Brazil Language (2024)

FAQs

What is the official language of Brazil responses? ›

Portuguese is the official and national language of Brazil[6] and is widely spoken by most of the population. The Portuguese dialects spoken in Brazil are collectively known as Brazilian Portuguese. The Brazilian Sign Language also has official status at the federal level.

About 99% of people in Brazil speak Portuguese. Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking country in the Americas but it differs from European Portuguese as it's been influenced by German and Italian in the South and the country's indigenous languages.

Papagaio come milho, periquito leva fama. Literal Translation: “Parrot eats corn, parakeet takes fame.” This is a Brazilian proverb, referring to when one person does something extraordinary, but another takes the praise.

No, Portuguese is easy to learn, especially if you know how to speak Spanish. It is also not hard to learn if you are an English speaker.

If you'd like to say “hello” in Brazilian Portuguese, you would generally use “Olá”. You can also use “Oí"—which is often considered more informal. Here are a few other basic phrases you'll find useful: Bom dia. / Good morning.

If you know some Spanish, you can certainly try to make your wants or needs known using Spanish. While Portuguese and Spanish are linguistic cousins and some Brazilians may understand what you say in Spanish, they probably will not answer you in Spanish.

The Kiss as a Greeting

This is the greeting most common in Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais. In Rio, two kisses are customary. In Bahia, expect to receive three or more kisses! While this may seem overly familiar to Americans, do not refuse a kiss as a greeting. It is a platonic gesture that is a universal custom.

Similar to the French “Santé!” and Spanish “Salud!,” the Portuguese prefer to drink to each other's health by saying “Saúde!” instead of simply saying “cheers.” So the next time you're about to enjoy a cachaça in Brazil, remember to say “Saúde” before you start drinking.

[slowly] Tchau. This means "Bye" in Portuguese. When talking to strangers or friends, you can simply use this expression. You'll also hear tchau-tchau, which is less formal and is the equivalent of "bye-bye."

Yes, it's possible to travel to Brazil without speaking Portuguese. Consider that only about 3% of the world's population speaks Portuguese, but Brazil is the second most visited country in South America. Thus, most tourists navigate trips to Brazil without being fluent in Portuguese.

Can a Brazilian understand a Portuguese person? ›

Differences Between European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. European and Brazilian Portuguese are mutually intelligible, and those who speak one language can understand the other. While there are many similarities, there are also striking differences in grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

Q. Why is Portuguese the official language of Brazil? Ans. It is because Brazil was a colony of the Portuguese.

The primary language in Brazil is Portuguese, which is spoken by 98% of the people in Brazil. It is the language of government, of education, of the arts and of almost every element of daily life.

Here in Brazil, it took place in 1500 by the Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvarez Cabral and that's why Portuguese colonization was established in Brazil. Consequently, Brazil inherited the Portuguese language and it's still the official language.

Accordingly, the formal register of Brazilian Portuguese has a written and spoken form. The written formal register (FW) is used in almost all printed media and written communication, is uniform throughout the country and is the "Portuguese" officially taught at school.