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

No

While the spelling and grammatical function of "pães" are identical in both varieties, there is a difference in typical usage. In Brazil, "pães" is frequently used to refer to individual units of bread rolls (such as pão francês). In Portugal, "pães" is more commonly used to denote different varieties of bread or entire loaves, as individual rolls often have specific names like carcaças or papo de perdiz. Additionally, the pronunciation differs: Brazilians tend to use a more open, resonant nasal diphthong, while Portuguese speakers use a more closed and reduced sound.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

1. "Vou comprar dois pães para o café da manhã." (I'm going to buy two rolls for breakfast.)
2. "A padaria tem pães de queijo deliciosos." (The bakery has delicious cheese breads.)
3. "Ele gosta de comer pães integrais." (He likes to eat whole grain breads.)
4. "Os pães de mel são uma delícia." (The honey breads are a delight.)
5. "Comprei pães variados para o lanche." (I bought various breads for the snack.)

Continental Portuguese Examples

1. "Vou comprar duas carcaças para o pequeno-almoço." (I'm going to buy two rolls for breakfast.)
2. "Gosto de provar pães de centeio." (I like to taste rye breads.)
3. "A pastelaria vende pães artesanais." (The pastry shop sells artisanal breads.)
4. "Os pães de água são muito bons." (The water breads are very good.)
5. "Comemos pães variados ao pequeno-almoço." (We eat varied breads at breakfast.)