Portuguese
· PortuguêsPortugal + Brazil · 260M+ speakers (Brazil dominates)
PT-BR and PT-PT are basically two languages with shared spelling. Pick the right one or you sound foreign in both.
Code
pt
Region
Portugal + Brazil
Shopify
Brazil is the largest Shopify LatAm market
Why translate
- Brazil is the largest Shopify market in LatAm – PT-BR is non-negotiable for the region
- Portugal is a small but high-AOV EU market with Pix-style payment expectations growing
- Generic 'pt' translation reads wrong in both countries – always pick a locale
Pitfalls
PT-BR vs PT-PT
Vocabulary, grammar and tone all differ. Two glossaries, two locales. Always.
Você vs tu
Brazil: 'você' everywhere. Portugal: 'tu' informal, 'você' semi-formal.
Currency formatting
Brazil uses R$ 1.234,56; Portugal uses 1 234,56 €. Do not let MT normalize these.
Glossary seed
| Source (EN) | Portuguese | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cart | Carrinho (BR) / Cesto (PT) | Lock per locale. |
| Checkout | Finalizar compra | Shopify default. |
| Free shipping | Frete grátis (BR) / Portes grátis (PT) | Diverges. |
| Sign in | Entrar | Universal. |
SEO tips
- Use pt-BR and pt-PT hreflang separately – Google.com.br and Google.pt rank very differently
- Translate reviews and Q&A – Brazilian buyers rely on social proof heavily
- Long-tail Portuguese queries are conversational ('como escolher…') – generate FAQ blocks
Next playbook
German