What language do they speak in Brazil? Learn Brazilian Portuguese

Brazil is the largest country in South America by area and population and is home to over 200 million people. One of the most commonly asked questions about Brazil is what language is spoken there - unlike it's Latin American neighbours, who speak Spanish, the official language of Brazil is Portuguese.

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The Official Language of Brazil: Brazilian Portuguese

Portuguese is the official language of Brazil. It is the only country in the Americas where Portuguese is the official language. Brazil first adopted Portuguese due to colonisation by Portugal, which began in 1500, and Portuguese has been the official language since the 16th century. Today, Brazilian Portuguese is used in government, education, media, business, and daily communication across the country.

The Portuguese spoken in Brazil is referred to as Brazilian Portuguese. Compared to European Portuguese, it includes differences in grammar, vocabulary, and spelling, and it sounds it's more melodic and sing-songy compared to the harsher pronunciation of European Portuguese. These variations are recognised and standardised in language agreements between Portuguese-speaking countries.

Differences Between Brazilian and European Portuguese

Brazilian and European Portuguese are varieties of the same language but differ in several ways. These differences affect pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and usage.

Pronunciation is the most noticeable difference. Brazilian Portuguese tends to pronounce vowels more clearly and uses open vowels more often. European Portuguese has more vowel reduction and elision. For example, in European Portuguese, the word “verdade” (truth) may be pronounced more like “vrdad,” whereas in Brazilian Portuguese it is pronounced "ver-da-jee".

Grammar also varies. In Brazilian Portuguese, subject pronouns are used more frequently in speech and writing. European Portuguese often omits the subject pronoun when it is implied by the verb. Brazilian Portuguese also uses the present progressive form more often, such as “estou falando” (I am speaking), while European Portuguese may use the simple present “falo” (I speak) in the same context.

Vocabulary differences exist due to regional development and external influences. For example, the Brazilian Portuguese word for bus is “ônibus,” while in European Portuguese it is “autocarro.” A cell phone is “celular” in Brazil and “telemóvel” in Portugal. These variations are similar to differences between British and American English.

There are also spelling differences. Before the Orthographic Agreement, Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese used different spellings for some words. For example, the word for reception was “recepção” in Brazil and “receção” in Portugal. The agreement sought to reduce these differences, but variations still exist.

While both can understand each other, in general, Brazilian Portuguese can be more easily understood by European Portuguese speakers, than European Portuguese can be by Brazilian Portuguese speakers. This is because Brazilian pronunciation is clearer and vowels are articulated more fully, while European Portuguese often reduces or drops vowels, making it harder to follow.

Learners should choose a variant based on where they plan to use the language.

Regional Variations in Brazilian Portuguese

Brazilian Portuguese has been influenced by Indigenous languages, African languages brought by enslaved people, and immigrant languages such as Italian and German. This has resulted in strong regional variations in the language, where accents, slang, and even daily vocabulary differ, influenced by historical migration and contact with local indigenous languages.

Despite these regional differences, all regions use standard Portuguese in formal contexts such as education, official documents, and national media.

Regional Accents in Brazilian Portuguese:

Despite all speaking Brazilian Portuguese, each Brazilian state has a distinctive accent. The letters that have the most variation in pronunciation in Brazilian Portuguese are T, R, E, D, S. These letters are largely responsible for the different accents found in Brazil.

In the northeast, the pronunciation tends to be more open and syllables are often fully enunciated. In the southeast, particularly in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, speech tends to be faster and includes more loanwords from foreign languages, particularly English and Italian.

Regional differences are especially noticeable in major states, for example:

• São Paulo: the accent is flatter with less intonation, influenced by large immigrant groups and fast-paced urban speech. This accent is generally one of the most easy to understand for Portuguese learners.

• Rio de Janeiro: People from Rio (called Cariocas) are easy to identify because the s sound at the end of syllables is pronounced like a prolonged sh. For example "mais" (more)is pronounced as "maish" and "seis" (six) is pronounced as "seish", and "gosta" (like) is pronounced as "goshta".

• Minas Gerais: In Minas, words are often shortened, with syllables dropped in casual speech, making it particularly difficult to understand. One uniquely Mineiro example is "Cê é fi de quem?" - meaning "você é filho de quem?" (whose child are you?). Another example is “onde cê tá” - pronounced as “Ôndecê tá”, which means"onde você está?" (where are you?).

• Bahia: While speech is Bahia is known for being slower, that unfortunately does not make the Bahian accent easier to understand, as words tend to be all rolled together.

• Pernambuco: While many regions of Brazilians pronounce "d" as a "j" sound and "t" as a "tch" sound, in Pernambuco these letters are pronounced as a "d" and "t" as you would pronounce these letters in English.

• North of Brazil & Amazonia: Many words from Tupi-Guarani and other Indigenous languages are used in local vocabulary, place names, and expressions.

