Brazil

The official language of Brazil is Portuguese (NOT Spanish), spoken by the entire population (except for a few, very remotely located Indian tribes, and some recent immigrants). Indeed, Brazil has had immigrants from all parts of the world for centuries, whose descendants now speak Portuguese as their first language. There's no such thing as a non-Brazilian face -- no matter what part of the world you're from. Brazilian Portuguese has a number of pronunciation differences with the language spoken in Portugal (and within, between the regions there are big accent and slangs difference, they understand each other, but someone learning could sound as a different language), but speakers of either can understand each other. However, European Portuguese (Luso) is more difficult for Brazilians to understand than the reverse, as many Brazilian television programs are shown in Portugal. Note that a few words can have a totally different meaning in Brazil and Portugal. An example of this is "Rapariga" which in Portugal means young girl, and in Brazil mean prostitute. "Legal" (leh GAL) is semi-slang meaning that something is "great" or "cool" -- not that it's lawful to do. It could be very illegal! Also, "no" doesn't mean "no" as in English and Spanish, but rather "in the" as a contraction of em + o (en el in Spanish). Não falo Inglês no Brasil. I don't speak English in Brazil. English is not widely spoken except in some touristy areas. One can always find a way to get around, especially among students and in financial zones. Don't expect bus or taxi drivers to understand English, though, so it may be a good idea to write down the address you are heading to before getting on the cab. In most big and luxurious hotels, it is very likely that the taxi fleet will speak some English. Spanish speakers are usually able to get by in Brazil, especially towards the south. While written Portuguese can be quite similar to Spanish, spoken Portuguese may be much harder to understand. Compare the number 20 which is veinte (BAYN-teh) in Spanish to vinte (VEEN-chee) in Brazilian Portuguese. Even more different is gente (people), pronounced "HEN-teh" in Spanish and "ZHEN-chee" in Brazilian Portuguese. Letters CH, D, G, J, R, RR, and T are particularly difficult for those who know some Spanish, and that's without even considering the vowels.

Body language

Brazilians use a lot of body gestures in informal communication, and the meaning of certain words or expressions may be influenced by them.

• The thumbs up gesture is used everywhere and all the time in Brazil.
• The OK gesture (thumb and finger in a circle), on the other hand, may have obscene connotations in Brazil. Avoid it if you can, people may laugh at you, or be offended (usually if they are drunk). Use thumbs up instead.
• A circular movement of the forefinger about the ear (a gesture that Germans use to indicate telephone for you) means you are crazy!, the same as in English.
• Stroking your two biggest fingers with your thumb and stating that something costs a long time is a disguised way of saying that something is expensive (same as French) (not in whole country).
• Clicking your middle finger with your thumb multiple times means a long time.
• Joining your thumb and middle finger and snapping your index finger upon them means fast (not in whole country).
• Stroking your lips with your index finger and snapping it means delicious, grabbing your earlobe with your index and thumb means the same (not in all country).
• Making a fist with your thumb between the index and middle finger is the sign of good luck (not in whole country).
• Touching the palm with the thumb and making a circular movement with the hand means I am being robbed! (sometimes meaning that some price is too high) (not in whole country).
• The Hush gesture is considered extremely unpolite, just about the same as shouting "shut up!" to someone.
• An informal way to get someone's attention (similar to a whistle in other cultures) is a hissing sound: "pssiu!" It is not perceived as unpolite, but gets really, really, REALLY annoying if repeated too often. They also call cats with a similar sound, rather than the kiss noise others (the French again) produce.

Liquor and beer

• Brazil's most famous alcoholic drink is cachaça (cah-shah-sah), an extremely potent sugar-cane liquor known to knock the unwary out quite quickly. An acquired taste,it can seem gasoline on the unaccustomed tongue. It can be tried in virtually every bar in the country. Famous producing regions include Minas Gerais, where there are tours of distillers, much in the same way as you'd tour vineyards in the Sonoma Valley or in France, and the city of Paraty. Pirassununga is home to Caninha 51, Brazil's best-selling brand. In a city near Fortaleza there is a cachaça museum (Museu da Cachaça) where you can learn about the history of the Ypioca brand.

The strong flavor of cachaça - also known as aguardente ("burning water"), pinga, and many other regional variants - can be mixed (hidden?) in cocktails like the famous caipirinha, a combination of cachaça with sugar and lime juice. The same mix using vodka instead of cachaça is nicknamed caipiroska or caipivodka; with white rum, it's a caipiríssima. Another interesting concoction is called capeta ("devil"), made with cachaça, condensed milk, cinnamon, guarana powder (a mild stimulant), and other ingredients, varying by region. Drinking cachaça straight, or stirring in only a dollop of honey or a bit of lime juice, is a common habit on the Northeast region of the country. If you enjoy fine brandy or grappa, try an aged cachaça. Deep and complex, this golden-coloured spirit is nothing like the ubiquitous clear liquor more commonly seen.

