r/AskABrazilian

Hiiii! I was just wondering what dating culture is like in Brazil, or more specifically, Belo Horizonte.

I’ll give y’all a lil context and stuff. I’m plannin to move to BH after I graduate as an interior architect, so I’d be around 23–24 years old woman at the time. I’d be working remotely from BH for a company in my home country, Finland.

I’ve lived in a small town of about 5,000 people in Finland for my whole life, and if y’all know anything about Finnish people, you probably know that people tend to be pretty distant and reserved. Relationships usually take a long time to develop. It can be a few months of texting and getting to know each other, then seeing each other in person, then maybe going on a few dates, and only after that having a conversation about becoming a couple. It’s a pretty long process, and even the relationship itself can be quite distant. Not every relationship is like this, obviously, but it’s VERY common. Public displays of affection, like kissing or even hugging, can also be seen as a bit inappropriate or uncomfortable.

I’m personally a very social person, and I absolutely LOVE talking to people. By the time I move to BH, I’ll also have around seven years of learning, listening to, and speaking Portuguese, so hopefully that’ll make things easier. I’m a very warm and affectionate person.

So, tell me everything! How are gringas usually treated when it comes to dating in Brazil? I’m especially curious about Belo Horizonte, but I’d also love to hear about Brazilian dating culture in general. I’m really curious cuz I’ve heard that dating can be VERY different there compared to Finland. (English ain’t my first language sorry if there’s typos)

Hi all!

I'm looking to do a trip to Brazil for 5 weeks staying at one city (and flying out to others during weekend if time permits) to learn Brazilian Portuguese. I've done this in France and came back having my French much improved so I want to do this again but in a different part of the world. I've done a bit of research and saw that Caminhos Language School and Rio and Learn are both frequently recommended, both in Rio. Another school that came up was FAAP in SP.

I'm looking as well to learn Brazilian culture and also meeting new people, the beach at Rio is also a plus. Would I be missing out if I settle for Rio vs other places?

Hello everyone - I’ve done extensive research .. the most one can do I guess online without speaking to people directly. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone personally in Brazil so I can’t ask them - so I thought I’d try here. I am heavily considering moving to Florianópolis. Not purchasing property yet, will probably rent an apartment to visit from time to time and get a feel for the area and move permanently. I was wondering if anyone could give me their opinions, experience, and knowledge of the area. Culture, safety, food, locals etc. thanks in advance!!!

Hi there! First time poster here. I would love some help figuring out our Brazil itinerary, particularly with helping us pick a 3rd location to visit. We are a couple in our late 20s/early30s travelling for a wedding in Sao Paolo but decided to turn it into a longer trip!We aren’t big partiers (although enjoy going to bars etc) so are hoping to see a mix of beaches, culture and nature. We know we will be in Brazil from Dec 27th to Jan 10th and will be in Sao Paolo 27th-1st. We want 5 ish days in Rio and to visit another place but not sure where!

As an example, last year we visited Mexico and did Mexico City, Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido and thought it was perfect.

We arrive in Sao Paolo December 27th and leave Jan 1st. The wedding is on the 30th so we will have a couple days before that to explore. I’m not that excited by Sao Paolo as a city so any recommendations are welcome! It’s probably a bit longer than we’d like here, but it’s because of the wedding. Should we take a day trip?

We would then like to spend about 5 days in Rio de Janeiro and do all the classic touristy things - Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer, a couple beach days, maybe a hike. Should we stay near the beaches or go further out and travel to the beaches on those days? Accommodation looks pretty expensive and we are also not big party people so are happy to get an Uber to the beach on the days we are there.

Now, here’s the big question! Where else should we visit? We’d like to add another location, ideally not with a lot a travel time from Rio or Sao Paolo, that we could visit for around 3 days. I’ve heard Ilha Grande, Paraty, Bonita, Florianapolis are all good? We want a mix of it being a great place to visit while also being handy to get to from either SP or Rio. Maybe somewhere a bit quieter than the big cities with more of a beach or nature focus? But we are open.

Thanks so much in advance! I’m finding it a bit harder than usual to research this trip for some reason so all advice is welcome. :)

Hi! My boyfriend (26 y/o white m) and I (26 y/o white and Hispanic f) will be traveling to Rio De Janeiro at the end of June, early July for a friends wedding. I am a bit anxious, as I have traveled out of the country many times, but typically with a group or guide with little solo adventuring. Meanwhile, my boyfriend has never traveled outside of the country. Is there any advice you would give about safety, must sees, navigating transportations, or any other information you may think is helpful. The wedding is on a Friday and the bride has yet to share any additional information so I do not know the exact area we are staying. We are looking to stay about a week and would love to see the major sights, but also the local favorites and enjoy nature :)

I saw a lot of videos in Mexico, Brazil, other latin american, south America with a lot of dbz/s fans

How popular is this anime at the moment, and is it still heard by the younger generation?

