Portuguese (Portugal) for kids — and how it differs from Brazilian Portuguese

One language, two main standards

Portuguese has two widely used standards: European Portuguese, spoken in Portugal, and Brazilian Portuguese, spoken in Brazil. Portuguese is also an official language in several African countries, including Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as in East Timor, and their written standards generally follow conventions closer to Portugal's.

The two main varieties are mutually intelligible. A child who learns European Portuguese can understand Brazilian cartoons, and the other way round, though each accent may take a little getting used to at first. Think of it like British and American English: different accents, some different words, the same language.

Our songs on Language with Songs use European Portuguese. This guide explains what that means and how to get started, while being fair to Brazilian Portuguese, which is a wonderful choice too.

The differences parents will actually notice

1. Sound: vowels and rhythm

This is the biggest and most noticeable difference.

• European Portuguese reduces unstressed vowels. Vowels that aren't stressed become very short or almost disappear, so words can sound clipped. Boa noite (good night) sounds roughly like "BOH-uh NOYT", with the final e barely there.
• Brazilian Portuguese keeps vowels fuller and more open, which gives it a more sing-song sound. In much of Brazil, boa noite sounds roughly like "BOH-uh NOY-chee", because t and d before an "ee" sound often soften to "ch" and "j".
• The letter s at the end of a syllable usually sounds like "sh" in Portugal: três (three) sounds like "tresh". In much of Brazil it's an "s", although some regions, such as Rio de Janeiro, also use the "sh" sound.

For young children, none of this is a problem. They'll simply learn the accent they hear most.

2. Saying "you": tu and você

• In Portugal, tu is the normal informal "you" with children, family and friends: Como estás? (How are you?). With strangers or to be polite, speakers often avoid "you" altogether and use a name or a title like o senhor / a senhora.
• In most of Brazil, você is the everyday "you": Como você está? Some regions also use tu, often with a different verb form.

Since our songs are European Portuguese, they use the familiar tu forms, like Como estás?

3. Some everyday words

Many words are shared, but some common ones differ. A few that come up with kids:

Notice bebé and bebê: the spelling (and the accent mark) differs because the vowel is pronounced differently. Spelling differences between the two standards have been reduced over the years, but some remain.

4. A couple of grammar habits

• "I'm playing": Portugal usually says estou a brincar; Brazil says estou brincando.
• "I love you": Portugal tends to say amo-te (pronoun after the verb), while Brazil says te amo (pronoun before). With children, families in Portugal also often say adoro-te or gosto muito de ti (I like you very much).

Which one should your child learn?

Choose based on who your child will actually talk to:

• Family from Portugal (or African Portuguese-speaking countries), travel to Portugal, or life in Europe: European Portuguese.
• Family or friends in Brazil, Brazilian community nearby, or Brazilian schools or caregivers: Brazilian Portuguese.
• No particular connection? Either works. Pick the one you can find the most enjoyable materials and people for, and don't worry: switching or adding the other accent later is very manageable.

Our guide on how to choose a language for your child covers this kind of decision more broadly.

First European Portuguese words for kids

These are the words from the first songs your child might sing. Pronunciation hints are rough English approximations of a Portugal accent; native-like audio is the real reference.

One detail kids find fun: obrigado changes with the speaker. Boys and men usually say obrigado; girls and women usually say obrigada. It agrees with the person saying thank you, not the person being thanked.

Getting started at home

The method is the same as for any language at this age: short, frequent, playful contact.

Songs are especially helpful for European Portuguese, because the reduced vowels can be hard to catch in fast speech. A melody slows words down and repeats them. Each of our songs is call-and-response, a line in English and then in Portuguese, with the translation on screen. More on why in why songs help kids learn languages.

Finding European Portuguese resources

Brazilian Portuguese content is very easy to find online, so if you want European Portuguese specifically, it's worth being intentional:

• Look for "Portugal" or "European Portuguese" in descriptions of books, audiobooks and videos.
• Portuguese community associations and Saturday schools exist in many cities with Portuguese communities.
• Grandparents and relatives are the best source of all: ask them to read, sing and video call in Portuguese.
• Mix in some Brazilian content if it's what your child enjoys. Hearing both accents does no harm and builds a flexible ear.

What to expect

• First weeks: listening, humming, recognizing olá, obrigado and boa noite.
• After a month or two: joining in on song lines, pointing to o gato or o cão, using a few words at home.
• Over time: Portuguese words mixed into English sentences. That's a normal part of learning two languages.

If your child hears both accents, they may mix them for a while. That's fine; they'll sort them out as they get older.

Mistakes to avoid

• Worrying too much about "which Portuguese". Both are real, useful and mutually intelligible.
• Correcting accents. Children adjust naturally to the people they talk with.
• Expecting fast speaking. Understanding comes first, often long before speaking.
• Doing too much at once. One theme a week is plenty.