Is the word chegando the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?
No
While the spelling and the literal meaning of "chegando" (the gerund of the verb chegar) are the same in both dialects, there is a significant difference in grammatical usage regarding how continuous actions are expressed.
In Brazilian Portuguese, the gerund (chegando) is the standard way to express an ongoing action (e.g., "I am arriving"). In Continental Portuguese, the standard construction for ongoing actions is the preposition a + the infinitive (a chegar). While a Portuguese person would understand "estou chegando," it would sound distinctly Brazilian to them; a native of Portugal would almost instinctively say "estou a chegar."
Brazilian Portuguese Examples
- Estou chegando em casa agora. (I am arriving home now.)
- O ônibus está chegando atrasado. (The bus is arriving late.)
- A gente está chegando no restaurante. (We are arriving at the restaurant.)
- Ele está chegando perto demais de você. (He is getting too close to you.)
- Você está chegando tarde para a festa. (You are arriving late to the party.)
Continental Portuguese Examples
- Estou a chegar a casa agora. (I am arriving home now.)
- O autocarro está a chegar atrasado. (The bus is arriving late.)
- Nós estamos a chegar ao restaurante. (We are arriving at the restaurant.)
- Ele está a chegar demasiado perto de ti. (He is getting too close to you.)
- Estás a chegar tarde para a festa. (You are arriving late to the party.)
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· BR vs PT Word Differences