Brazilian vs. European Portuguese: Which One Should You Learn?
- Juliana Menezes
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 24
If you’ve decided to learn Portuguese, amazing choice! But now you might be wondering: Should I learn Brazilian Portuguese or European Portuguese? What’s the difference?
Does it really matter? The short answer? Yes, there are differences. And which one you choose depends on you - where you are, why you’re learning and even possibly the sound of the language.
Let’s break it down in a way that’s simple, useful and, most of all, helpful for deciding which Portuguese variant is right for you.
Brazilian Portuguese:
Brazilian Portuguese is spoken by over 200 million people and it's the version you’ll hear in Brazil (of course), but also in music, movies, telenovelas(soap operas) and YouTube channels all over the world.
What we've heard from some learners:
It’s open-sounding and musical with vowels often pronounced clearly.
Communication feels relaxed and warm and it's generally easy to find Brazilians to practice with!
The tone and body language are friendly and expressive.
It might be right for you if:
You have family, friends or a partner from Brazil.
You’re planning to travel to or live in Brazil.
You’re drawn to Brazilian culture, for instance, samba, bossa nova, capoeira, food or soccer!
You want to explore Brazil more deeply, chatting with locals, ordering food with confidence, enjoying the music, beaches and everyday moments in cities like Rio, Salvador or São Paulo.
European Portuguese:
European Portuguese is spoken in Portugal, and also in some African countries and regions such as Mozambique, Angola, and Cape Verde. It’s the official Portuguese of the European Union and has a long, rich literary and cultural tradition.
What we've heard from some learners:
It's great to visit Portugal, one of the most popular destinations in Europe today, and be able to connect with the locals.
It’s crisp and compact, with closed or hidden vowel sounds.
It's fun to go around, to talk with the friendly Portuguese people, enjoy everyday life in local pastelarias, restaurants, and understand menus, signs and greetings wherever you go.
It might be right for you if:
You have family, friends or a partner from Portugal.
You live in, are planning to retire to or are moving to Portugal.
You enjoy Portuguese culture, history and literature and want to fully experience the way Portuguese is spoken, sung and lived, like in Fado music.
You want to enjoy Portugal like a local, from the beaches in the Algarve to cafés in Lisbon and vineyards in the north, experiencing food, wine and the relaxing way of life.
So… Which One Should You Learn?
The best choice depends on your goals. But here’s the good news: They’re the same language.
That means:
Grammar and structure are mostly the same.
You can switch between them later with practice.
Speakers from both sides understand each other, apart from some expressions and slang, possibly something like French as it's spoken in France and French as it's spoken in Canada.
Read more about the sounds of the language and listen to an example of a Brazilian and a Portuguese accent here. You'll find more free examples on our Portuguese language channels:
YouTube - click here.
TikTok - click here.
Instagram - click here.
Facebook - click here.
So don’t overthink it. Pick the one that fits your life now and you'll always be able to explore the other later.
If you would like to learn Portuguese with real teachers from Brazil or Portugal, at Portuguese Language Centre, we offer:
Live online classes in Brazilian and European Portuguese
Small groups or private format
A friendly, experienced team and structured materials that actually make classes effective and fun.
💬 Our next courses begin soon and we’d love to help you get started. If you’d like more structure and support, our online courses for Brazilian and European Portuguese can help you build confidence and keep making progress.
Just click to see some course options to learn Brazilian Portuguese or European Portuguese.
