Why are Brazilian and European Portuguese different?
The two major standard versions of Portuguese are Brazilian and European Portuguese. They have the same linguistic origins, remain mutually intelligible, and maintain a unified communication standard.
The Portuguese language first reached Brazil with the arrival of Portuguese-speaking colonists in the 16th century. In Brazil, Portuguese was strongly influenced by the presence of indigenous and African languages, along with other languages, like Italian, that were brought later by other European immigrants.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese spoken in Portugal underwent different changes, without these influences.
These historical, cultural, and geographical factors have generated some differences between Brazilian and European Portuguese in terms of pronunciation, vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. Let’s see them in detail below.
Have you heard of the Acordo Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa(Orthographic Agreement of the Portuguese Language)? It was an international treaty signed in 1990 by Portuguese-speaking countries, established to standardize a set of spelling rules for the Portuguese language, fostering linguistic unity among these nations. Through this agreement, certain spellings underwent modifications, including the simplification of accent and hyphen usage, in order to create a more cohesive and coherent written form of Portuguese that would be universally understood and accepted by all participating countries.
Remember that Portuguese is the official language not only in Brazil and Portugal, but also in seven other countries: Angola, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe (all located on the African continent), and Timor Leste (located in Southeast Asia).
What are the main differences in grammar between European and Brazilian Portuguese?
The differences in grammar between Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese are relatively minor, as the two share the same fundamental grammatical rules. Let's see the main distinctions in structures.
Use of the gerund in continuous tenses
In both Brazilian and European Portuguese, continuous tenses are used to talk about ongoing actions or events. In both languages, we use the verb estar(to be) as the auxiliary verbNo definition set for auxiliary verbLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. to form continuous tensesNo definition set for continuous tensesLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. However, the form of the main verbNo definition set for main verbLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. is a bit different. Brazilian Portuguese uses estar + gerund, while European Portuguese uses estar + a + infinitive:
Brazilian Portuguese:
estar(to be) + gerund -ndo
Yesterday it was raining.
European Portuguese:
estar(to be) + a + infinitive verb
Yesterday it was raining.
This means that Brazilians would say, Você está entendendo essa diferença?, whereas the Portuguese would say, Está a perceber essa diferença?(Are you understanding these differences?).
Use of the verbs ‘ter’ and ‘haver’
The verbs ter(to have) and haver(to be, there is/are) are used in both European and Brazilian Portuguese. However, they are used differently in each variant. Let’s see these differences below.
‘Ter’ and ‘haver’ as auxiliary verbs
In Brazilian Portuguese, the verbs ter and haver are used as auxiliary verbs to form compound tenses. However, ter is more common in everyday language, whereas haver is more used in formal contexts and written language.
Informal:
Os funcionários tinham feito uma greve.
The employees had gone on strike.
Formal/written language:
Os funcionários haviam feito uma greve.
The employees had gone on strike.
In European Portuguese, there is no such a difference between the formal and informal auxiliary verbs. Ter is the standard auxiliary verb for both formal and informal contexts.
Os funcionários tinham feito uma greve.
The employees had gone on strike.
‘Ter’ and ‘haver’ meaning “there is/are”
Ter and haver can also convey the idea of existence or occurrence, and are translated as “there is/are.” The difference in the use of these verbs in European and Brazilian Portuguese is also very straightforward.
Brazilian Portuguese uses both ter and haver to indicate the existence or presence of something. However, ter is more common in everyday language, and haver normally appears in written language and it sounds very formal in spoken language.
Informal:
Tem muitos restaurantes naquela rua.
There are many restaurants on the street.
Formal/written language:
Há muitos restaurantes naquela rua.
There are many restaurants on the street.
In European Portuguese, only the verb haver is normally used in both contexts.
Há muitos restaurantes naquela rua.
There are many restaurants on the street.
‘Você’ or ‘tu’?: The use of subject pronouns in European vs Brazilian Portuguese
The personal pronouns tu and você both address someone as “you” in Portuguese. However, Brazilian Portuguese uses the subject pronoun você for both formal and informal “you.” European Portuguese uses tu for informal you, and doesn’t use the subject pronoun você to show formality. Instead, there are three different ways to use the formal “you” in European Portuguese. Let’s see these differences below, starting with the use of você in Brazilian Portuguese!
Brazilian Portuguese: você(you)
In Brazil, você functions like the word “you” in English, used in both formal and informal contexts. So, Brazilians tend to use você most of the time.