Boa noite minha amigos

I am here visiting your wonderful country, and I have met some people I really connected with. I asked one of them when I would see him again and he responded “Só Deus sabe”. I understand this to mean “only god knows” and this saying has resonated a lot with my life right now.

Anyways, I am thinking of getting it tattooed but given that I don’t know all of the things a brazillian would, is there any other way this saying could be interpreted? So far the other Brazilians I know think it would be cool but just curious of other opinions

Just trying to avoid things like the meme about foreigners unknowingly getting tattoos of like “water” in Chinese thinking it is something else

Edit: obrigado everyone for the help, I think I will get it temporary to make sure I like it and then if so I will get it done. :)

I’ve been living in Rio for more than a year, but for a long time I didn’t really have a chance to shop at the feiras. Last month I realized that there is actually one near me every Saturday, so I started going there regularly.

My Portuguese is still quite basic. I’m learning, and I can handle normal everyday conversations without a translator, but my language skills are not good enough yet to have a detailed argument or negotiate when something seems wrong.

I really like the quality of the fruit and vegetables at the feira. At one particular stall I found excellent-quality fruit, so I decided to keep buying there.

The first time, I was served by one guy who was very friendly. I bought a lot of fruit for my family and the total was around R$300. Everything seemed fine.

The second time, another guy served us — I think he might be the owner. We bought roughly the same amount, maybe slightly more, but suddenly the bill was around R$456. I asked why it was so much more and whether he could give me a discount. After some discussion, he reluctantly reduced the price by only R$6.

The third time was what really made me suspicious. He tried to charge me around R$650 for fruit. He couldn’t clearly explain to me why the total was so high. Later, when I compared the prices, I realized that for some of the same fruits he was effectively charging me around twice what I would pay at Zona Sul.

I’m a pretty direct person, so I don’t mind asking about prices or saying when something doesn’t make sense. At the same time, because my Portuguese is limited, it’s difficult for me to argue about every item, weight and price while people are waiting behind me.

So I’m curious to hear from people who know Rio and the feira culture better than I do:

Is this kind of situation common? Do some vendors change prices depending on the customer, especially when they notice that someone is a foreigner or doesn’t speak Portuguese well?

What is the best way to avoid this? Should I always ask the price per kilo before choosing anything? Should I ask them to weigh each item separately and tell me the price as they go? Is bargaining expected at a feira when you’re buying R$300–600 worth of produce, or are prices normally supposed to be fixed?

And if you realize that a vendor is consistently overcharging you, is it worth confronting them, or is the normal Brazilian approach simply to stop buying there and find another stall?

What confuses me is that I haven’t had this problem with the other vendors at the same feira. Most of them have been friendly, straightforward and fair with me. So I don’t want to generalize from one bad experience.

I genuinely enjoy shopping at the feira and would like to make it part of my weekly routine. I’d just like to understand how locals approach prices, regular vendors and negotiation so that I can shop confidently without having to check every purchase afterward.

My Brazilian girlfriend has mentioned a ring that she would like me to give her, and I’d like to understand the Brazilian customs around this before I do anything.
For those familiar with Brazilian culture: how is this type of ring typically given? Is there a particular occasion, gesture, or meaning attached to it?
This seems quite different from the way we Finns typically approach rings and relationship milestones, so I’d like to understand the cultural differences rather than assume that the Finnish (🇫🇮) way applies in Brazil.

Also, what should a foreign partner know about choosing the ring — for example, which finger it is normally worn on, whether it is expected to be gold/silver, and whether there are any cultural meanings or expectations I should be aware of? Diamond ring or just normal ring?

I’d really appreciate advice from Brazilians or anyone familiar with Brazilian relationship customs. I want to get it right rather than accidentally giving it a meaning I didn’t intend. 🙂

I was at the supermarket today and saw some Trakinas cookies on sale. I haven't had them in years but I remember loving them as a kid especially the floury texture. I bought a pack and honestly it tastes so waxy and artificial now. I dont know if the recipe changed for real or if my adult taste buds are just broken. Does anyone else feel like brands like Nestle or Lacta changed their chocolate formulas recently too? Everything feels way sweeter and less creamy than it was back in the 2000s.

