Portuguese Certified Translation Services: Brazilian and European Portuguese
Portuguese is the sixth most spoken language in the world and the most spoken language in South America. In the United States, over 700,000 Portuguese speakers — predominantly Brazilian — need certified translation for immigration, legal, academic, and business purposes. This guide covers the unique aspects of Portuguese certified translation, including the critical differences between Brazilian and European Portuguese.
Brazilian Portuguese vs. European Portuguese
While mutually intelligible, Brazilian Portuguese (português brasileiro) and European Portuguese (português europeu) differ significantly in vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and pronunciation. These differences matter in certified translation because:
Vocabulary Differences
| Concept | Brazilian Portuguese | European Portuguese | English | |---------|---------------------|---------------------|---------| | Bus | Ônibus | Autocarro | Bus | | Train | Trem | Comboio | Train | | Cell phone | Celular | Telemóvel | Cell phone | | Breakfast | Café da manhã | Pequeno-almoço | Breakfast | | Fact/deed | Fato | Facto | Fact | | File (computer) | Arquivo | Ficheiro | File |
Legal Terminology
Legal terminology between Brazil and Portugal can differ substantially:
- Brazilian "cartório" (notary office) vs. Portuguese "notário" or "conservatória"
- Brazilian "RG" (Registro Geral - general registration/ID) has no direct Portuguese equivalent
- Brazilian "CPF" (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas - tax ID) vs. Portuguese "NIF" (Número de Identificação Fiscal)
Spelling Reform
The 2009 Portuguese Language Orthographic Agreement attempted to unify spelling between Brazilian and European Portuguese. However, implementation has been inconsistent, and many documents still use pre-reform spelling. A translator must be comfortable with both spelling systems.
Common Brazilian Documents Requiring Translation
Civil Documents
Certidão de Nascimento — Birth certificate
Certidão de Casamento — Marriage certificate
Certidão de Óbito — Death certificate
Certidão de Divórcio — Divorce certificate (or Averbação de Divórcio — divorce notation on the marriage certificate)
RG (Registro Geral) — National identity card
CPF (Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas) — Tax identification number
The Brazilian Cartório System
Brazil has a unique notary system called the "cartório." Cartórios are private offices authorized by the government to perform public functions including:
Civil registration (births, marriages, deaths), Document authentication and notarization, Property registration, Protest of unpaid debts, and Signature authentication
Brazilian documents issued by cartórios typically include: The cartório's name and registration number, The notary's (tabelião) name and signature, Official seals and stamps, Book, page, and registration numbers, and Revenue stamps (selos)
Every element must be translated, including the cartório identification information, which provides the document's provenance.
Academic Documents
Diploma — University degree
Histórico Escolar — Academic transcript (school-level)
Histórico Acadêmico — Academic transcript (university-level)
Certificado de Conclusão — Certificate of completion
Brazilian academic transcripts may include: Grades on a 0-10 scale (with 5 or 7 as passing, depending on the institution), Course hours (carga horária), Frequency/attendance percentages, and The institution's CNPJ (business registration number)
Legal and Financial Documents
Certidão de Antecedentes Criminais — Criminal background check
Procuração — Power of attorney
Contrato Social — Articles of incorporation
Declaração de Imposto de Renda — Tax return
Certidão Negativa de Débitos — Tax clearance certificate
Common Portuguese (European) Documents
Civil Documents
Certidão de Nascimento — Birth certificate (issued by the Conservatória do Registo Civil)
Certidão de Casamento — Marriage certificate
Certidão de Óbito — Death certificate
Bilhete de Identidade / Cartão de Cidadão — ID card / Citizen card
Academic Documents
Certificado de Habilitações — Academic certificate
Diploma — Degree
Registo de Notas — Grade record
Portuguese academic transcripts use a 0-20 scale, with 10 as passing. This is different from the Brazilian 0-10 scale.
Portuguese Translation for USCIS
Brazilian immigration to the United States has grown significantly. Common USCIS filings requiring Portuguese translation include:
Family-Based Petitions (I-130/I-485)
- Birth certificates from Brazilian or Portuguese civil registries
- Marriage certificates
- Divorce averbações (the annotation on the marriage certificate recording the divorce)
EB-5 Investor Visas
Brazilian investors applying for EB-5 visas need translations of: Business financial statements, Tax returns, Source-of-funds documentation, and Corporate documents
L-1 Intracompany Transfers
Brazilian companies with U.S. operations frequently transfer employees. Required translations include: Employment contracts, Corporate organizational charts, Business licenses, and Educational credentials
Challenges Specific to Portuguese Translation
Patronymic Naming System
Portuguese and Brazilian naming conventions include: Given names (prenomes), Mother's family name (before the father's), and Father's family name (at the end)
Example: "Maria da Silva Oliveira" may have "da Silva" from her mother and "Oliveira" from her father. After marriage, she might add her husband's surname: "Maria da Silva Oliveira Santos."
This ordering is the opposite of Spanish naming conventions, which causes confusion. The translator must correctly identify which name is the family name.
Abbreviations
Brazilian legal documents frequently use abbreviations: fl. — folha (page)
Lv. — Livro (Book)
n.° — número (number)
CPF — Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas
CNPJ — Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica
Art. — Artigo (Article)
§ — Parágrafo (Paragraph)
Inc. — Inciso (Subsection)
The translator should expand these abbreviations in the English translation for clarity.
Apostille and Consular Authentication
Brazil joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2016. Documents issued after that date can be apostilled. Older documents may require consular authentication. The apostille itself is typically bilingual (Portuguese and French) and must be translated.
Link Translations Portuguese Translation Services
Link Translations provides certified Portuguese-to-English translation for both Brazilian and European Portuguese documents. Our translators understand the differences between the two varieties and the specific document formats used in each country.
Services include: Certified translation of all Brazilian civil documents (certidões), Cartório document expertise, European Portuguese document translation, Academic transcript translation for WES and credential evaluation, Business and financial document translation, and Certificate of Accuracy included with every translation
Get a free quote for your Portuguese certified translation.