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Is the word tomando the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?
No.
While the spelling and the core meaning of "tomando" (the gerund of tomar) are the same, the usage regarding the continuous aspect is different. In Brazilian Portuguese, the gerund is the standard way to express an action happening right now (the progressive aspect). In Continental Portuguese, this is almost always replaced by the construction "a + infinitive" (e.g., a tomar). Using "tomando" to describe an ongoing action in Portugal sounds distinctly Brazilian and is much less common in everyday speech.
Brazilian Portuguese Usage
- Estou tomando um café agora. (I am drinking a coffee now.)
- Ele está tomando sorvete. (He is eating ice cream.)
- Ela está tomando o remédio no horário certo. (She is taking the medicine at the right time.)
- Nós estamos tomando muito sol na praia. (We are getting a lot of sun at the beach.)
- Isso está tomando muito tempo da minha vida. (This is taking a lot of my time/life.)
Continental Portuguese Usage
- Estou a tomar um café agora. (I am drinking a coffee now.)
- Ele está a tomar um gelado. (He is eating an ice cream.)
- Ela está a tomar o medicamento à hora certa. (She is taking the medication at the right time.)
- Nós estamos a apanhar muito sol na praia. (We are getting a lot of sun at the beach.)
- Isto está a tomar muito do meu tempo. (This is taking a lot of my time.)
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· BR vs PT Word Differences