O Brasil é formado por muitas histórias, culturas e povos diferentes. Indígenas, africanos, portugueses e muitos outros grupos ajudaram a construir o país que existe hoje.

Brasil e Estados Unidos também já cooperaram em momentos importantes da história.

Então fica uma pergunta: se os dois países algum dia entrassem em guerra, será que o povo brasileiro realmente enxergaria os americanos como inimigos?

Ou será que a história de cooperação entre os dois países faria muita gente questionar se essa guerra realmente deveria acontecer?

私は日本人で、周りの人たちより肌がちょっと黄味がかってるんだ。そこが少し気になってて、肌を日焼けさせた方がいいのかなって考えてる。日焼けしたらブラジルでより馴染めると思う？ブラジルに引っ越したら、ブラジルの人たちとも交流したいなって思ってる。日本人のコミュニティの近くに住んだとしても、ブラジルの人たちに出会って仲良くなれるチャンスってあるのかな？As a Japanese person, would it be easier to live in an area with an established Japanese community?

I am not Brazilian but I care deeply about the Amazon since it produces so much oxygen and it's a unique ecosystem, but in this years Brazilian general election if Flavio Bolsonaro wins will he actively not protect and help destroy the Amazon?

I mean come on guys we can't lose the Amazon

Hiii!! I’m learning Portuguese cuz I want to live in Brazil one day and I’ve heard that speaking Portuguese well makes everything pretty much easier there. Right now I use Duolingo, have my phone settings on Portuguese, listen to music, take online classes, and have a Brazilian friend who teaches me words and phrases that aren’t in textbooks. But I really want to watch Brazilian movies and series to help me get to know the language, sooo all Brazilians, share your fav shows with me!! (no matter if it’s dubbed or an original Brazilian show)

Hiii okay so I’m trying to explain the situation shortly, I’m dreaming about moving to BH one day and before I say anything I’m gonna say that I’m learning Portuguese hard sooo before setting foot in the country I can speak fluently. I’m also saving money for a safety net cuz moving to the other side of the world alone means I have to have money just in case I don’t get a job or an apartment right away.

BUT the thing I’m most interested in is how I’m going to mentally prepare for the culture shock. In Finland we don’t smile or talk to strangers, hug or use sweet words or pet names, everyone is pretty much as cold as the weather. “I love you” is something you only say to your partner like once a month. Everything is private and people don’t share a lot about themselves until the friendship has lasted at least half a year. I’ve heard Brazil can be quite different, so what should I be prepared for?

Hi, so I literally created a reddit account just to ask this but an Brazilian guy friend who I like and I’ve known for a few months called me “ você é minha menina”. I do know the literal meaning of the phrase, but is it a romantic phrase for a partner? again, we’re not dating but we have flirted a bunch. :)

I am 32 years old and moved from Brazil to another country at age 7, in 2001. I have not seen or talked to my father since. hes about in his 70s now. I did some research, and I have

his name

his date of birth

both his parents' names

his CPF

an address of where he once lived

a phone number that might still be active.

I want to know:

(1) his criminal history (more than what can be found in JusBrasil) and this is very important. All crimes and all documents filed in court and what the outcome was.

(2) marriage and kids' records, kids' names (I want to know if I have any half-siblings)

(3) photos of him ( I have no memory of what he looks like)

(4) his work history if he has one (where he's worked, for how long) and school history

(5) where he's ever lived, for how long

(6) his net worth, if possible.

(7) anything else that might be of interest.

(8) if he's still alive. If he's deceased, when he died and why and where he is buried.

I DO NOT PLAN ON REACHING OUT TO HIM. I have nothing to talk to him about. I am just curious because when I think of him, it's just a big question mark in my head. and I just want to know.

I want to hire someone, either an attorney or a private investigator or both. But I don't know how trustworthy people are in Brazil. And that person needs to be able to speak English to me.

There just can be no record of me requesting this.

My dad is a dangerous man, who tried to kill my mom several times, got very close, abused me, and did try to kill me too.

Hi everyone,

I need some advice on a long-distance situation.

This summer, I did a 2-week language program in the UK and fell in love with a girl from Brazil. We really hit it off, and after going home, we were chatting on WhatsApp all the time.

But because of the 12-hour time difference between Japan and Brazil, our communication has really slowed down.

I don't want to give up on her. How do you manage a major time difference and keep things going? Thanks!