← Back to searchWord Index →
Is the word esqueça the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?
No
While the spelling and fundamental meaning of "esqueça" are identical in both varieties, there are differences in pronunciation and typical usage:
- Pronunciation: In Continental Portuguese, unstressed vowels are much more "closed" or reduced than in Brazilian Portuguese. A Portuguese speaker may almost swallow the "e" in the first syllable, making it sound more like "squêça," whereas a Brazilian speaker will pronounce the vowels more openly.
- Typical Usage: In Brazil, the verb esquecer is very commonly used transitively (without a reflexive pronoun), as in "Esqueça isso" (Forget that). In Portugal, it is much more natural and standard to use the reflexive form esquecer-se, accompanied by the preposition "de," as in "Esqueça-se disso" or "Não se esqueça disso."
Brazilian Portuguese Examples
- Esqueça o que eu te falei. (Forget what I told you.)
- Não esqueça de levar o celular. (Don't forget to take your cell phone.)
- Esqueça esse cara, ele não vale nada. (Forget that guy, he's not worth anything.)
- Esqueça essa bagunça toda. (Forget all this mess.)
- Não esqueça o ônibus. (Don't forget the bus.)
Continental Portuguese Examples
- Esqueça o que eu lhe disse. (Forget what I told you.)
- Não se esqueça de levar o telemóvel. (Don't forget to take your mobile phone.)
- Esqueça esse tipo, ele não vale nada. (Forget that guy, he's not worth anything.)
- Esqueça essa desarrumação. (Forget this mess.)
- Não se esqueça do autocarro. (Don't forget the bus.)
vs
· BR vs PT Word Differences