• Beer in Brazil has a respectable history because of the German immigrants. Most Brazilian beer brands tend to be less thick and bitter than actual German, Danish or English beer. The most popular domestic brands are Brahma, Antarctica, Bavaria, and Skol. Traditional brands include Bohemia, Caracu and Itaipava. Other international brands available are Carlsberg, Stella Artois, Guinness, Miller, Budweiser and others. There are two ways of drinking beer in bars: draft or bottled beer. Draft lager beer is called chope or chopp ('SHOH-pee'), and is commonly served with one inch of foam, but you can make a complaint to the bartender if the foam is consistently thicker than that. In bars, the waiter will usually collect the empty glasses and bottles on a table and replace them with full ones, until you ask him to stop, in a "tap" charging system. In the case of bottled beer, bottles (600ml) are shared among everyone in the table and poured in small glasses, rather than drank straight from the bottle. Brazilians like their beer nearly ice-cold - hence, to keep the temperature down, bottles of beer are often kept in an insulated polystyrene container on the table.

• While imported alcohol is very expensive, you may find a large assortment of vodka, wine and rum brands in any local supermarket. They come relatively cheap and don't taste that bad. If you really want imported vodka, gin, or Scotch, your best bet is to buy those at the duty-free shop at the airport (Brazil is one of the few countries where you can buy duty-free goods on your way in).

• Rio Grande do Sul is the leading wine production region. There are a number of wine-producing farms that are open to visitors and wine tasting, and wine cellars selling wine and fermented grape juice. One of these farms open to visitors is Salton Winery, located in the city of Bento Gonçalves (Rua Mário Salton, 300, Distrito de Tuiuty, CEP 95700-000. Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul. Tel: +55(54) 2105-1000).

The Sao Francisco Valley, along the border of the states of Pernambuco and Bahia, is the country's newest wine-producing region. Brazilian wines are usually fresher, fruitier and less alcoholic than, for instance, French wines. Popular brands like Sangue de Boi, Canção and Santa Felicidade and others with prices below R$ 6.00 are usually seen as rubbish.

• If you happen to be in Minas Gerais, look for licor de jabuticaba (jabuticaba liquor) or vinho de jabuticaba (jabuticaba wine), an exquisite purple-black beverage with a sweet taste. Jabuticaba is the name of a small grape-like black fruit native to Brazil.

Coffee and tea

Brazil is known world-wide for its high-quality strong coffee. Café is so popular that it can name meals (just like rice does in China, Japan and Korea): breakfast in Brazil is called café da manhã (morning coffee), while café com pão (coffee with bread) or café da tarde (afternoon coffee) means a light afternoon meal. Cafezinho (small coffee) is a small cup of strong, sweetened coffee usually served after meals in restaurants (sometimes for free, just ask politely). Bottled filtered coffee is being replaced by stronger espresso cups in more upscale restaurants. Chá, or tea in Portuguese, is most commonly found in its Assam version (orange, light coloured). Some more specialised tea shops and cafés will have Earl Gray and green tea available as well. Mate is an infusion similar to tea that is very high in caffeine content. A toasted version, often served chilled, is consumed all around the country, while Chimarrão, the hot, bitter equivalent of mate, can be found in the south, and is highly appreciated by the gaúchos (Rio Grande do Sul dwellers). Tererê is a cold version of Chimarrão, common in Mato Grosso state.

Soft drinks

If you're on the beach on a hot day, nothing beats coconut water, or agua de coco - but be careful how you pronounce the word coco (hint: stress the first o as you would in the word oboe, otherwise it will sound to them like you are ordering poo! (cocô) ). If you want a Coke in Brazil, ask for coca, as "cola" means "glue", in Portuguese (but if you say "Coca-cola", everybody will understand). Guarana; is a carbonated soft drink made from a berry (the guarana;) native to the Amazon area. The major brands are Antarctica, Kuat and Brahma.

Fruit juices

Fruit juices are very popular in Brazil. There are fruit juice bars at nearly every corner. Açai (made of a fruit from the Amazon) is absolutely delicious and very nutritious(extremely rich in antioxydents) on top of that.Traditionally used blended in combination with guarana (a stimulant)powder,and a raw codorna(quail egg)& sometimes a banana to recouperate and re-energize from late-nite partying It is normally served cold and has a consistency of soft ice. Don't let the crazy purple color stop you from eating it! Maracuja (passion fruit)(careful during an active day- this has a relaxant effect) Caju (cashew fruit,not nut) and Manga (mango) are also great juice experiences. Don't be afraid to try what you see on the menu. Brazilians have great taste when it comes to mixing juices. Be aware that orange juice in Brazil is called suco de laranja, which can confuse Spanish speakers who aren't careful.

