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

No. While the word "herdar" is identical in meaning, spelling, and grammatical conjugation in both dialects, the answer is No because there is a difference in typical usage regarding how the verb is used to express continuous actions. Brazilians primarily use the gerund (e.g., herdando), whereas people in Portugal use the preposition "a" followed by the infinitive (e.g., a herdar).

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

  1. Ele herdou muita grana do avô. (He inherited a lot of cash from his grandfather.)
  2. Eu herdei os olhos da minha mãe. (I inherited my mother's eyes.)
  3. Ele está herdando a empresa da família. (He is inheriting the family company.)
  4. Eles herdaram uma casa linda no interior. (They inherited a beautiful house in the countryside.)
  5. A gente herdou vários problemas da gestão antiga. (We inherited several problems from the old management.)

Continental Portuguese Examples

  1. Ele herdou uma grande fortuna do avô. (He inherited a great fortune from his grandfather.)
  2. Ela herdou os olhos da mãe. (She inherited her mother's eyes.)
  3. Ele está a herdar o negócio da família. (He is inheriting the family business.)
  4. Eles herdaram uma casa de campo. (They inherited a country house.)
  5. Herdámos os problemas da gestão anterior. (We inherited the problems from the previous management.)