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Is the word norte americano the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No

The difference between the two lies in typical usage and connotation.

In Brazil, "norte-americano" is the standard, everyday term used to refer to someone from the United States. Although the term technically refers to anyone from the North American continent (including Canadians and Mexicans), Brazilians use it almost exclusively as a synonym for "American (from the USA)." In Portugal, while "norte-americano" is grammatically correct, it is much less common in casual conversation and can sound overly formal or specifically related to the continent's geography. A Portuguese person will naturally use the word "americano" to refer to someone from the United States.

Brazilian Portuguese Usage

  1. O professor é norte-americano. (The professor is North American [from the USA].)
  2. Eu gosto muito da comida norte-americana. (I really like North American [American] food.)
  3. Os norte-americanos costumam viajar muito. (North Americans [Americans] tend to travel a lot.)
  4. Ela está aprendendo sobre a cultura norte-americana. (She is learning about North American [American] culture.)
  5. Esse produto é de origem norte-americana. (This product is of North American [American] origin.)

Continental Portuguese Usage

  1. O professor é americano. (The professor is American.)
  2. Eu gosto muito da comida americana. (I really like American food.)
  3. Os americanos costumam viajar muito. (Americans tend to travel a lot.)
  4. Ela está a aprender sobre a cultura americana. (She is learning about American culture.)
  5. Esse produto é de origem americana. (This product is of American origin.)