The pronoun você originated from the Portuguese title vossa mercê(your grace) which was used as a formal way to address someone. Over time, vossa mercê evolved into vossemecê and eventually shortened to você. It became a common second-person singular pronoun used for informal situations in Brazilian Portuguese, replacing the previously used tu(you) in many regions. See the evolution of the pronoun você below.
vossa mercê ⇒ vossemecê ⇒ vosmecê ⇒ vosm’cê ⇒ voscê ⇒ você
Don’t miss our post if you want to know more about the use of você and other subject pronouns in Brazilian Portuguese!
However, when Brazilians wish to be more formal, the following pronouns can be used:
O senhor prefere café ou chá?
Do you, Sir, prefer coffee or tea?
lit. Do you prefer coffee or tea?
A senhora poderia me dar uma informação?
Could you, Madam, give me some information?
lit. Could you give me some information?
These formal pronouns are used in professional settings, public services, and, more often, with elderly people. Although Brazilians tend to be more informal, when in doubt, o senhor and a senhora are generally a safe and respectful choice, especially in the initial interactions with someone new.
Although você refers to the second personNo definition set for second personLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. singular, just like tu, the verb form used with você is the same as the one used for the pronouns ele, ela(he, she): the third personNo definition set for third personLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. singular.
Você fala italiano? Ele fala italiano?
Do you speak Italian? Does he speak Italian?
Although você is the standard subject pronoun for “you” in Brazil, some regions in the south and northeast of the country use tu. However, in Brazil tu is no less formal than você. It is simply another way of saying você. In addition, despite using tu in speech, the verb conjugation is done the same as with using você.
This means that instead of saying, Tu estás em casa?(Are you home?), where estás has the tu conjugation, like in Portugal, people from these regions in Brazil typically say, Tu está em casa?, using the conjugation for você, which is está.
European Portuguese: tu(you)
Tu , in Portugal, is the pronoun used for “you” in informal contexts, such as with family or friends.
Tu és o meu melhor amigo.
When the subject pronoun tu is used in Portugal, the verb form has a different conjugation (unlike when tu is used in parts of Brazil): a second person conjugation ending in -s is used.
In formal contexts, European Portuguese expresses formality in three different ways:
Using the typical third-person verb form for the pronoun você(you), but omitting the pronoun você itself.
Você Prefere café ou chá?
Do you prefer coffee or tea?
Saying the name of the person you are addressing. Imagine you want to formally ask Catarina if she prefers coffee or tea. You could say:
A Catarina prefere café ou chá?
Catarina, do you prefer coffee or tea?
Using the pronouns o senhor, a senhora, os senhores, as senhoras, exactly like the formal way in Brazil.
A senhora prefere café ou chá?
Do you prefer coffee or tea?
Possessive adjectives: the differences in European and Brazilian Portuguese
There are some differences in the use of possessive adjectives between European and Brazilian Portuguese. Let’s see them below.
The possessive adjectivesNo definition set for possessive adjectivesLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. for você and tu (informal you):
In Brazilian Portuguese, it’s more common to use the possessive adjective of the second person singular você: seu, sua, seus, suas(your), as in:
O seu carro é muito confortável.
Your car is very comfortable.
In informal European Portuguese, it's more common to use the possessive adjective of the second person singular tu: teu, tua, teus, tuas(your), as in:
O teu carro é muito confortável.
Your car is very comfortable.
However, in formal European Portuguese, you can use the possessive adjectives seu, sua, seus, suas, as they reflect the use of the formal subject pronouns o senhor, a senhora(formal you singular). If you say “A sua casa é linda!” in European Portuguese, you mean that “A casa da senhora é linda!”(Lady, your house is beautiful!).
The possessive adjectives for vocês(you, pl.):
In Brazilian Portuguese, the possessive adjective for vocês(you, pl.) can be seus, suas or, more often, de vocês(your, pl.). This construction uses the preposition de(of) followed by the pronoun vocês(you, pl.) to indicate possession.
Essas malas são suas? / Essas malas são de vocês?
If you refer to a singular possessed object, like mala, instead of malas, you can only use de vocês after the object.
Differently, in European Portuguese, the possessive adjective for the formal vocês or os senhores, as senhoras(formal you, pl.) is vosso, vossa, vossos, vossas(your pl.).
Aquela mulher é a vossa mãe?
Is that woman your mother?
The possessives vosso(s), vossa(s) were also used in Brazil at one point, but over time it was gradually substituted by seu(s), sua(s) and de vocês.
The difference in object pronouns in European and Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian and European Portuguese grammar share the same rules for object pronoun placement. Object pronounsNo definition set for Object pronounsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. in the Portuguese language can go before, within, or after the verb, depending on the sentence structure. However, Brazilian Portuguese is more flexible, and Brazilians typically use the object pronoun before the verb informally, instead of following all of the different grammar rules.
