Spanish vs. Portuguese: What are the similarities & differences?

Looking to learn a new language but can’t decide between Spanish and Portuguese? This guide will break down the differences to let you make the best decision for your future.

Deciding to learn a new language is an admirable goal, but how exactly do you decide which one to learn? With so many exciting and useful languages out there, it can be hard to choose a language to master. After all, starting to learn a new language from scratch is a significant commitment that will require hours and hours of study.

However, learning a new language is also an unimaginably fulfilling experience, as becoming fluent in a language other than your own will open doors that you never even knew existed. If you’ve got your eyes set on Spanish and Portuguese, just imagine yourself ordering a sangría in perfect Spanish in the streets of Valencia or navigating a beautiful Brazilian beach. These experiences are only available to those who go through the extensive yet rewarding process of learning a new language.

So, how do you know which language is for you? Below, we’ll cover the similarities and differences between Spanish and Portuguese to give you the most complete idea of what it’s like to learn either of these languages. By the end, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision as to which language to pick up.

Table of contents

• Is Portuguese similar to Spanish?
• What are the main differences between Portuguese and Spanish?
• Which language is easier to learn, Portuguese or Spanish?
• Which language will be more useful to learn?
• Portuguese vs. Spanish in practice
• Portuguese vs. Spanish culture
• Conclusion

Is Portuguese similar to Spanish?

Portuguese and Spanish are relatively similar languages. According to a journal article by the Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, the estimated level of mutual intelligibility between Portuguese and Spanish is around 50% to 60%. That means that speaking one of the two languages will allow you to understand a little over half of the other language.

Alphabet

One of the biggest similarities between Portuguese and Spanish is the alphabet. Both the Portuguese and Spanish alphabets are based on the Latin alphabet, which is the same alphabet used in English. However, Spanish has one more consonant with the letter ñ. Portuguese also has this sound, but it uses nh instead.

This makes reading much easier than listening as both languages share a very similar written form, with many words having identical or near-identical spellings. So, if you speak one of the two languages, you’ll be able to read the other language without much trouble.

Conjugation rules

Both Portuguese and Spanish have comprehensive conjugation rules. Although the conjugation patterns are different, they work in very similar ways. Verb forms change depending on who is doing the action and the verb tense.

Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern. These verbs have a part made up of one or more syllables that remain unchanged through the conjugations. This part is known as the verb stem, and the rest is known as a verb ending. Here are the conjugations for the verb “to run” in Portuguese and Spanish.

Notice how they’re both very similar? You won’t struggle too much to understand the conjugation rules of the other language if you’re already familiar with one of them.

Irregular verbs, however, are a different story. As you can probably tell by their name, these verbs do not follow a conjugation pattern. Instead, you will have to memorize their conjugations. Here are the conjugations for the verb “to be” in both languages:

Verb tenses

Both languages have a relatively complex verb tense structure. Spanish has 23 verb tenses and 4 moods, while Portuguese has 20 verb tenses and 4 moods. In comparison, English only has 12 verb tenses, so you’ll have to get more comfortable with verb tenses if you’re looking to learn either of these languages.

Null-subject language

Both Spanish and Portuguese are null-subject languages. This means you can drop the subject, which is the person doing the action, and the sentence would still make sense. That’s because the conjugated verb has the information of who is doing the action, so there is no need to repeat it with the subject.

English isn’t a null-subject language, so we can’t just say, “Are American.” We have to say, “You are Mexican,” because we wouldn’t otherwise know who is American. In Spanish, however, you can say, “Tú eres americano” or “Eres americano.” Both are perfectly fine. The same is true in Portuguese, as you can say, “Você é americano” or “És americano.”

What are the main differences between Portuguese and Spanish?

Portuguese and Spanish are, of course, different languages, so it’s not all similarities between the two. Since they’re not mutually intelligible, there are certain things that you have to keep in mind as you compare and contrast both languages. Let’s take a look at some of these differences.

Phonology and pronunciation

The most significant difference between Spanish and Portuguese is that Portuguese has a far richer phonology, meaning it has more sounds than Spanish. For example, Spanish has only five vowels, while Portuguese has nine.

In Spanish, almost every single phoneme is tied to a single letter. That means that almost all letters are pronounced exactly the same, regardless of the letter around it or the local accent. In Portuguese, however, this is not the case, as several phonemes can be assigned to many letters. This means that the sound a letter makes will vary depending on the letter before and also depending on the location. Notably, Portuguese pronunciation rules are very different from Brazilian pronunciation rules.

