vs · BR vs PT Word Differences

Look up any Duolingo word — find out how it differs between Brazilian and European Portuguese

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

No

While the spelling, meaning, and grammatical conjugation of "identificar" are identical in both dialects, there are differences in pronunciation and typical usage within a sentence.

• Pronunciation: Brazilian Portuguese features more open, clearly articulated vowels and a more melodic, syllable-timed rhythm. Continental Portuguese features more closed or reduced unstressed vowels (which often sound nearly silent) and a more stress-timed rhythm.
• Usage: In Brazil, it is common in natural speech to use subject pronouns (like ele or ela) as direct objects (e.g., "identificar ele"). In Portugal, this is considered ungrammatical; a Portuguese person would almost always use clitic pronouns (e.g., "identificá-lo" or "o consegui identificar").

Brazilian Portuguese Examples:

1. Eu não consegui identificar ele na festa. (I couldn't identify him at the party.)
2. Você consegue identificar esse erro? (Can you identify this error?)
3. A gente precisa identificar o problema. (We need to identify the problem.)
4. A professora identificou os alunos que chegaram tarde. (The teacher identified the students who arrived late.)
5. É muito fácil identificar o culpado. (It is very easy to identify the guilty party.)

Continental Portuguese Examples:

1. Não o consegui identificar na festa. (I couldn't identify him at the party.)
2. Sabes identificar este erro? (Do you know how to identify this error?)
3. Temos de identificar o problema. (We have to identify the problem.)
4. A professora identificou os alunos que chegaram atrasados. (The teacher identified the students who arrived late.)
5. É muito fácil identificar o culpado. (It is very easy to identify the guilty party.)