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The most commonly used language in Brazil is Portuguese. Nearly 100% of
the
population uses it; there are different accents, but the whole country speaks
the same
language. The only people who don't speak it as a first language are some
members of
Amerindian groups and small groups of immigrants, mostly from Japan and South
Korea,
who have not yet learned Portuguese. If there is a second language it is
most commonly
English. It is learned in school. Though they know it, they don't
have enough of an
understanding to carry on a fluent conversation. While visiting larger
hotels or
restaurants you will usually have a bi or tri-lingual staff. You can also
find menus and
maps in various languages. If you go to a local store you may have more of
a problem.
The Portuguese in Brazil and the Portuguese in Portugal has about as much
difference as
the English spoken in America and the English spoken in England. Many
foreigners who
speak Portuguese fluently have a hard time writing it properly in Brazil because
of the
rules of grammar being so complex. Brazil's size, self-sufficiency, and
relative isolation
all are reasons why foreign languages are not widely spoken. In school
children learn
English which has replaced French as the principle second language among
educated
people. Portuguese can understand Spanish to a certain extent, but
Spaniards have
more difficult time trying to understand Portuguese.
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