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Is the word dose the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?
No
While the spelling and core meaning of "dose" (a measured quantity of medicine or liquid) are identical in both dialects, there is a difference in typical usage. In Portugal, "dose" is commonly used to refer to a serving or portion of food in a restaurant (e.g., "uma dose de bacalhau"). In Brazil, "dose" is almost exclusively reserved for liquids (medicine, alcohol) or metaphorical quantities (a dose of reality); for food, Brazilians naturally use "porção" or "prata/prato".
Brazilian Portuguese usage:
- Ele tomou uma dose deste remédio. (He took a dose of this medicine.)
- Ele pediu uma dose de cachaça. (He ordered a shot of cachaça.)
- Isso foi uma dose de realidade para ele. (That was a dose of reality for him.)
- A dose de açúcar no café está alta. (The dose of sugar in the coffee is high.)
- Ele bebeu uma dose de uísque puro. (He drank a shot of neat whisky.)
Continental Portuguese usage:
- Ele tomou uma dose deste medicamento. (He took a dose of this medication.)
- Ele pediu uma dose de aguardente. (He ordered a shot of aguardente.)
- Isto foi uma dose de realidade para ele. (This was a dose of reality for him.)
- A dose de açúcar no café está elevada. (The dose of sugar in the coffee is high.)
- Ele bebeu uma dose de uísque puro. (He drank a shot of neat whisky.)
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· BR vs PT Word Differences