The title of this article may sound like the start of some sort of joke, however it is far from it. It is a perfect way to highlight the way Brazilian Portuguese and the Portuguese spoken in Portugal differ. With Portuguese being ranked as the 6th most spoken language in the world, estimated at a total of approximately 260 Million people, it’s important to understand the differences.
Although most Portuguese and Brazilians understand each other and won’t have need for translation services or an interpreter, the differences could be described as being similar to UK English and US English.
Portuguese Translation to fit the Region
Although the differences in pronunciations between the two languages often don’t cause a huge number of issues when speaking, when translating Portuguese it’s important for the translator to understand which country the document will be primarily used. The regional differences between Portugal, Brazil and some African countries, would require specific words and phrases to be translated to best fit the intended target market.
As with the differences between UK English and US English, there are occasions when different words are used, not just different spellings for the same word. They have entirely different meanings and therefore would render the translation useless if the translator used the incorrect word.
There has been a recent agreement between Portuguese speaking nations to address the spelling issues, by applying a standardised spelling of certain words in in order to eliminate some of the translation issues.
Translation of Portuguese Grammar
Portuguese translations also have to factor in the occasional grammatical differences, such as pronouns. It is important for accurate Portuguese translations to understand how and when to apply the differences, again taking in to account the target recipient for the translated document.
When selecting a Portuguese translator, it’s important to choose one that understand the nuances of the language for your recipient rather than simply asking for a Portuguese translation. Here at Romo Translations, we always ask which region you wish to communicate with so we are able to provide the most experienced and qualified translator for your project.
If you would like to discuss your next Portuguese translation project, we would welcome your call.