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

No. While the spelling of the word itself is identical in both dialects, there are significant differences in typical usage, grammar, and the spelling of related terms.

In Brazilian Portuguese, "pintar" is frequently used colloquially to mean "to appear," "to emerge," or "to happen unexpectedly" (e.g., pintou um problema). In Continental Portuguese, this is not a standard usage; instead, speakers naturally use verbs like surgir or aparecer. Additionally, the grammar used to express continuous action differs: Brazilians use the gerund (pintando), whereas the Portuguese use the construction a + infinitive (a pintar). There is also a spelling difference in related words, such as aquarela in Brazil and aguarela in Portugal.

Brazilian Portuguese

1. Eu vou pintar a parede hoje. (I am going to paint the wall today.)
2. Pintou um trabalho novo para mim. (A new job popped up for me.)
3. Ele está pintando o quarto. (He is painting the bedroom.)
4. De repente, pintou um problema. (Suddenly, a problem appeared.)
5. Eu gosto de pintar com aquarela. (I like to paint with watercolor.)

Continental Portuguese

1. Eu vou pintar a parede hoje. (I am going to paint the wall today.)
2. Surgiu um trabalho novo para mim. (A new job arose for me.)
3. Ele está a pintar o quarto. (He is painting the bedroom.)
4. De repente, surgiu um problema. (Suddenly, a problem arose.)
5. Eu gosto de pintar com aguarela. (I like to paint with watercolor.)