• Rio Grande do Sul: The accent is harsher and more guttural, shaped by German, Italian, and Spanish influences. They tend to use the pronoun "tu", which is not commonly used in other parts of Brazil.

• Caipira (interior of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Goias: A common stereotype of accents from the interior (countryside) of Brazil is to use a stronger "R" sound, e.g. the word porta (door) is pronounced as "poRta", rather than "poh-ta" in other parts of Brazil.

  
  

These regional differences make accents a strong marker of identity in Brazil, often allowing Brazilians to recognise where someone is from within a few sentences of conversation.

Regional Brazilian Vocabulary:

Here are some examples of regional word differences in Brazilian Portuguese, showing how vocabulary can vary across the country:

• While most Brazilians use "coisa" for a thing or general object, in São Paulo they often say "bagulho", in Rio de Janeiro they say "parada", and in Minas Gerais they say "trem".

• While most Brazilian call fresh bread rolls "pão francês" (french bread), in Rio Grande do Sul they call them "cacetinho"

• While most Brazilians call money "dinheiro", in São Paulo people often say "pilas" in informal speech.

• While most Brazilians say woman as "mulher", in the interior of Sao Paulo, people sometimes say "muié".

Regional Brazilian Slang:

Like vocabulary, Brazilian slang is also regional with each state having its own expressions. Here are some examples of the most well-known:

• Uai (pronounced "why") – Minas Gerais: Expresses almost anything - surprise, doubt, emphasis, or just a pause for thought, “Uai, cadê você?"

• Oxe (pronounced "osh-e") – Bahia: Surprise, disbelief, or emphasis,“Oxe, como assim?”

• Bah – Rio Grande do Sul: Expresses amazement, emphasis, or frustration “Bah, que frio!”

• Mermão - Rio de Janeiro: While most Brazilians might say amigo for a casual friend, in Rio de Janeiro people often say mermão, a contraction of meu irmão (my brother), “E aí, mermão, tudo certo?”

• Maneiro - Rio de Janeiro: Used very commonly in casual conversation to describe something cool or nice, “Nossa, esse jogo é maneiro!”

• Mano - Sao Paulo: For dude or bro,"Mano, você tá bem?"

• Da hora - Sao Paulo: Used to mean awesome or cool

Minority and Indigenous Languages in Brazil

Although Portuguese is dominant, Brazil is linguistically diverse. The country recognises the cultural and linguistic rights of Indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities.

According to the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), there are more than 270 Indigenous languages spoken in Brazil. These languages belong to several language families, including Tupi-Guarani, Macro-Jê, Arawak, and Carib. Most Indigenous languages are spoken in rural or remote areas, especially in the Amazon region.

The number of speakers of Indigenous languages is relatively small, estimated at around 37,000 people who speak only an Indigenous language. Bilingualism with Portuguese is common in Indigenous communities. Today, some Indigenous languages are endangered due to reduced intergenerational transmission.

Immigrant Languages

Brazil received large waves of immigration between the 19th and 20th centuries. Immigrant groups established communities that maintained their native languages alongside Portuguese.

German dialects such as Hunsrückisch and Pomeranian are spoken in southern states such as Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. These dialects are used in daily life in some communities. Hunsrückisch is recognised as a cultural heritage language in some municipalities.

Italian dialects, especially Talian, are also spoken in southern Brazil. Talian is a Venetian-based dialect and has significance in regions with Italian heritage.

Japanese is spoken in communities in São Paulo and Paraná. Brazil has the largest Japanese population outside Japan. Some families maintain the use of Japanese across generations.

Foreign Language Education

Portuguese is the only official language, but foreign languages are taught in schools and used in specific contexts. English and Spanish are the most widely studied foreign languages.

English is commonly taught in secondary schools and private language institutes. Proficiency levels vary depending on region and access to education. English is important for business, tourism, and higher education.

Spanish is also taught due to Brazil's proximity to Spanish-speaking countries. In 2005, Spanish was made mandatory in Brazilian secondary schools, but the requirement was revoked in 2016. Despite this, Spanish remains a common second language.

Other foreign languages studied include French, German, and Italian, often in regions in Southern Brazil with historical ties to those languages.

Do I need to learn Portuguese before travelling to Brazil?

Learning some Portuguese before travelling to Brazil is highly recommended. While English is taught in schools, proficiency remains limited. Only about 5 percent of Brazilians speak English with usable proficiency. In many regions, especially outside major tourist areas, English is rarely spoken.

Basic knowledge of Portuguese can help with transportation, accommodation, and dining. Most signs, menus, and public information are written in Portuguese. Plus, learning some Portuguese will help you connect with locals, as most Brazilians are more comfortable communicating in their native language. Even a basic ability to greet people, ask simple questions, and express gratitude in Portuguese will lead to more positive interactions.

Brazilians appreciate the effort and are more likely to offer assistance or engage in conversation when visitors attempt to speak the language. This can enhance the overall travel experience by providing deeper insights into local culture and daily life that are not accessible through English alone.