Brazil's unit of currency is the Real (pronounced 'hay-AHL'), plural Reais ('hay-EYES'), abbreviated BRL, or just R$. One real is divided into 100 centavos. Prices are written as R$1,50 (means one and fifty cents) for example. Cash machines often will take VISA, Amex, MasterCard and other credit cards. Check for the Cirrus or Visa Plus logo on the machine. Petrol/Gas stations with a shop usually have an ATM. Banco do Brasil may have many ATMs but usually only one per branch that will accept foreign credit/debit cards. There is often a long line of people waiting, as the machines are also used by locals to pay bills. BankBoston, HSBC, Bradesco, and Citibank accept Visa Plus and Cirrus ATM cards and usually have shorter queues. Credit card cash withdrawals is only made through the ATMs (with the four digit PIN) -- no manual transactions are accepted. While it is no longer impossible to wire money to Brazil from outside the country (unless the recipient was a resident with a bank account), it has happened before and could happen again. Therefore, you should not absolutely count on someone to able to send you funds via Western Union, Moneygram, etc. should you run short. There may be a 0.38% federal tax if the money transfer is paid in Reais. XOOM also has money transfer to Brazil, but only to Brazilian bank accounts, so it's mainly useful for paying travel-related deposits (renting a house, apartment, etc.) Cash in small bills is the most common form of payment in Brazil. If you have too many large bills, you will find clerks often don't have enough small bills to make change, especially in the small towns and touristy destinations. All commercial establishments are required by law to provide change for any cash purchase, but in practical terms this may not be so easy to enforce, especially in small informal shops. Further, traveller's checks are not easily or cheaply cashed in Brazil, except at international airports. Brazilian banks may charge a large fee to cash in traveler checks and the process can take a while, so don't try it if you are in a hurry. It's good to be informed before you use this kind of service. There are two families of coins, the first one with all silver coins, and the second one as follows: R$0.01 coins (copper), R$0.05 (copper), R$0.10 (bronze), R$0.25 (bronze), R$0.50 (silver) and R$1 (silver with a golden border). Bills come in the following denominations: R$1 (green), R$2 (blue), R$5 (purple), R$10 (red), R$20 (yellow) R$ 50 (orange) and $100 (blue). The R$0.01 coins are no longer being struck, as Brazilians tend to round transactions to 5-centavo increments. The R$1 paper bill is also out of print, the R$1 coin remaining the only option for that denomination. There are two different R$10 bills: one is red and made of flax paper as the other bills, the other one is blue and made of polymer, printed in 2000 in celebration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral. Although the polymer ones are still valid and fully accepted everywhere, they are no longer being printed and are slowly disappearing as banks replace them for the red paper ones.

Exchange rates

The Real is a free-floating currency and has recently become stronger. Especially for Americans, prices (based on exchange rates) have increased quite a bit in the past few years. As of March 2008, R$ 1,00 is worth about:

• US/CAN$ 0.60
• € 0.40
• £ 0.30
• ¥ 62

An exchange office is called a casa de câmbio. Some banks also exchange foreign currency, and you may be asked show your passport. Note that lesser used currencies won't in practice receive as good an exchange rate as the interbank (e.g. newspaper) rates suggest. For example, Canadians would be better off carrying US dollars, rather than their own. The Real can be difficult to sell after you leave South America, so convert any cash to US dollars if leaving the country for another continent.

Shopping

It's not a bad idea to pack light and acquire a Brazilian wardrobe within a couple of days of arrival. It will make you less obvious as a tourist, and give you months of satisfied gloating back home about the great bargains you got whenever you are complimented on your clothing. Brazilians have their own sense of style and that make tourists - especially those in Hawaiian shirts or sandals + socks - stand out in the crowd. Have some fun shopping, and blend in. Another good reason for buying clothes and shoes in Brazil is that the quality is usually good and the prices often cheap. However, this does not apply to any foreign brand as imports are burdened by high import taxes - therefore, do not expect to find any good prices on brands like Diesel, Levi's, Tommy Hilfiger, etc. To figure your Brazilian trousers size, measure your waist in centimeters, divide by 2, and round up to the next even number. Store windows will often display a price followed by "X 5" or "X 10", etc. This is an installment-sale price. The price displayed is the per-installment price, so that, "R$50 X 10", for example, means 10 payments (typically monthly) of R$50 each. The actual price is almost always lower if you pay in cash. Make sure any appliances you buy are either dual voltage or the same as in your home country. Brazil is 60Hz, so don't buy electric clocks or non-battery operated motorized items if you live in Europe or Australia. The voltage, however, varies by state (see Electricity below). Brazil uses a hybrid video system called "PAL-M." It is NOT at all compatible with the PAL system of Europe and Australia. Television began in black and white using the NTSC system of the USA and Canada, then years later, using PAL for its analogue colour -- making a totally unique system. Nowadays, most new TV sets are NTSC compatible. Digital video appliances such as DVD players are also compatible with NTSC (all digital colour is the same worldwide), but make sure the DVD region code(s), if any, match your home country (Brazil is part of Region 4). Prices for imported electronic goods can be quite expensive due to high import tax, and the range of domestic electronic gadgets is not very wide. Also, be aware that the term "DVD" in Brazil is both an abbreviation for the disc itself and for its player, so be specific to avoid confusion.