vs · BR vs PT Word Differences

Look up any Duolingo word — find out how it differs between Brazilian and European Portuguese

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

No.

While the formal, academic, and political meanings of "radical" (referring to roots, chemistry, or extreme ideologies) are identical in both dialects, there are significant differences in typical usage and pronunciation. In Brazil, "radical" is frequently used as a colloquialism to mean "extreme" (especially in sports) or even as slang for "awesome" or "cool." In Portugal, using "radical" to mean "awesome" would sound unnatural; a Portuguese person would instead use "espetacular" or "incrível." Additionally, the pronunciation of the "l" differs: Brazilians typically vocalize the "l" as a "u" sound, whereas the Portuguese use a more closed, velarized "l."

Brazilian Portuguese

1. O surf é um esporte radical. (Surfing is an extreme sport.)
2. Ele fez uma mudança radical no visual. (He made a radical/drastic change in his look.)
3. Aquela manobra foi muito radical! (That maneuver was very radical/awesome!)
4. A diferença de resultados foi radical. (The difference in results was huge/drastic.)
5. O governo adotou uma medida radical. (The government adopted a radical/drastic measure.)

Continental Portuguese

1. O surf é um desporto extremo. (Surfing is an extreme sport.)
2. Ele fez uma alteração drástica no visual. (He made a drastic change in his look.)
3. Aquela manobra foi muito espetacular! (That maneuver was very spectacular/awesome!)
4. A diferença de resultados foi total. (The difference in results was total/huge.)
5. O governo adotou uma medida drástica. (The government adopted a drastic measure.)