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I really like the Portuguese language, but if I want to be understood in all Portuguese speaking countries (e.g. Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique), would it be enough to speak "Portuguese" Portuguese? If not, would learning Brazilian Portuguese be a better alternative, given the huge soap opera industry in Brazil.

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The answer is yes, but you will have to speak a bit slower to most Brazilians, since they are not so used to listening to Portuguese with "Portuguese accent".

The other way around is easier because Portuguese people are used to listen to Brazilian accent in soap operas.

In Angola, Mozambique, etc. differences also exist but the understanding might be a bit easier due to several cultural and historical reasons.

There are also some minor differences in word spelling and meaning between country's but if you learn Portuguese in any Portuguese speaking country it should be easy to overcome those differences.

There will still be differences in pronunciation and even specific words in each country, specially in colloquial language, but that's the beauty of a language, it's live and dynamic.

There are actually very nice, let's call them, regional terms in each country:

These are just 2 examples. But I am sure you can find them also for Mozambique, S, Tome and Princepe, Guine Bissau, Cape Verde, India (Goa), Timor and Macau.

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  • The vast majority of Macau residents don't speak Portuguese at all; the Portuguese language isn't really used outside of law and administration (and the small Eurasian community). You would have a much, much better time trying to speak to people in English.
    – xuq01
    May 16, 2018 at 8:16
  • @xuq01 I guess that as time goes by that will be less and less spoken in Macau since the territory is now under Chinese administration. But the people speaking portuguese will be understood by other speakers.
    – nsn
    May 16, 2018 at 11:55
  • True, the problem here is to find another speaker :-D
    – xuq01
    May 16, 2018 at 13:35
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I'm from Brazil. I lived 12 years in Portugal. In Portugal I met many Africans, Portugueses of course and people from countries where speaks Portuguese.

Have many differences between the Portuguese Language ( Brazilian, Angolan, Portugal ). When someone ask me this questions I use to explain the same difference between the English from different countries like USA, UK, Australia. Exist difference but you can communicate.

Normally the Portuguese people will understand better the Brazilian because in television in Portugal have a lot of soap opera from Brazil and news. The Brazilians have less contact with the Portuguese from Portugal but still understandable.

Some words in Portugal are rude in Brazil but are understandable when you are from overseas.

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The Portuguese spoken in Mozambique is a little closer to Portuguese spoken in Portugal. You will be understood here if you are trained in 'classic' Portuguese.

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    closer than what? Brazilian? You can write it in full, it would be clearer
    – Vince
    Mar 6, 2014 at 13:26

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