Since Spanish is more commonly taught in schools, all my students so far have come to Portuguese after learning Spanish.
This is good and bad.
The temptation to lie back on your Spanish knowledge can trigger language vices that stick with you to the bitter end.
Unless we extract them one painful vice at a time. This is a straightforward guide to call attention to those Portuguese / Spanish mix ups that stalk even the very best of us.
You may also be interested in The Best Resources to Learn Portuguese and 30 Portuguese Phrases You Should Know.
Tip: run the Portuguese and Spanish words through Linguee and you can appreciate the stark pronunciation differences. You can select European Portuguese or Brazilian Portuguese accents. Now let’s straighten out those Portuguese / Spanish mix ups.
Portuguese/ Spanish Mix Ups Common Words
Key (ENGLISH = Spanish / Portuguese)
Prepositions
BUT = pero / mas
MEANWHILE = mientras / enquanto
ALMOST = casi / quase
IF = si / se (pronunced the same in Spanish and Portuguese)
ONLY adj. = único / só
ONLY adv. = solo or solamente / apenas or somente
ALONE = solo / sozinho or só
WITHOUT = sin / sem
Verbs
TO TRY (to) or ATTEMPT = tratar / tentar
TO DEAL WITH = tratar / lidar com
HE WANTS = quiere / quer SHE REQUIRES = requiere / requer
HE HAD = tuvo / teve
I HAD = tuvé / tive
TO LISTEN = escuchar / ouvir
TO RETURN = regressar / voltar
Others
GENERALLY = en general / em geral
SUPPOSEDLY = supuestamente / supostamente
DIFFERENCE = diferencia / diferença
I DON’T KNOW = no lo sé / sei lá
CAKE = pastel / bolo
PASTRY = empanada / pastel
Switching Common Spanish Endings / Middles to Portuguese
Key (ENGLISH = Spanish / Portuguese)
CIÓN = ÇÃO or IÓN = ÃO
NATION = nación / nação
STATION = estación / estação
DECISION = decisión / decisão
ABLE = ÁVEL
INEVITABLE = inevitable / inevitável
PROBABLE = probable / provável
UE = O
BILL = cuenta / conta
SCHOOL = escuela / escola
OUTSIDE = fuera / fora
DAD = DADE
CITY = ciudad / cidade
UNIVERSITY = universidad / universidade
Letter Sounds that Differ Between Spanish and Portuguese
In Spanish the “r” is rolled. In Portuguese the “r” makes a soft “h” at the end of words or when it is double “r”. Read more about this in our Common Portuguese Pronunciation Mistakes post.
Furthermore, in Spanish “j” makes a soft “h” sound. Whereas in Portuguese the “j” follows the same rules as English. Think “j” for jam.
Try this: open two Linguee dictionary tabs, one in Spanish and one in Portuguese. Type “jovem” in the Portuguese one and “joven” in the Spanish one. Click to listen to how each is pronounced. Pretty different, right?
5 Extras Rules on the Differences Between Spanish and Portuguese
Key (ENGLISH = Spanish / Portuguese)
- Portuguese never ends in an ‘n’ like Spanish, but rather an ‘m’. For instance:
THEY SPEAK = hablan / falam,
THEY EAT = comen / comem,
THEY DRINK = beben / bebem. - Portuguese uses more accents than Spanish to make certain sounds. ñ doesn’t exist but ão does. ê, ç, à all exist in Portuguese.
- The ñ sound in Spanish is made by combining “nh” in Portuguese. For instance:
SIR = señor / senhor,
COMPANION = compañero / companheiro,
SPAIN = España / Espanha,
SIZE = tamaño / tamanho,
BATH = baño / banho. - The possesive pronouns change gender depending on the noun in Portuguese.
MY = mi / meu -minha,
YOUR = tu / teu – tua,
YOUR or HIS or HERS = su / seu – sua,
OURS = nuestro – nuestra / nosso – nossa (Spanish changes this one),
YOURS or THEIRS = sus / seus – suas. - Plurals in Portuguese don’t always just add a “s” on the end.
ANIMALS = animales / animais,
WHICH ONES = quales / quais. - The future “to be going to do something” doesn’t have an “a” in Portuguese like in Spanish
Vou a viajar en el fin de semana (Spanish)
Vou viajar no fim de semana (Portuguese)
