vs · BR vs PT Word Differences

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

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

No.

While the fundamental meaning (a leak) is the same, the typical usage differs significantly. In Brazil, vazamento is the standard term for almost all types of leaks, whether they are physical (water, gas, oil) or digital (data, information). In Portugal, when referring to physical leaks of liquids or gases from pipes, containers, or engines, the word fuga is much more common (e.g., fuga de água, fuga de gás).

Brazilian Portuguese Usage

• Tem um vazamento no cano da cozinha. (There is a leak in the kitchen pipe.)
• O vazamento de gás no bairro foi perigoso. (The gas leak in the neighborhood was dangerous.)
• O vazamento de dados da empresa foi enorme. (The company's data leak was massive.)
• Preciso consertar um vazamento no teto. (I need to fix a leak in the ceiling.)
• Cuidado com o vazamento de óleo na pista. (Watch out for the oil leak on the track.)

Portuguese (Continental) Usage

• Há uma fuga de água na canalização. (There is a water leak in the plumbing.)
• Detectaram uma fuga de gás na fábrica. (They detected a gas leak in the factory.)
• A fuga de informação foi grave. (The information leak was serious.)
• O telhado tem uma fuga por causa da chuva. (The roof has a leak because of the rain.)
• Houve uma fuga de óleo na autoestrada. (There was an oil leak on the highway.)