Date post: | 06-Apr-2016 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | learn-portuguese-in-lisbon |
View: | 276 times |
Download: | 11 times |
European Portuguese vs.
Brazilian Portuguese:
differences or
similarities?
HTTP://WWW.LEARNPORTUGUESEINLISBON.COM
ABOUT USPortuguese Connection Language School
We are a Portuguese School located in Lisbon, Portugal. We help our students to learn the Portuguese language through our custom designed courses, developed to ensure a fantastic learning experience.
Click here for more free Portuguese Language Resources
HTTP://WWW.LEARNPORTUGUESEINLISBON.COM
Approximately 250 million people worldwide currently speak Portuguese. It is the official
language of Portugal, Angola, Brazil, Mozambique, the Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and
São Tomé and Príncipe. It's also one of the official languages of Timor-East and of the
special administrative region of Macau in China. As the result of expansion during
colonial times, Portuguese speakers are also found in Goa, Daman and Diu in India and
in Malacca in Malaysia.
Therefore, no wonder that there are differences in grammar rules, vocabulary, intonation
and pronunciation for each of these countries that are so distant from each other. And
two good examples of these differences occur when we try to make a comparison
between European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. To help you understand, let’s
think about American English and British English or, if you prefer, Latin American
Spanish and Castilian Spanish. Whether is Portuguese, English or Spanish, they all
speak the same language, they all understand each other even with their specific
vocabulary or genuine and typical accent.
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
Introduction
Now, let’s see some worth mentioning differences between European Portuguese and
Brazilian Portuguese.
1. Personal pronoun TU vs. VOCÊ
Both pronouns mean the 2nd person singular ‘you’. However, in Brazil, tu is not as
common. It can be used in some dialects from the North and Southern states whereas
in Portugal is used in an informal way among family, friends or colleagues. On the other
hand, for Brazilians, você is the standard informal treatment, used daily, among people,
on the streets, at work, in all media communications, and with family and friends. But,
for the Portuguese, você has a certain formality among people with whom they don’t
have a familiar or close relationship.
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
Examples:
Hello Maria, you are very cute today!
Olá Maria, tu estás* muito bonita hoje! – EP
Olá Maria, você está* muito bonita hoje! – BP
*Pay attention to the conjugation of the verb because with tu we must use the second
person singular but with você we have to use the third person.
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
2. Placement of the reflexive pronouns
Regarding the placement of the reflexive pronouns, in European Portuguese the
pronoun always comes after the verb. In Brazilian Portuguese, the tendency is to
always place the pronoun before the verb.
Verb + pronoun = European Portuguese
Eu chamo-me André.
Tu sentes-te melhor hoje?
Pronoun + verb = Brazilian Portuguese
Eu me chamo André.
Você se sente melhor hoje?
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
However, bear in mind that in negative sentences both EP and BP, the pronoun always
comes before the verb, like in these examples:
Eu não me chamo André.
Você não se sente melhor hoje?
3. Infinitive vs. Gerund
To describe something that you are doing now, Portuguese and Brazilians say it
differently. In Portugal, they use the compound tense estar a + infinitive whereas in
Brazil, they replaced it with estar + gerund.
Eles estão a estudar em casa.
Enquanto eu estou a cozinhar, o meu marido está a tomar banho.
Eles estão estudando em casa.
Enquanto eu estou cozinhando, meu marido está tomando banho.
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
4. Vocabulary
European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese use very different vocabulary, and
speakers may sometimes have trouble understanding each other because of it. No
worries though, at the end, the Portuguese and the Brazilians can understand each
other perfectly. Here are some vocabulary examples:
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
European Portuguese Brazilian Portuguese English
comboio trem train
autocarro ônibus bus
assistente de bordo aeromoça flight attendant
pastelaria lanchonete café/ snack-bar/ pastry shop
pequeno-almoço café da manhã breakfast
casa-de-banho banheiro toilet/ restroom/ bathroom
desporto esporte sport
dar boleia dar carona to give someone a ride
Gelado sorvete ice-cream
sumo suco juice
legal fixe cool
5. Spelling
The Brazilian spellings of certain words differ from those used in Portugal and the other
Portuguese-speaking countries. Some of these differences are simply orthographic, but
others reflect true differences in pronunciation.
One of the major differences relates to words with c and p followed by c, ç, or t. In many
cases, the letters c or p have become silent in all varieties of Portuguese, a common
phonetic change in Latin languages. For example: acção, correcção. acta, actual,
objecto, recepção, óptimo, Egipto. In BP, these two consonants stopped being used
but in EP they still exist. However, things are changing and EP is slowly losing those
silent consonants, mainly due to the new Orthographic Agreement signed between all
Portuguese-speaking countries.
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
6. Phonetics
As it was mentioned before, Portuguese people and Brazilians can understand each
other very well, however, some Brazilians might find it difficult to understand the
European Portuguese because the Portuguese from Portugal has a bigger tendency to
compress words. Another reason is that Brazilians have almost no contact with the
European variant, while Portuguese are used to watch Brazilian television programs
(films, soap operas, talk shows, etc.) and listening to Brazilian music.
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
European Portuguese Brazilian Portuguese
[di] bom dia /bom dia/
divertido /divrtidu/
pediatra /pdiatra/
[dji] bom dia /bom djia/
divertido /djivertchidu/
pediatra /pedjiatra/
[de] boa tarde /boa tard/
cidade /cidad/
verdade /verdad/
The letter [e] at the end of the word has no sound.
[de] boa tarde /boa tardji/
cidade /cidadji/
verdade /verdadji/
[de] at the end of the word is pronounced [dji].
