Is the word usa the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?
No.
The word usa is the third-person singular conjugation of the verb usar (to use). While the meaning, spelling, and grammar of the word itself are identical in both dialects, there is a difference in typical usage regarding how people are addressed. In Brazil, usa is the standard conjugation used when addressing someone directly (via the pronoun você). In Portugal, the second-person form usas (paired with tu) is the natural way to address someone informally; using usa to address a person in Portugal is typically reserved for the third person (he/she) or for very formal, distanced address. Additionally, the vocabulary used alongside the verb often changes (e.g., celular vs. telemóvel).
Brazilian Portuguese
- Você usa muito esse perfume. (You use this perfume a lot.)
- Por que você não usa o casaco? (Why don't you use the jacket?)
- Ele usa o celular o dia todo. (He uses the cell phone all day.)
- Ela usa óculos para ler. (She uses glasses to read.)
- Você usa redes sociais? (Do you use social media?)
Continental Portuguese
- Tu usas muito esse perfume. (You use this perfume a lot.)
- Por que não usas o casaco? (Why don't you use the jacket?)
- Ele usa o telemóvel o dia todo. (He uses the mobile phone all day.)
- Ela usa óculos para ler. (She uses glasses to read.)
- Tu usas redes sociais? (Do you use social media?)
vs
· BR vs PT Word Differences