Is the word sentindo the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?
No
While the word "sentindo" exists in both dialects, there is a significant difference in typical usage regarding how continuous actions are expressed.
In Brazilian Portuguese, the gerund (gerúndio) is the standard way to express an ongoing action. Therefore, a Brazilian will naturally say "estou sentindo" (I am feeling).
In Continental Portuguese, the construction of the continuous aspect typically uses the preposition a followed by the infinitive verb (a + infinitivo). While a Portuguese person understands "sentindo," they would much more naturally say "a sentir" to express the same ongoing sensation. Additionally, there are differences in pronoun placement and the use of "tu" versus "você."
Brazilian Portuguese Examples
- Eu estou sentindo uma dor de cabeça muito forte. (I am feeling a very strong headache.)
- Você está se sentindo melhor depois do remédio? (Are you feeling better after the medicine?)
- A gente está sentindo muita falta de você aqui. (We are missing you a lot here.)
- Ele está sentindo o cheiro do café fresquinho. (He is smelling/feeling the scent of the fresh coffee.)
- Eu não estava sentindo nada de estranho no meu corpo. (I was not feeling anything strange in my body.)
Continental Portuguese Examples
- Eu estou a sentir uma dor de cabeça muito forte. (I am feeling a very strong headache.)
- Estás a sentir-te melhor depois do remédio? (Are you feeling better after the medicine?)
- Nós estamos a sentir muita falta de ti. (We are missing you a lot.)
- Ele está a sentir o cheiro do café fresquinho. (He is smelling/feeling the scent of the fresh coffee.)
- Eu não estava a sentir nada de estranho no meu corpo. (I was not feeling anything strange in my body.)
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· BR vs PT Word Differences