vs · BR vs PT Word Differences

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

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

No.

The difference lies in typical usage. In Brazil, while "lês" is grammatally correct for the second person singular (tu), it is much less common in daily conversation. The vast majority of Brazilians use the pronoun você, which requires the third-person conjugation lê. Therefore, "lês" is primarily heard in specific Brazilian regions (such as the South, North, or parts of the Northeast) where tu is the standard, or in formal writing. In Portugal, "lês" is the standard, everyday conjugation used to address friends, family, and peers informally.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

1. Tu lês muito rápido. (You read very fast.)
2. O que é que tu lês nesse livro? (What are you reading in that book?)
3. Tu lês as mensagens no celular? (Do you read the messages on the cell phone?)
4. Tu lês tudo o que eu escrevo? (Do you read everything I write?)
5. Tu lês o jornal todo dia? (Do you read the newspaper every day?)

European Portuguese Examples

1. Tu lês o jornal todos os dias? (Do you read the newspaper every day?)
2. O que é que lês nessa revista? (What are you reading in that magazine?)
3. Tu lês as mensagens no telemóvel? (Do you read the messages on the mobile phone?)
4. Tu lês muito depressa. (You read very quickly.)
5. Tu lês o que eu te enviei? (Do you read what I sent you?)