Varieties of Portuguese exist all over the world, reflecting unique cultures and influences. Discover the differences and curiosities of each one!
What we're going to explore:
Varieties of Portuguese
With a total of more than 260 million speakers, equivalent to 3.7 per cent of the world’s population, spread across five continents, Portuguese will be the fourth most spoken language in the world by 2025. It is the mother tongue and/or official language in nine countries: Portugal, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola, Mozambique, East Timor and Macau.
Being present in so many different places, it’s only natural that there are different varieties of Portuguese, with their own grammatical and syntactic characteristics and divergent terminology.
With the Orthographic Agreement of 1990, established with the aim of creating a unified official orthography for the Portuguese language, there has already been greater standardisation of the varieties of Portuguese – but only at the grammatical and syntactical level. Terminological differences persist.
For example, in Portugal, a person wanting to get from point A to point B could do so by “bus“, but in Brazil they would have to take the “ ônibus ” and in African countries they would have to travel by “machimbombo“.
For this reason, it is essential that all translations into Portuguese are always made into the correct variety. Only in this way can misunderstandings be avoided and the text fully understood.
Updated distribution of Portuguese speakers in 2025 (according to Camões Institute)
According to the Camões Institute, the Portuguese language will be spoken by approximately 260 million people in the world by 2025.
However, the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) estimates that the figure could be as high as 290 million. These differences in absolute figures are the result of different accounting criteria and sources used by each institution.
Below is the updated distribution of Portuguese speakers in Portuguese-speaking countries, adjusted to a total of 260 million:
📌 Brazil 🇧🇷 – 192 million
📌 Angola 🇦🇴 – 29 million
📌 Mozambique 🇲🇿 – 29 million
📌 Portugal 🇵🇹 – 9.3 million
📌 Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼 – 1.9 million
📌 East Timor 🇹🇱 – 1.2 million
📌 Cape Verde 🇨🇻 – 530 thousand
📌 São Tomé and Príncipe 🇸🇹 – 210 thousand
📌 Equatorial Guinea 🇬🇶 – 1.4 million (but no native speakers)
📌 Macau (China) 🇲🇴 – 45 thousand
For more detailed information on Portuguese speakers, please consult the institutional sources:
🔗 Camões Institute – https://www.instituto-camoes.pt/
🔗 Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) – https://www.cplp.org/
Variety of Portuguese or Variants of Portuguese?
Some people use the terms “variety” and “variant” interchangeably, but in linguistics there is a distinction:
- Variety of Portuguese refers to the set of linguistic characteristics of a given community.
- Variants of Portuguese are specific forms within a variety, such as regional differences within Portugal or Brazil.
Types of Portuguese and the Differences Between the Main Varieties
Although the basis is the same, Portuguese can be quite different depending on the region. Here are some of the main varieties:
1. European Portuguese (EP)
✔️ Formal usage and stricter syntax.
✔️ More common pronominal verbs (get up, sit down).
✔️ Less use of gerunds (“Estou a comer” instead of “Estou comendo” as in Brazil).
✔️ Closer and more nasalised pronunciation
2. Brazilian Portuguese (BP)
✔️ More flexible syntax and informality in communication.
✔️ Frequent use of gerunds (“estou trabalhando”).
✔️ Open pronunciation and musicalised rhythm.
✔️ African and indigenous influences in the vocabulary.
3. African Portuguese (AP) - Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, etc.
✔️ Strong influence of local languages.
✔️ Unique expressions (“machimbombo” instead of “autocarro”/”ônibos”).
✔️ Phrasal constructions different from PE and PB.
4. Asian Portuguese - Macao and East Timor
✔️ Influences from Cantonese and Tetum.
✔️ Words borrowed from local languages.
✔️ Preserves many classical forms of EP.
The Importance of Adaptation in Translation
The correct choice of Portuguese variety in a translation is essential to avoid confusion and ensure that the message is natural and understandable.
👉 Example:
- In Portugal, it’s spelt “fatura“, but in Brazil, “nota fiscal“.
- A Portuguese may use “empregado“, while a Brazilian prefers “funcionário“.
When working in translation, it’s essential to have professionals who understand the cultural and linguistic specificities of each country.
🔗 Find out more about how to guarantee faithful and adapted translations with Dokutech Translations.
The pronunciation of European Portuguese
In addition to writing and grammar, pronunciation varies enormously.
European Portuguese is distinguished by:
✔️ Closer sounds (“pequeno” sounds like “pqueno”).
✔️ Deletion of vowels in some words (*”estás a ver” → “tá ver”).
✔️ Regional differences within Portugal (Lisbon vs. Porto vs. Algarve).
Translation and Localisation: How Dokutech Translations Can Help
At Dokutech Translations, we ensure that all translations are made into the correct variety of Portuguese, guaranteeing:
✅ Use of local terminology – we translate for the correct target audience.
✅ Native translators – specialised professionals for each variant of Portuguese.
✅ Cultural adaptation – in addition to literal translation, we adjust expressions and tone of voice.
🌍 Need a specialised translation?
📩 Talk to us and get a personalised quote.
Idiomatic Expressions in Different Varieties of Portuguese
Idioms are one of the biggest challenges in translation, as they reflect the culture and linguistic context of each country. Often, an expression that makes sense in Portugal may not have the same meaning in Brazil or in African countries.
👉 Example:
- In Portugal, they say “ficar em águas de bacalhau” (something that doesn’t come to fruition), while in Brazil, the equivalent would be “ficar no quase”.
- In Angola, the expression “andar na chibata” means to work hard, while in Portugal this term would have a different connotation.
When translating, it is essential to adapt idiomatic expressions so that the target audience understands the message in a natural, unambiguous way. Dokutech Translations ensures that each translation respects these particularities, making the content fluid and authentic for each variety of Portuguese.
📌 To find out more about idioms and how to adapt them correctly in translations, read our full article here👉 Idioms in Translation 🚀
Conclusion
Portuguese is a diverse and rich language, and each variant has its own identity.
When translating, it is essential to ensure that the language sounds natural to the target audience, respecting cultural, grammatical and terminological differences.
If you need a reliable partner for accurate and adapted translations, count on Dokutech Translations.
📌 Tip: Before requesting a translation, check which country it will be for and choose an agency that guarantees correct adaptation.
🚀 Translations without cultural barriers? Talk to Dokutech!
