Brazilians speak Portuguese because Brazil is a former colony of Portugal. However, just like in other countries that cover a large land mass, the language differs throughout the country. These differences are called dialects. Can you think of different dialects in the United States?
In addition to having a dialect, everyone uses slang or informal spoken language. In Bahia, the dialect and slang is influenced by the African ancestry of the people. One slang word I've picked up so far is massa which means cool. Most of Brazil, including Bahia, uses legal to mean cool but massa is especially unique to Bahia. What slang do you use in the U.S.?
Although Portuguese is the national language in Brazil, there are many other languages due to Brazil's ethnic diversity. For example, in the south, there are a lot of German and Italian immigrants, who speak their native languages. Japanese can be heard where there are Japanese communities, such as in Sao Paulo. Of course, indigenous languages are spoken by the people native to the land. These languages include Apalaí, Arara and Bororo.
