FROM SPANISH TO PORTUGUESE

Observations on Major Brazilian Dialect Differences

1. For many speakers, particularly in the Rio area, a d before an i sound is modified to sound much like the English j of 'judge'. Note that the i sound is often represented in spelling by the letter e.

   Examples:

   • onde
   • de nada
   • dia
   • disco

2. Likewise, for most of these same speakers a t before an i sound is modified to sound much like an English or Spanish ch.

   Examples:

   • noite
   • leite
   • tia
   • tinha

Consonant Clusters

The only combinations of Portuguese consonants that will be new to you are initial pn and ps. They do not occur in Spanish, and they are not very common in Portuguese either. You will find them in just a few items like pneu (tire) and psicologia (psychology), and several related words. These clusters may sound strange at first, but they are not particularly difficult to master.

Examples:

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