Grammatical differences

There are a few grammar differences between Spanish and Portuguese worth pointing out, but none are particularly significant. Here are some of the biggest grammatical differences between these two languages:

• Use of definite article in Portuguese. Portuguese uses the definitive article more frequently than Spanish. For example, you’d say “Vou ao Brasil” (I am going to the Brazil) in Portuguese, but “Voy a Brazil” (I am going to Brazil) in Spanish.
• Contracting prepositions. Spanish prepositions don’t contract with the exception of del (de + el) and al (a + el). Portuguese prepositions, on the other hand, almost always contract. Some examples are duma (de + uma), aos (a + os), and pelo (por + o), although there are many more.
• Personal infinitive. As opposed to Spanish and most romance languages, the Portuguese infinitive must be conjugated according to the person doing the action. For example, the infinitive verb ir (to go) would be conjugated as ires in the second person singular.
• Gender. This is one of the trickiest parts of grammar to master for those who speak both Spanish and Portuguese, as many words are of the opposite gender in the other language. For example, “orden” (order) is spelled the same in both languages but is masculine in Spanish and feminine in Portuguese.

Historical differences

Spanish and Portuguese have deeply intertwined histories. As romance languages, they both come from Latin, which is one of the reasons they’re so similar. However, modern Spanish comes from the Castillian family of languages, while modern Portuguese comes from the Old Galician-Portuguese family.

Portuguese as we know it today — or resembling what we know today — started popping up by the 12th century. It then started to spread worldwide in the 15th century as Portuguese explorers began to sail the seas. At the same time, Spanish started to spread around the world as Spanish explorers began making their way around the world, thus also expanding the reach of their language.

At this point, Iberian Portuguese and Iberian Spanish began distancing themselves from the versions spoken elsewhere. That’s why Brazilian Portuguese today is so different from Portugal’s Portuguese, just as Spain’s Spanish is so different from Latin American Spanish.

Which language is easier to learn, Portuguese or Spanish?

If a small part of you is still worried about picking up a new language, we have great news for you. Both Spanish and Portuguese are considered some of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers. According to the U.S. Foreign Service Institute, these two languages are classified in the “super-easy” category for English speakers.

Each language requires 24 weeks of full-time study to attain proficiency, assuming 25 weekly class hours. That comes out to 600 class hours to become fluent in these languages, just under two semesters of full-time studying. Keep in mind that this is assuming full-time, uninterrupted studying. So, if you’re taking online Spanish lessons after school or taking a corporate language course, it might take a little longer.

With that said, if you’re feeling ambitious and want to reach your language goals even faster, an immersive program could help you learn Spanish or Portuguese in no time. The Berlitz Method is our foundational principle as a language school. We’ve helped countless students learn dozens of languages for over a hundred years through immersive, goal-oriented language programs.

Which language will be more useful to learn?

If you want a promising career boost from your language-learning efforts, then you’re on the right track. Studies have repeatedly shown that being bilingual can lead to a higher wage, regardless of the specific language you speak. That’s because people with the ability to speak more than one language are often better problem solvers, more creative, and even better multitaskers, according to aptitude tests. These skills make bilingual speakers super attractive hires and even eligible for higher positions!

That said, the language you choose to learn will definitely impact your career. Let’s take a look at our two languages to see what unique advantages they offer.

Spanish

• It is spoken by around 548 million speakers, which makes it the fourth most-spoken language in the world.
• There are 21 Spanish-speaking countries, and that’s only counting the countries that have it as their official language.
• There are more Spanish speakers in the United States than in any other country in the world except for Mexico. With 57 million native and non-native speakers, the U.S. has more Spanish speakers than countries like Spain, Colombia, and Argentina!
• Spanish is an important language for business, as Latin America is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world.

Portuguese

• It is spoken by 257 million people worldwide, making it one of the top ten most spoken languages.
• It is the official language of 10 countries and territories all around the world, including Mozambique, Angola, Macau, East Timor, and more, on top of the obvious Portugal and Brazil.
• Brazil has more Portuguese speakers than any Spanish-speaking country has Spanish speakers. With a total population of around 215 million, Brazil alone has well over 200 million Portuguese speakers!
• Brazil is a massive country with the 10th largest economy in the world. This presents incredible business opportunities for those looking to trade with or invest in this fantastic country.

Portuguese vs. Spanish in practice

Okay, now that you’re familiar with the biggest similarities and differences between Portuguese and Spanish, it’s time to see how that works in practice. Below, we’ll explore plenty of examples of how these two languages compare.

Similarities between Portuguese and Spanish

First up, we’ll look at similar words in Portuguese and Spanish. As you’ll notice, there’s a relatively easy way to translate words from one language to the other by simply modifying the ending. This makes it easy for Portuguese and Spanish speakers to communicate with each other, as it’s not too difficult to figure out the meaning of most words once you’re familiar with these endings.

You can even take it one step further and attempt to speak Portuñol — a portmanteau of Portuguese and Español. This is when Spanish or Portuguese speakers try to speak the other language by guessing the translation of words based on patterns. Note that this isn’t an actual language and doesn’t require any studying. Instead, it’s just guesswork that is often accurate! How fun is that?

Let’s jump into the most common words that are very similar in Spanish and Portuguese.

