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

No

The spelling and grammar of "federal" are identical in both varieties. However, the typical usage differs significantly due to the political structures of the two countries. Brazil is a federation, meaning "federal" is a standard domestic term used to describe the national police, universities, and government branches. Portugal is a unitary state, so the word "federal" is almost never used to describe domestic institutions; instead, Portuguese people naturally use terms like "central," "nacional," or "do Estado" to express the same idea of national authority. Additionally, there is a difference in pronunciation: in Brazil, the "l" at the end of the word is often vocalized to sound like a "u" (/fe-de-RAU/), whereas in Portugal, it is a "dark l" (/fe-de-RAL/).

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

  1. A Polícia Federal realizou uma operação importante. (The Federal Police carried out an important operation.)
  2. Ele estuda em uma universidade federal. (He studies at a federal university.)
  3. O governo federal anunciou novos impostos. (The federal government announced new taxes.)
  4. Essa é uma lei federal que deve ser cumprida. (This is a federal law that must be obeyed.)
  5. Os recursos federais foram destinados à educação. (Federal resources were allocated to education.)

Continental Portuguese Examples

  1. A Polícia Judiciária realizou uma operação importante. (The Judicial Police carried out an important operation.)
  2. Ele estuda numa universidade pública. (He studies at a public university.)
  3. O governo central anunciou novos impostos. (The central government announced new taxes.)
  4. Essa é uma lei nacional que deve ser cumprida. (This is a national law that must be obeyed.)
  5. Os recursos do Estado foram destinados à educação. (State resources were allocated to education.)