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

Yes.

The word "criticar" is identical in meaning, spelling, and grammatical function in both Brazilian and European Portuguese. The only differences are:

• Pronunciation: In Brazilian Portuguese, vowels tend to be more open, and unstressed vowels are pronounced clearly. In European Portuguese, unstressed vowels are heavily reduced or "swallowed," making the rhythm of the word sound more clipped.
• Contextual Usage: While the word itself doesn't change, the vocabulary surrounding it often does. For example, a Brazilian will say "todo mundo" for "everyone," whereas a Portuguese person will say "toda a gente." Additionally, the placement of object pronouns (e.g., "me criticar" vs "criticar-me") is a major grammatical distinction in usage.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

1. Ele adora criticar todo mundo. (He loves to criticize everyone.)
2. Pare de criticar o meu jeito de vestir! (Stop criticizing my way of dressing!)
3. Ninguém gosta de ser criticado o tempo todo. (Nobody likes to be criticized all the time.)
4. Eles criticaram muito a nova lei. (They criticized the new law a lot.)
5. Minha mãe vive me criticando por causa da minha nota. (My mother is always criticizing me because of my grade.)

European Portuguese Examples

1. Ele adora criticar toda a gente. (He loves to criticize everyone.)
2. Deixa de criticar o meu modo de vestir! (Stop criticizing my way of dressing!)
3. Ninguém gosta de ser criticado constantemente. (Nobody likes to be criticized constantly.)
4. Criticaram duramente a nova lei. (They criticized the new law harshly.)
5. A minha mãe critica-me constantemente por causa da minha nota. (My mother criticizes me constantly because of my grade.)