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

Yes

The word "ajudava" is identical in both Brazilian and European Portuguese regarding its meaning, spelling, and grammatical function (it is the first or third-person singular of the pretérito imperfeito do indicativo of the verb ajudar). The only significant difference is pronunciation. In Brazilian Portuguese, the unstressed vowels (like the 'a' in "ajudava") tend to be more "open" and clearly articulated. In Continental Portuguese, these unstressed vowels are often "reduced" or "swallowed," making the word sound more closed and shorter to the ear.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

  1. Eu ajudava minha mãe na cozinha todos os dias. (I used to help my mother in the kitchen every day.)
  2. Ele me ajudava com o dever de casa. (He used to help me with my homework.)
  3. A gente ajudava os vizinhos sempre que podia. (We used to help the neighbors whenever we could.)
  4. Você me ajudava muito quando eu era pequeno. (You used to help me a lot when I was little.)
  5. Ela ajudava na organização da festa. (She used to help with the organization of the party.)

European Portuguese Examples

  1. Eu ajudava a minha mãe na cozinha todos os dias. (I used to help my mother in the kitchen every day.) — Note: Portuguese speakers typically use the definite article "a" before the possessive "minha".
  2. Ele ajudava-me com os trabalhos de casa. (He used to help me with the homework.) — Note: Use of enclisis (pronoun after the verb) and different vocabulary ("trabalhos" instead of "dever").
  3. Nós ajudávamos os vizinhos sempre que podíamos. (We used to help the neighbors whenever we could.) — Note: "Nós" is preferred over the Brazilian "a gente" in standard/formal contexts.
  4. Tu ajudavas-me muito quando eras pequeno. (You used to help me a lot when you were little.) — Note: Use of "Tu" for the informal second person.
  5. Ela ajudava na organização da festa. (She used to help with the organization of the party.)