[e] Algarve /Algarv/
dente /dent/
sempre /sempr/
noite /noit/
The letter [e] at the end of the word has no sound.
[e] Algarve /Augarvi/
dente /dentchi/
sempre /sempri/
noite /noitchi/
The letter [e] at the end is pronounced [i].
[ti] típico /tipiku/
simpático /simpatiku/
mentira /mentira/
Tiago /Tiagu/
[ti] típico /tchipiku/
simpático /simpatchiku/
mentira /mentchira/
Tiago /Tchiagu/
[ti] is pronounced [tchi].
[L] Portugal /Purtugal/
Brasil /Brazil/
papel /papel/
espanhol /chpanhol/
azul /azul/
altura /altura/
mil /mil/
multa /multa/
The letter [L] is pronounced as a soft [L].
[L] Portugal /Portugau/
Brasil /Braziu/
papel /papeu/
espanhol /espanhou/
azul /azu/
altura /autura/
mil /miu/
multa /muta/
The letter [L] is pronounced [u] at the end of a
syllable or word.
[s] portas /portash/
janelas /janelash/
dois /doish/
palavras /palavrash/
The letter [s] at the end of the word is pronounced
[sh], [sch].
[s] portas /portas/
janelas /janelas/
dois /dois/
palavras /palavras/
The letter [s] at the end of the word is pronounced
[s].
These are some of the most important differences between EP and BP. Still having
doubts? Grab your things and go for a road trip around Portugal and Brazil. Speak with
the natives, and please don’t feel frustrated if you don’t understand what they say. It is
perfectly normal, especially if you visit those beautiful small villages where you can find
deeper differences regarding the accent. One thing is guaranteed, a true rewarding
adventure.
Now, it’s your turn to test your knowledge. Let’s see if you were paying attention
to all that has been said. Find out 5 differences mentioned above in the following
texts (check the answers below):
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
Text 1
Olá, bom dia! Eu chamo-me Joana e sou italiana. Sou estudante de Português e
Espanhol e, neste momento, estou a fazer um curso intentivo de Português porque
quero ser Assistente de bordo para a companhia aérea TAP em Lisboa. E para dizer a
verdade, o curso é óptimo, estou a aprender muitíssimo. Para além de gostar de
línguas, adoro fazer desporto e viajar de comboio pelas diferentes cidades de um país.
E tu, como é que tu te chamas?
Text 2
Oi, bom dia! Eu me chamo Sofia e também sou italiana. Sou estudante de Português e
Francês e, neste momento, estou fazendo um curso intentivo de Português porque
quero ser Aeromoça para a companhia aérea TAP no Rio de Janeiro. E para dizer a
verdade, o curso é ótimo, estou aprendendo muitíssimo. Para além de gostar de
línguas, adoro fazer esporte e viajar de trem pelas diferentes cidades de um país. E
você, como é que você se chama?
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
Answers:
chamo-me/ me chamo; estou a fazer/ estou fazendo; Assistente de bordo/Aeromoça;
óptimo/ ótimo; estou a aprender/ estou aprendendo; desporto/ esporte; comboio/ trem;
tu/você; tu te chamas/ você se chama.
European Portuguese vs. Brazilian Portuguese: differences or similarities?
OUR SERVICES
PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE COURSES
TRANSLATIONS
ACCOMMODATION
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
OUR COURSES
GROUP CLASSES
PRIVATE GROUP CLASSES
COMBINED CLASSES
SURFING AFTER CLASSES
INDIVIDUAL CLASSES
ONLINE CLASSES
If you’re just starting or want to go further
Tailor Made Experience
Most Popular Program
Surfing in our Beautiful Beaches
The Most Complete Course
Learn Through the Internet
EXTENSIVE COURSE ERASMUS AT YOUR PLACE
Study After Work Great for Erasmus Students Portuguese Lessons at Home
IMMERSION COURSES
CUSTOM DESIGNED COURSES
EXTENSIVE COURSES
THE TEACHER
NAME
BIO
Joana Paiva
In 2008, I, Prof. Joana Paiva (Studies Director), graduated in Portuguese and EnglishStudies. After my graduation, I was having second thoughts about my future. I’dheard so many stories about the issues of being a teacher. Everyone was talkingabout “thousands of unemployed teachers”, “the government is shutting downschools around the country”, “it´s time to emigrate”, and so on. But I had aproblem. I was deeply in love with my language and my country. Teaching mylanguage to others was my dream. Therefore, I wasn’t ready to turn my back andgive up.
Besides, how could I miss the ocean, the sunny days, the smell of fresh fish, thedelicious and breath-taking Portuguese pastry, people smiling at each other andcommenting on the weather in the metro, walking around the streets with that softbreeze on your face, leaving work and sitting in a café with my favorite newspaperand hearing people talking about the last football match or complaining abouttheir rheumatoid arthritis. Small things actually matter.
So, after five years teaching Portuguese for Foreigners for different schools andcompanies in Porto, I decided to follow my dream and open my own PortugueseLanguage School, this time in Lisbon.
This project is the result of a constant idea that I had in mind: to create a schoolfocused on teaching Portuguese for Foreigners but with a new concept and adifferent approach. A student’s experience of a lifetime.
CONTACT US
YOUR MAP HERE
(567W X 357H PX)
PHONE
Portuguese Connection Language School
ADDRESSRua da Guiné 15, Cv B1170 − 172 LISBOA100m away from the Metro Station Anjos
+351 211 944 364 / +351 966 740 960
WEBHTTP://WWW.LEARNPORTUGUESEINLISBON.COM