Brazilian Portuguese:
In informal contexts, Brazilian Portuguese generally places the object pronoun before the verb.
Nós nos veríamos amanhã no trabalho, mas estarei de férias.
We would see each other tomorrow at work, but I’ll be on vacation.
Eu te espero na porta do cinema.
I'll wait for you at the cinema door.
Although Brazilian Portuguese tends to place object pronouns before the verb, in more formal contexts or in written Brazilian Portuguese, the different grammatical rules for object pronoun placement can be applied. If you want to know more about this, don’t miss our post on direct and indirect object pronouns in Brazilian Portuguese.
European Portuguese:
In sentences with negative words or interrogative words, for example, the object is placed before the verb.
In the future or conditional present tense, the object pronoun can also be placed within the verb.
Ver-nos-íamos amanhã no trabalho, mas estarei de férias.
We would see each other tomorrow at work, but I’ll be on vacation.
In affirmative sentences, the object pronoun is placed after the verb through a hyphen, as in:
Eu espero-te na porta do cinema.
I'll wait for you at the cinema door.
The difference in the use of indirect object pronoun
Brazilian and European Portuguese also share the same grammar rules for the use of the indirect object pronounsNo definition set for indirect object pronounsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. lhe, lhes(you (sing.), him, her, it, you (pl.), them). However, like with object pronoun placement, Brazilian Portuguese does not always follow the strict grammatical rules for indirect object pronouns, while European Portuguese does:
As per grammar rules, European Portuguese uses the indirect object pronouns lhe, lhes to indicate the recipient of the action, which means that speakers may say:
Vou mostrar a casa ao Marcelo. ⇒ Vou mostrar-lhe a casa.
I will show the house to Marcelo. ⇒ I will show him the house.
Instead, Brazilian Portuguese tends to use the preposition para(to, for) followed by a personal pronoun to avoid using the indirect object pronoun. So the same sentence as above would be said slightly differently in Brazilian Portuguese, as below:
Vou mostrar a casa ao Marcelo. ⇒ Vou mostrar a casa para ele.
I will show the house to Marcelo. ⇒ I will show him the house.
The difference in the use of demonstratives
Brazilian and European Portuguese share the same grammar rules to determine the use of demonstrative adjectives and pronouns:
este(s), esta(s)(this, these): indicates proximity to the speaker
esse(s), essa(s)(this, these): indicates proximity to the person to whom one speaks
aquele(s), aquela(s)(that, those): indicates distance from the two interlocutors
However, in everyday language, Brazilian Portuguese usually doesn’t differentiate between este(s), esta(s) and esse(s), essa(s). Brazilians tend to use only esse(s), essa(s) to determine both spatial distances.
Essa criança sentada ao meu lado é minha filha.
That child sitting next to me is my daughter.
Per the grammar rules, the demonstrative adjective esta should be used in the sentence above, since the child is close to the speaker. But, Brazilians normally would use essa instead of esta.
European Portuguese, on the other hand, distinguishes the demonstratives este(s), esta(s) and esse(s), essa(s). So the sentence above would be said:
Esta criança sentada ao meu lado é minha filha.
That child sitting next to me is my daughter.
The use of the definite article
The use of definite articles in Brazilian and European Portuguese is generally similar, but European Portuguese tends to use the definite article more often than Brazilian Portuguese, especially before possessive adjectives and names.
Brazilian Portuguese:
Eu não conheço sua família.
I don’t know your family.
European Portuguese:
Eu não conheço a sua família.
I don’t know your family.
However, it's important to remember that both variants follow the same fundamental rules for article usage. These differences are more a matter of regional variations and preferences rather than strict grammatical distinctions.
Preposition of movement ‘a’ (to)
Brazilian and European Portuguese grammar also share the same rules for the use of the prepositionNo definition set for prepositionLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. a. However, Brazilian Portuguese often uses the preposition em(in, on, at) and its contractions no, na, no, nas(in the) instead of a in those sentences.
Brazilian Portuguese:
Você foi no supermercado?
Did you go to the supermarket?
→ em(to) + o(the) ⇒ no
European Portuguese is more likely to follow the grammar rules for the use of the preposition of movement a(to) and its contractions à, às, ao, aos(to the).
European Portuguese:
Você foi ao supermercado?
Did you go to the supermarket?
→ a(to) + o(the) ⇒ ao
Another interesting contrast between Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese is the use of the prepositions a(to) and para(to). In Brazilian Portuguese, these prepositions are often interchangeable, with almost no difference in meaning. However, in European Portuguese, there is a rule that distinguishes the use of a and para when indicating movement and directions:
a is used to refer to a short stay:
Vou à padaria comprar pão e leite.
