vs · BR vs PT Word Differences

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

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

No

While the dictionary definition and spelling of "navegando" are the same in both dialects, there is a major difference in typical usage regarding how continuous actions are expressed.

In Brazilian Portuguese, the gerund (gerúndio) is the standard way to express an ongoing action (e.g., "Estou navegando"). In Continental Portuguese, the standard construction for an ongoing action uses the preposition a followed by the infinitive (e.g., "Estou a navegar"). While a person from Portugal will understand "navegando," using the gerund to describe a current action sounds distinctly Brazilian to them.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples:

1. Estou navegando na internet agora. (I am surfing the internet right now.)
2. Ele passou a tarde navegando no YouTube. (He spent the afternoon browsing YouTube.)
3. Estamos navegando por águas tranquilas. (We are navigating through calm waters.)
4. Você estava navegando no Facebook quando eu te liguei? (Were you browsing Facebook when I called you?)
5. O capitão está navegando com muito cuidado. (The captain is navigating very carefully.)

Continental Portuguese Examples:

1. Estou a navegar na internet agora. (I am surfing the internet right now.)
2. Ele passou a tarde a navegar no YouTube. (He spent the afternoon browsing YouTube.)
3. Estamos a navegar por águas tranquilas. (We are navigating through calm waters.)
4. Estavas a navegar no Facebook quando te liguei? (Were you browsing Facebook when I called you?)
5. O capitão está a navegar com muito cuidado. (The captain is navigating very carefully.)