Borders and Bridges: Why Brazilian Culture and Language Matter in Building Inclusive Tech
Desculpa, você fala inglês?
Sorry, do you speak English?
That was the question Lucas, a 25-year-old developer from São Paulo, faced during a virtual global hackathon. The international team he joined was excited to innovate but as the only Brazilian in the group, Lucas soon realized he wasn’t just translating words, he was translating his culture, his communication style, and even his identity. They spoke English, he spoke tech in Portuguese.
When people think of Brazil, they often imagine carnival dancers in glitter, Neymar’s dazzling footwork, or the Amazon rainforest, but Brazil is far more complex and influential in today’s technology ecosystem.
With over 215 million people, it’s the 6th most populous country and the largest Portuguese-speaking nation in the world source: World Bank . It’s also home to digital giants like Nubank , iFood , Mercado Livre , and Pix , a real-time payment system that revolutionized fintech in Latin America.
Yet, one thing still threatens true innovation, the language gap.
Language Shapes Experience
Let’s say your app supports Portuguese, that’s great, except which Portuguese? Brazilian Portuguese differs significantly from the European version, not just in accent but in vocabulary, slang, tone, even pronouns. A document that says enviar currículo **which means send CV **might sound professional in Portugal but overly formal or even outdated in Brazil.
Brazilian users, especially those from lower-income or rural areas, may also mix in Indigenous words, Afro-Brazilian expressions, or regional slangs and if your chatbot or voice assistant doesn’t recognize these variations, it may alienate the very users it seeks to serve.
Inclusivity Starts With Language
We often talk about localization in technology but true inclusivity is about cultural sensitivity, and giving users a language that feels like home. The Brazilian culture is deeply rooted in warmth and expressiveness. People value conversations, indirect politeness and warmth. A cold, robotic app, no matter how efficient, feels off.
To design inclusive tech for Brazil:
Use natural, conversational Brazilian Portuguese
- Offer regional variants (think Northeast vs South slang)
- Avoid colonial or overly formal terms
- Make sure voice assistants understand spoken dialects
- Use gender-neutral language where appropriate
Nubank’s Revolution
When Nubank launched , part of its viral growth came from its relatable tone. It used friendly Brazilian expressions like Oi, tudo bem? which means Hi, how are you?, and explained banking terms in ways even a grandmother could understand. It spoke the people’s language, thereby earning their trust.
A Digital Opportunity
Now imagine expanding this across government portals, healthcare apps and edtech platforms. Imagine what’s possible when the digital world speaks like the real world. Brazil is a cultural force and in a world increasingly shaped by code, let’s not forget the souls behind the screen. If we want to build tech that truly connects, we need to understand before we translate because when technology speaks your language, it welcomes.