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

No

While the core meaning of the word remains the same, there is a significant difference in grammar and usage between the two variants.

In Brazilian Portuguese, the gerund (desculpando) is the standard way to express an ongoing or continuous action (e.g., "I am excusing"). In Continental Portuguese, the gerund is rarely used for continuous actions; instead, the construction a + infinitive (a desculpar) is the standard way to express the same idea. While a Portuguese person would understand "desculpando," it would sound distinctly Brazilian or overly formal/literary to them.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

  1. Eu estou desculpando o seu erro. (I am excusing your mistake.)
  2. Ele está desculpando todo mundo de novo. (He is excusing everyone again.)
  3. Não estou desculpando esse tipo de comportamento. (I am not excusing this type of behavior.)
  4. Você está desculpando ele por quê? (Why are you excusing him?)
  5. Ela passou a tarde desculpando os atrasos do grupo. (She spent the afternoon excusing the group's delays.)

Continental Portuguese Examples

  1. Eu estou a desculpar o teu erro. (I am excusing your mistake.)
  2. Ele está a desculpar toda a gente de novo. (He is excusing everyone again.)
  3. Não estou a desculpar esse tipo de comportamento. (I am not excusing this type of behavior.)
  4. Estás a desculpar o teu amigo porquê? (Why are you excusing your friend?)
  5. Ela passou a tarde a desculpar os atrasos do grupo. (She spent the afternoon excusing the group's delays.)