Reference · Variants

Portugal and Brazil, word by word

88 everyday words that change from one side of the Atlantic to the other, grouped by theme — plus the words that exist in both countries with different meanings.

Grammar and pronunciation set the two standards apart, but what surprises travellers most is the vocabulary. Some differences are old, such as Brazil’s loans from Indigenous languages (abacaxi), but many are modern: the two countries named independently whatever appeared after Brazilian independence (1822) — the train, the tram, the mobile phone. Most forms are understood in both countries.

For differences in grammar and pronunciation, see European vs Brazilian Portuguese and, for spelling, Spelling differences.

Transport and the road

Portugal	Brazil	English
comboio	trem	train
autocarro	ônibus	bus
elétrico	bonde	tram
metro	metrô	underground, subway
paragem	ponto (de ônibus)	bus stop
camião	caminhão	lorry, truck
carrinha	van	van
passadeira	faixa de pedestres	zebra crossing, crosswalkIn Portugal, passadeira is also a runner carpet and a gym treadmill.
peão	pedestre	pedestrian
carta de condução	carteira de motorista	driving licence
portagem	pedágio	toll
bomba de gasolina	posto de gasolina	petrol station, gas station
travar	frear	to brake
rotunda	rotatória	roundabout
berma	acostamento	hard shoulder
boleia	carona	a lift, a ride
trotinete	patinete	kick scooter
bilhete	passagem · ingresso	ticketIn Brazil, passagem is a travel ticket and ingresso a ticket for a show.
hospedeira de bordo	comissária de bordo	flight attendant

Food and drink

Portugal	Brazil	English
pequeno-almoço	café da manhã	breakfast
sumo	suco	juice
gelado	sorvete	ice cream
ananás	abacaxi	pineapple
sandes · sanduíche	sanduíche	sandwich
fiambre	presunto	cooked hamIn Portugal, presunto is cured ham (like that of Chaves or Barrancos).
natas	creme de leite	cream
leite magro	leite desnatado	skimmed milk
feijão-verde	vagem	green beans
rebuçado	bala	boiled sweet, candy
pastilha elástica	chiclete	chewing gum
talho	açougue	butcher's
ementa	cardápio	menu
empregado de mesa	garçom	waiter
chávena	xícara	cup
bica · café	cafezinho	espressoBica is mainly a Lisbon word; in Porto people ask for a cimbalino or simply um café.
imperial · fino	chope	draught beer (small glass)Imperial in the south, fino in the north.

Home

Portugal	Brazil	English
casa de banho	banheiro	bathroom, toilet
sanita	vaso sanitário	toilet bowl
autoclismo	descarga	toilet flush
duche	chuveiro · ducha	shower
frigorífico	geladeira	fridge
lixívia	água sanitária	bleach
esquentador	aquecedor a gás	gas water heater
rés-do-chão	térreo	ground floor
cave	porão · subsolo	basement, cellar
canalizador	encanador	plumber
montra	vitrine	shop window

Clothing

Portugal	Brazil	English
camisola	suéter · blusa	jumper, sweaterIn Portugal, camisola is also a football shirt.
t-shirt	camiseta	T-shirt
fato	terno	suit
fato de banho	maiô	swimsuit
fato de treino	agasalho	tracksuit
sapatilhas	tênis	trainers, sneakers
collants	meia-calça	tights

Technology and the office

Portugal	Brazil	English
telemóvel	celular	mobile phone
ecrã	tela	screen
rato	mouse	(computer) mouse
ficheiro	arquivo	(computer) file
utilizador	usuário	user
descarregar	baixar	to download
partilhar	compartilhar	to share
registar	cadastrar · registrar	to register, to sign up
agrafador	grampeador	stapler
esferográfica	caneta	ballpoint pen
secretária	escrivaninha	deskIn both countries secretária also means a secretary (the person).

Sport

Portugal	Brazil	English
desporto	esporte	sport
equipa	equipe · time	team
golo	gol	goal
guarda-redes	goleiro	goalkeeper
relvado	gramado	pitch, lawn
adepto	torcedor	fan, supporter
treinador	técnico · treinador	coach, manager

Health

Portugal	Brazil	English
constipação	resfriado	a coldIn Brazil, constipação means constipation.
penso rápido	curativo · band-aid	sticking plaster, band-aid
centro de saúde	posto de saúde	local health centre
urgências	pronto-socorro	A&E, emergency room

People and public life

Portugal	Brazil	English
rapariga	moça · garota	girl
miúdo	garoto · moleque	kid
giro	bonito · fofo	pretty, cute
fixe	legal	cool, great
apelido	sobrenome	surname
alcunha	apelido	nickname
propina	mensalidade	tuition fee
câmara municipal	prefeitura	town hall, city council
presidente da câmara	prefeito	mayor
cartão de cidadão	carteira de identidade (RG)	identity card
polícia	policial	police officerIn Portugal, o polícia is the officer and a polícia the force.
contabilista	contador	accountant

False friends between the varieties

Words that exist in both countries with different meanings — some with embarrassing consequences.

rapariga

In Portugal: girl, young woman
In Brazil: in many regions, an insulting word for a woman

propina

In Portugal: university tuition fee
In Brazil: bribe

apelido

In Portugal: surname
In Brazil: nickname

constipação

In Portugal: a cold
In Brazil: constipation

camisola

In Portugal: jumper; football shirt
In Brazil: nightdress

presunto

In Portugal: cured ham
In Brazil: cooked ham; in slang, a corpse

fato

In Portugal: suit (jacket and trousers)
In Brazil: fact, event

puto

In Portugal: kid, boy (informal)
In Brazil: furious (slang); also a vulgar term