Is the word podendo the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?
No
While the meaning and spelling of "podendo" (the gerund of the verb poder) are identical in both Brazilian and Continental Portuguese, the answer is no because there is a significant difference in typical usage.
In Brazilian Portuguese, the gerund (-ndo) is the standard way to express ongoing actions or to introduce subordinate clauses expressing condition or consequence. In Continental Portuguese, the gerund is much less common for expressing ongoing states; instead, the construction a + infinitive (e.g., a poder) is preferred. Furthermore, where a Brazilian would use the gerund "podendo" to express a condition, a person from Portugal would more naturally use a conjunction like se (if) followed by the conjugated verb.
Brazilian Portuguese Usage
- Podendo ajudar, eu ajudarei. (Being able to help, I will help.)
- Ele trabalha muito, podendo assim ganhar mais. (He works a lot, thus being able to earn more.)
- Podendo viajar, ela viaja sempre. (Being able to travel, she always travels.)
- Ele estuda muito, podendo assim passar na prova. (He studies a lot, thus being able to pass the test.)
- Podendo fazer o pagamento, faça-o agora. (Being able to make the payment, do it now.)
Continental Portuguese Usage
- Se eu puder ajudar, eu ajudarei. (If I can help, I will help.)
- Ele trabalha muito, para poder ganhar mais. (He works a lot, to be able to earn more.)
- Se ela puder viajar, ela viaja sempre. (If she can travel, she always travels.)
- Ele estuda muito, para poder passar no exame. (He studies a lot, to be able to pass the exam.)
- Se puderes fazer o pagamento, faz o pagamento agora. (If you can make the payment, make the payment now.)
vs
· BR vs PT Word Differences