Portuguese dialect

Northern Portuguese

Also known as: Portuense, Norte de Portugal

The Portuguese of the north of Portugal around Porto. Preserves several older features lost in the standard, including the bilabial /β/ and the betacism that distinguishes <b> from <v>.

Want a Northern Portuguese app?

Vote and we’ll prioritise it. Top-voted dialects move up the roadmap. One vote per email.

We’ll email you a confirmation link.

Frequently asked questions

What language is Northern Portuguese?

Northern Portuguese is a dialect of Portuguese.

Which region is Northern Portuguese associated with?

Northern Portuguese is part of the Europe region on DialectAtlas.

Is Northern Portuguese known by other names?

Yes — Northern Portuguese is also referred to as Portuense, Norte de Portugal.

What are the other dialects of Portuguese?

Portuguese also includes Mineiro, Gaúcho, European Portuguese, Azorean Portuguese, Paulistano, Carioca, Nordestino, Angolan Portuguese, Mozambican Portuguese. Each variety has its own vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural context.

Other Portuguese dialects

See on the atlas →
Mineiro

Belo Horizonte Portuguese

The Brazilian Portuguese of Minas Gerais and the surrounding interior. Distinguished by characteristic vowel reductions, monophthongisation of diphthongs, and a distinctive lexicon.

Gaúcho

Sulista · Southern Brazilian Portuguese

The Brazilian Portuguese of Rio Grande do Sul and southern Brazil. Distinct from northern Brazilian varieties, with strong Spanish (Rioplatense) and Italian/German immigrant contact features.

Carioca

Rio de Janeiro Portuguese · Fluminense

The Portuguese of Rio de Janeiro. Recognisable for its palatalised /s/ in coda position — a feature shared with Lisbon — and a distinctive intonation.

Nordestino

Northeastern Brazilian Portuguese

The Portuguese of Brazil's Northeast region around Recife, Salvador, and Fortaleza. Internally varied, with a distinct lexicon shaped by African and indigenous languages.