I’ll go to the bakery to buy bread and milk.
→ The stay at the bakery is short, therefore a is used.
para is used to refer to a longer stay:
Vou viajar para a Argentina na semana que vem.
I’m traveling to Argentina next week.
→ The stay in Argentina is probably longer, and therefore we use the preposition para.
In Brazilian Portuguese, there is no such difference. Para is more informal, and therefore more often used in everyday language, whereas a is considered more formal.
What are the main differences in vocabulary?
The vocabulary differences between Brazilian and European Portuguese can be quite significant, as they have developed independently over time due to historical, cultural, and regional influences. See below how some sentences may sound very different in Brazilian and European Portuguese.
Quero um café com leite e um sanduíche de queijo.
Quero uma meia de leite e um sandes de queijo.
I want a coffee with milk and a cheese sandwich.
In this example, the word leite(milk) remains the same in both variants, but the full term for “coffee with milk” is different. Additionally, the word for “sandwich” is sanduíche in Brazilian Portuguese, while in European Portuguese, it is sandes.
Você assistiu ao filme “A garota no trem”?
Você assistiu ao filme “A rapariga no comboio”?
Have you seen the movie “The Girl on the Train”?
In the second example, the word for “girl” in Brazilian Portuguese is garota, whereas in European Portuguese, it is rapariga. And the word for “train” in Brazilian Portuguese is trem, whereas in European Portuguese, it is comboio.
The differences in vocabulary can vary a lot, so see our list to get to know more vocabulary words that are different in Brazilian and European Portuguese!
Differences in pronunciation
One of the biggest differences between Brazilian and European Portuguese certainly lies in their pronunciation. When learning Portuguese as a second language, people tend to say that it's easier to understand Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation, probably due to its slower speech pace, and the pronunciation of the vowelsNo definition set for vowelsLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. Let’s talk about these differences below.
Vowels
In both Brazilian and European Portuguese, the sound of stressedNo definition set for stressedLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. vowels is clear, but the sounds of unstressed vowels are different: Brazilian Portuguese has a more open and longer sound of unstressed vowels, whereas European Portuguese tends to omit this sound.
menino(boy) | [meeneenoo] | [m’neenoo] |
palavra(word) | [pahlahvrah] | [p’lahvrah] |
importante(important) | [impohrtahumchee] | [imp’rtahumtee] |
Portugal(Portugal) | [portoogahoo] | [p’r’tgahl] |
There’s a reduction in the sound of the unstressed vowels “a,” “e,” “o,” and “u” in the words above, when pronounced in European Portuguese, which does not occur in Brazilian Portuguese.
➣ Syllables de, di, te, and ti:
In Brazilian Portuguese, the syllables de / di and te / ti are pronounced like [jee] and [chee], respectively. European Portuguese, on the contrary, pronounces these syllables like [dee] and [tee], similar to what the English pronunciation would be.
If we compare the pronunciation of the word quente, for example, the sound of “t” in Brazilian Portuguese, it's similar to the “ch” sound in the English word “chunk,” whereas the same “t” in European Portuguese sounds more like the “t” sound in the English word “tea.”
The pronunciations [jee] and [chee] in Brazilian Portuguese are common in cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, but they do not occur in all regions of Brazil, like in the north or some parts of the south of Brazil. Here, the pronunciation of these sounds is more similar to European Portuguese.
Consonants
There are some differences in the pronunciation of the consonants “l,” “r,” and “s” in Brazilian and European Portuguese.
Consonant -l:
In Brazilian Portuguese, the consonant “l” has the sound of [oo] when it's before another consonant or at the end of a word. In European Portuguese, on the other hand, the “l” has the sound of [l], which is more similar to the sound of “l” in English.
Brazilian Portuguese:
Brasil[Brazeeoo](Brazil)
palco[pahookoo](stage)
European Portuguese:
Brasil[Brazeel](Brazil)
palco[pahlkoo](stage)
Consonant -r:
In Brazilian Portuguese, the consonant “r” at the end of the word is usually not strongly pronounced. European Portuguese, on the other hand, has a stronger pronunciation of “r” when it’s placed at the end of the word, which means that we can clearly hear the “r” sound.
Consonant -s:
In European Portuguese, an “s” at the end of a syllable, as in cos·tas(back), is pronounced [sh], just like the sound in the English word “show.” The same [sh] sound also occurs when “s” appears in front of the voiceless consonants “p,” “t,” “c,” and “f,” and in European Portuguese, even a “z” at the end of a word is pronounced [sh].
In Brazilian Portuguese, on the other hand, the “s” usually has the classic [s] sound in all of these places, just like the “s” in the English “sign.”