Noun cognates

Spanish speakers will joke that Portuguese nouns are just the same as Spanish nouns but with a –são ending, but is the stereotype really true? There is certainly some truth to it! As you’ll see below, there is an easy way to translate most Spanish verbs into Portuguese and vice-versa. Simply take the ending, replace it with the corresponding ending, and voilà! You’re very likely to guess the corresponding noun accurately.

If you’re ready to unlock this major key between these two languages, here are some of the most common Spanish and Portuguese noun endings:

Not too complicated, right? Let’s take a look at a few dozen noun cognates in Spanish and Portuguese to help you see just how similar these two languages are:

Verb cognates

You might’ve thought that noun cognates were as similar as this would get, but verbs are here to show you otherwise. In fact, verbs in Spanish and Portuguese are so similar that the three main infinitive form endings are exactly the same!

As you can see, all three verb groups have the same ending in their infinitive form. This should make it extremely easy for speakers of either language to recognize verbs in the other language. Let’s take a look at some examples:

Adjective cognates

You’ll find plenty of Spanish and Portuguese cognates in adjectives. In fact, most of them have very similar if not identical endings, making it very easy to pick them out in the other language. Here are some of the most common adjective endings:

So, how similar are Spanish and Portuguese adjectives, then? Take a look at the following list and let us know what you think!

Differences between Portuguese and Spanish

Now, Spanish and Portuguese aren’t always super similar. If that were the case, then maybe they wouldn’t be considered separate languages. So, let’s take a look at some words that aren’t similar at all in Spanish and Portuguese.

Words that are entirely different

Just as many words look and sound similar, hundreds look nothing alike. That’s what makes these two languages worth studying! Here are 40 words that are completely different in Spanish and Portuguese:

Days of the week

Perhaps you weren’t expecting the days of the week to be starkly different between Spanish and Portuguese. After all, the days of the week were named after the Roman gods in Latin, so most romance languages have very similar names for them today. However, Portuguese is the exception.

That’s because Martin of Braga, a 6th-century archbishop, disagreed with the Roman custom of naming the days of the week after pagan Roman gods. Instead, he numbered the days of the week except for Saturday and Sunday since they weren’t named after pagan gods.

False cognates

This is an area all language learners should always pay close attention to. Also known as “false friends,” these are words that sound dangerously similar to words in a different language but have completely different meanings. This can cause lots of confusion at best and painfully embarrassing situations at worst, so watch out!

Portuguese vs. Spanish culture

Although they both come from the Iberian Peninsula, Spanish-speaking countries and Portuguese-speaking countries have different cultures. In fact, there are major cultural differences within countries that speak the same language! Here are some of the broad cultural differences between Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Greetings

In Portugal and Brazil, it’s very common for men to greet each other with a warm, big hug. In Spain and most of Latin America, however, most men greet each other with a firm handshake. Hugs are reserved for family members and close friends.

Women typically kiss when greeting each other in both cultures, often with two kisses. There’s one big difference, though. In Spain and Latin America, the kisses go from left to right, while they go from right to left in Portugal and Brazil. If only one kiss is the norm, then Portuguese speakers will typically go for the right while Spanish speakers will go for the left.

Mealtimes

If you’ve traveled to Spain before, then you already know that they run a bit late when it comes to mealtimes. Lunch isn’t usually served until 3 p.m. and forget about dinner until after 9 p.m. This might be a little too late for most of the world, including Portugal, where Lunch is at 1 p.m. and dinner is at 8 p.m.

Surnames

Spain and Latin America follow a very strict surname pattern: paternal surname first, followed by maternal surname. That means children inherit both their parents’ surnames, although the father’s always comes first.

Portuguese naming patterns are similar, except they’re much more flexible. Historically, daughters would receive their mother’s surname, while sons would receive their father’s surname. Nowadays, most people in Portugal and Brazil inherit both surnames, except that the mother’s surname usually comes first.

Portuguese vs. Spanish - which should you learn?

Both Portuguese and Spanish are incredibly fascinating and beautiful languages. As if that wasn’t a good enough reason to learn either one of them, they’re both extremely helpful languages in the business world. With hundreds of millions of speakers around the world, you’ll find no shortage of people to speak and practice with.

Choosing to study one over the other is a very personal decision, as you’ll have to consider your interests, goals, and circumstances. Spanish might be a better choice if you live in an area with a significant Spanish-speaking population. Alternatively, Portuguese might be a smart career move if you work for a company headquartered in Brazil.

And if you can’t decide? Learn both! As you now know, Spanish and Portuguese are very similar, so why not make a plan to tackle both? If you want to go this route, the best way would be to learn one first and then the other. That way, you won’t get the different grammar and pronunciation rules mixed up while you’re still in the early stages of learning. And don’t worry, the second language will be much easier to learn once you’ve got one under your belt!

Still trying to figure out where to begin? Then start by taking a look at our Spanish and Portuguese blogs! We regularly publish helpful articles about learning the language and culture, so reading a few of these can give you a better idea of which one to learn. Some examples include our introductory guide to saying hello in Portuguese and our guide to writing an email in Spanish.