vs · BR vs PT Word Differences

Look up any Duolingo word — find out how it differs between Brazilian and European Portuguese

Is the word acontecido the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

Yes

The word "acontecido" is identical in meaning, spelling, and grammatical function in both Brazilian and European Portuguese. The only difference is phonetic and syntactical. In terms of pronunciation, European Portuguese features significant vowel reduction, making the unstressed "e" sounds much more closed or even nearly silent, whereas Brazilian Portuguese tends to pronounce these vowels more clearly or as an "i" sound. In terms of usage, while the word itself is the same, the auxiliary verb used with it often changes: Brazilians almost exclusively use the verb ter (e.g., tem acontecido), while Portuguese speakers frequently prefer the verb haver (e.g., tem havido) or simply use the simple past tense (aconteceu) to express the same idea.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

1. O que tem acontecido com você? (What has been happening to you?)
2. Isso nunca tinha acontecido antes. (This had never happened before.)
3. Muitas coisas têm acontecido por aqui. (Many things have been happening around here.)
4. Você sabe o que tem acontecido com o projeto? (Do you know what has been happening with the project?)
5. Um erro inesperado tinha acontecido no sistema. (An unexpected error had happened in the system.)

European Portuguese Examples

1. O que tem havido de novo? (What has been happening / What's new?)
2. Isto nunca tinha acontecido antes. (This had never happened before.)
3. Tem havido muitos problemas por aqui. (There have been many problems around here.)
4. Sabes o que aconteceu com o projeto? (Do you know what happened to the project?)
5. Aconteceu um erro inesperado no sistema. (An unexpected error happened in the system.)