Brazilian Portuguese is softer, more melodic, and more open than European Portuguese — the vowels are pronounced more clearly, the "s" at the end of a word doesn't sound like "sh" (as in Portugal), and the language has many loanwords from Tupi (an indigenous language) and African languages.
Important: Brazilians do not speak Spanish! This is a common misconception. Although the languages are related, mutual understanding is limited. A few words of Portuguese immediately open doors — Brazilians love it when foreigners try their language.
Greeting & Politeness
| German | Portuguese | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Hello | Oi / Olá | oi / olá |
| Good morning | Bom dia | bom dschía |
| Good afternoon | Boa tarde | boa tardsche |
| Good evening | Boa noite | boa noitschi |
| How are you? | Tudo bem? | tudo beng? |
| Good, thanks | Tudo bem, obrigado/a | tudo beng, obrigádo/a |
| Goodbye | Tchau / Até logo | tscháu / até lógo |
| Please | Por favor | por favór |
| Thank you (m/f) | Obrigado / Obrigada | obrigádo / obrigáda |
| Sorry | Desculpa / Com licença | dschiskulpa / kong licença |
| Yes / No | Sim / Não | sing / naung |
Difference from European Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese differs from European like American English from British — or even more:
| Topic | Brazil | Portugal |
|---|
| Pronunciation | More open, clearer, more melodic | More swallowed, "muffled" |
| You | Você (everywhere) | Tu (informal) |
| Train | Trem | Comboio |
| Mobile phone | Celular | Telemóvel |
| Bus | Ônibus | Autocarro |
| Breakfast | Café da manhã | Pequeno-almoço |
Typical Brazilian Expressions
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|
| Tudo bem? — Tudo bem! | THE universal greeting. "All good? — All good!" |
| Legal! | Cool! Great! (The most used word in Brazil) |
| Beleza! | Beauty! = Cool / All right / OK |
| Valeu! | Thanks! (informal) / It was worth it! |
| Saudade | Untranslatable word: deep longing for something beautiful that is gone |
| Malandragem | Cunning, cleverness, street smarts |
| Jeitinho brasileiro | The "Brazilian way": creative improvisation to solve problems |
| Cara | Buddy, guy, dude (m.) — "E aí, cara?" = "Hey, dude!" |
| Sacanagem | Meanness / Cheekiness / also: Frivolity |
| Gostoso/a | Delicious (food) / Attractive (person) — Be careful with the context! |
Useful Phrases
| German | Portuguese |
|---|
| How much does it cost? | Quanto custa? |
| Too expensive! | Muito caro! |
| Where is...? | Onde fica...? |
| I don't understand | Não entendo |
| Do you speak English? | Você fala inglês? |
| I'm from Germany | Sou da Alemanha |
| No problem | Sem problema / Tranquilo |
| The bill, please | A conta, por favor |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagar com cartão? |
| Help! | Socorro! |
| Police! | Polícia! |
| I need a doctor | Preciso de um médico |
Food & Restaurant
| German | Portuguese |
|---|
| Breakfast | Café da manhã |
| Lunch | Almoço |
| Dinner | Jantar |
| Daily special | Prato feito / PF |
| Water | Água |
| Beer | Cerveja |
| Coffee | Café / Cafézinho |
| Juice | Suco |
| Meat | Carne |
| Chicken | Frango |
| Fish | Peixe |
| Rice | Arroz |
| Beans | Feijão |
| Spicy | Picante |
| Delicious! | Delicioso! / Gostoso! |
| I'm a vegetarian | Sou vegetariano/a |
Numbers
| Number | Portuguese | Number | Portuguese |
|---|
| 1 | Um/Uma | 6 | Seis |
| 2 | Dois/Duas | 7 | Sete |
| 3 | Três | 8 | Oito |
| 4 | Quatro | 9 | Nove |
| 5 | Cinco | 10 | Dez |
| 100 | Cem | 1,000 | Mil |
Emergency Numbers
| Service | Number |
|---|
| Police emergency | 190 |
| Fire department | 193 |
| Ambulance (SAMU) | 192 |
| Tourist police (Rio) | +55 21 2332-2924 |
| German Embassy Brasília | +55 61 3442-7000 |
| German Consulate São Paulo | +55 11 3097-6644 |
| German Consulate Rio | +55 21 3380-1700 |
💡 Tipp
"Tudo bem?" with a smile is the key to Brazil. It's the universal greeting — in the taxi, in the restaurant, in the store. The response is always "Tudo bem!" And if you say "Legal!" and "Valeu!" you've already mastered 90% of Brazilian small talk.