Portuguese Vocabulary

Portuguese vocabulary has its roots in Latin.  Portuguese is a Romance language. The vast majority of its words come from Latin expressions.  These expressions are still part of common speech. Approximately 80% of Portuguese words have some type of Latin origin. The remaining 20% of Portuguese words come from pre-Roman, Germanic and Arabic sources.   It is the sixth most spoken language in the world. Portuguese words and expressions have influence far beyond Europe or parts of South America. Nearly 210 million people speak Portuguese.  The language is spoken in parts of Africa, Asia and North America. The Portuguese vocabulary is also an official part of the European Union.  It’s also part of MERCOSUR (a trade group of various Latin-American countries that includes Brazil).

Native Peoples of Western Iberia

Portuguese vocabulary has a connection to some of the native peoples of western Iberia. These people include the Celtici and Lusitanians.  They also include the Conii, and Gallaeci. Other people of influence consisted of pre-Roman settlers such as the Carthaginians.  The Portuguese vocabulary includes parts of these languages. Other elements are included in Portuguese references to cities like Braga and Coimbra and the rivers Minho and Tâmega.

Germanic Influences

The German language had a huge influence on Portuguese vocabulary. This is the result of prolonged warfare with various Germanic groups.  Some of these peoples were the Visigoths and the Vandals.  Buri and Suebi were also influential peoples on the language of Portugal. Their legacy is part of the names of Portuguese places.  It is also where references to military expeditions and tribal councils come from.  There has been a blending between Portuguese and the German language. References to words like “baron” or “treason” are an example of Germanic influence.

Arabic Influences

Arabic influences on Portuguese vocabulary are another important factor in the growth of the language. Modern Portuguese has borrowed nearly 1,000 words from Arabic.  Approximately 25% of the language came from Arabic loan words in older versions of Portuguese. That figure has declined because of contributions from Greek, Latin and other languages.

Beyond Europe

Contact with countries beyond the European Continent also influenced the Portuguese language.  This is because of trade, colonization and exploration of new territories. Contact with Angola and Mozambique also changed the nature of Portuguese vocabulary. The Bantu languages of these places then became a key feature of the Portuguese language. These developments remain part of modern Portuguese vocabulary.