what do brazilians speak

Brazilians mainly speak Portuguese, specifically a regional variety called Brazilian Portuguese, which is the country’s official language and used by the vast majority of the population in daily life, school, media, and government.

Quick Scoop: So… what do Brazilians speak?

• The primary language in Brazil is Portuguese , not Spanish.

• The standard variety is called Brazilian Portuguese, which differs a bit in accent and vocabulary from European Portuguese but is fully mutually intelligible (similar vibe to American vs British English).

• Around 98% of Brazilians speak Portuguese, making Brazil the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world.

Other languages you’ll hear in Brazil

Besides Portuguese, you’ll find a whole mix of other languages, usually in specific regions or communities.

• Indigenous languages: Hundreds of native languages are still spoken, especially in the Amazon and rural communities (over 200 are documented).

• European immigrant languages:
  • German (including Pomeranian and Hunsrückisch dialects), especially in the South and in Espírito Santo.

* Italian (often the local dialect “Talian”) in southern states like Rio Grande do Sul.

• Other minority/immigrant languages: Spanish, Japanese, French, Romani, and others appear in certain cities and border regions.

Quick mental image

If you land in São Paulo, Rio, Salvador, or Brasília, everyone around you will be speaking Brazilian Portuguese, and all signs, TV, and government services will be in Portuguese. In smaller towns or specific neighborhoods, you might suddenly hear German, Italian dialects, or indigenous languages mixed in—but Portuguese still anchors everyday communication nationwide.

TL;DR: When people ask “what do Brazilians speak,” the straightforward answer is: Portuguese—more precisely, Brazilian Portuguese—with many minority languages in specific regions and communities.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.