Is the word costuma the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?
Yes
The word "costuma" (the third-person singular present of the verb costumar) is identical in meaning, spelling, and grammatical function in both Brazilian and Continental Portuguese. The primary difference is pronunciation: in many regions of Portugal, the "s" is pronounced as a "sh" sound ([kuʃˈtumɐ]), and the vowels are more closed, whereas in Brazil, the "s" is often a sibilant [s] and the vowels are more open ([kosˈtuma]). Additionally, while the word itself is the same, the lexical context (the words that typically accompany it) varies significantly between the two countries.
Brazilian Portuguese Examples
- Ele costuma tomar café da manhã cedo. (He usually has breakfast early.)
- Ela costuma viajar para a praia. (She usually travels to the beach.)
- O ônibus costuma atrasar muito. (The bus usually runs very late.)
- Meu cachorro costuma latir para estranhos. (My dog usually barks at strangers.)
- A gente costuma comer pizza no fim de semana. (We usually eat pizza on the weekend.)
Portuguese (Continental) Examples
- Ele costuma tomar o pequeno-almoço cedo. (He usually has breakfast early.)
- Ela costuma viajar para o litoral. (She usually travels to the coast.)
- O autocarro costuma atrasar muito. (The bus usually runs very late.)
- O cão costuma ladrar para estranhos. (The dog usually barks at strangers.)
- Ele costuma comer pizza ao fim de semana. (He usually eats pizza on the weekend.)
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· BR vs PT Word Differences