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Is the word pronto-socorro the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No

While the meaning remains the same (emergency medical care), there is a significant difference in typical usage. In Brazil, "pronto-socorro" is the standard and most common term used to refer to the emergency room or emergency department of a hospital. In Portugal, although "pronto-socorro" might be understood due to the influence of Brazilian media, it is rarely used. A Portuguese person would almost always use the word "urgências" (the emergency department) or "serviço de urgência" to express the same idea.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

  1. Preciso levar meu filho ao pronto-socorro agora. (I need to take my son to the emergency room right now.)
  2. O pronto-socorro do hospital está muito lotado hoje. (The hospital's emergency room is very crowded today.)
  3. Ele foi encaminhado diretamente para o pronto-socorro. (He was sent directly to the emergency room.)
  4. Você sabe onde fica o pronto-socorro mais próximo daqui? (Do you know where the nearest emergency room is from here?)
  5. O atendimento no pronto-socorro demorou várias horas. (The care at the emergency room took several hours.)

Portuguese (Portugal) Examples

  1. Tenho de levar o meu filho às urgências agora. (I have to take my son to the emergency room now.)
  2. As urgências do hospital estão muito cheias hoje. (The hospital's emergency room is very full today.)
  3. Ele foi encaminhado diretamente para as urgências. (He was sent directly to the emergency room.)
  4. Sabes onde ficam as urgências mais próximas daqui? (Do you know where the nearest emergency room is from here?)
  5. O atendimento nas urgências demorou várias horas. (The care at the emergency room took several hours.)