After returning from a trip through Brazil, from which they returned enchanted, several French friends made the same observation. “We are still surprised by one thing: very few Brazilians speak English, and often poorly, even in tourist places.” “It's almost a universal exception.”These travelers insist.
I'm a little surprised but I believe them, I haven't had a chance to check it out for myself. And then, upon reflection, this is explained. This can be understood.
tourism
In 2023, Brazil will receive nearly 6 million foreign tourists. A record for him, but a very low number on a global level. Especially if we take into account the size of the country and its tourist attractions, such as Rio, its beaches, nature and parties. It is clear that international tourism is not a priority for the country, while domestic tourism has increased significantly in recent decades. We know the reasons: too remote, too expensive, too unsafe, and too poorly regulated.
Important point: Half of these international tourists come from Latin America and neighboring countries. To communicate with them, Brazilians speak Spanish. or more often, portuñol ! In practice, we always manage to understand each other Latinoswhile mixing “A little more”.
This is a bias that many European or North American tourists also encounter. As a result, speaking English is not an absolute necessity, except perhaps in a few very touristy areas such as Rio, Salvador or Iguaçu Falls. But there again, the Brazilians have their thing jitinho, To circumvent the situation: Smiles, sympathy, gestures, and facial expressions make up for the lack of precise words. Overall, it works well! Sometimes it's absolute happiness: Gringo A few words of gibberish from Portuguese! The Brazilian is therefore particularly gentle and tolerant.
Foreign languages
Behind this situation, there is a clear fact: the low proficiency of Brazilians in foreign languages, which is in itself linked to the general level of education in the country, which is clearly lagging behind its neighboring countries, for example. Of course, there is a Brazilian elite, especially in the capitals, who are fluent in English. Her children even attend bilingual schools and frequently continue their studies in the United States or Europe. Not to mention their countless trips to Miami, their true second home!
Therefore, top Brazilian executives are almost bilingual, if not more. This is actually much less true as we go down the hierarchy. Good command of the English language is now highly uncertain, as French managers of multinational companies assured me.
In addition, there is a bias: we think we know how to talk. A few years ago, one of my Brazilian colleagues received a delegation from France. Ask him if he speaks French or English. He answers me: “I spent two weeks sightseeing in Paris last year and I did very well!” Here's the problem: memorize Taylor Swift's songs by heart, and fill your vocabulary with English words or… “Getting” Traveling is not the same as speaking the language, especially in a professional environment!
So, some tips for tourists, especially for French expats: Learn Portuguese (from Brazil!) to travel or work in Brazil. It's not that complicated and is much preferred. the portuñol Also acceptable!
