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

Yes

The word "ilustrar" has the exact same meaning, grammatical function, and spelling in both Brazilian and Continental Portuguese. The only significant difference lies in pronunciation.

In Brazilian Portuguese, the vowels are typically more "open" and clearly articulated. In Continental Portuguese, speakers often practice "vowel reduction," where unstressed vowels (especially 'e' and 'o') become much shorter, more closed, or almost silent. For example, the "i" in "ilustrar" might sound slightly more "clipped" in Lisbon than in São Paulo.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

  1. O artista vai ilustrar o livro de contos. (The artist is going to illustrate the short story book.) *2. Use este exemplo para ilustrar seu ponto de vista. (Use this example to illustrate your point of view.)
  2. As fotos vão ilustrar muito bem a reportagem. (The photos will illustrate the report very well.)
  3. Eu adoro ilustrar meus próprios cadernos. (I love illustrating my own notebooks.)
  4. O professor usou um gráfico para ilustrar o problema. (The teacher used a graph to illustrate the problem.)

Continental Portuguese Examples

  1. O artista irá ilustrar o livro de contos. (The artist will illustrate the short story book.)
  2. Usa este exemplo para ilustrar o teu ponto de vista. (Use this example to illustrate your point of view. — Note: EP frequently uses the "tu" form for "you".)
  3. As fotografias vão ilustrar muito bem a reportagem. (The photographs will illustrate the report very well. — Note: "Fotografias" is more common than the clipped "fotos" in formal EP.)
  4. Ele gosta de ilustrar os seus próprios cadernos. (He likes to illustrate his own notebooks. — Note: EP often uses the definite article "os" before possessive pronouns.)
  5. O professor utilizou um gráfico para ilustrar o problema. (The professor utilized a graph to illustrate the problem. — Note: "Utilizou" is a common formal alternative to "usou".)