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Asked by: Ouadia Illing
travel south america travelWhy do they speak Portuguese in Brazil instead of Spanish?
A little Portuguese might add to the ambiance. Yes, Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Spanish. In an attempt to stymie its rival, Spain sought support from the pope, Spanish-born Alexander VI. He created a line of demarcation to divide the nations' claims as part of the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494.
Correspondingly, can someone who speaks Portuguese understand Spanish?
Portuguese speakers can understand spoken Spanish pretty well. Spanish speakers can't understand spoken Portuguese that much - but we can understand written Portuguese knowing a few key words. Spanish is very easy to pronounce and almost all sounds are written the way they are spoken.
Beside above, why do Brazilian citizens speak Portuguese?
People speak Portuguese in Brazil because Brazil was a Portuguese colony. Though this fact is well-known in some circles (loyal blog readers and Portuguese language learners, for example), one may be surprised how many well-educated people either don't know that Portuguese is spoken in Brazil, or don't know why!
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