatever your preference, Pimsleur has a course for you. Check out our All Access Premium subscription if you want to try both at the same time!