Once you have learned how to greet someone, the next best thing to do is to introduce yourself. Here are some common ways to do that in Portuguese:

TRACK 17

Common Introductions

Notice that there are formal ways of addressing people in Portuguese. This is more common in the European rather than in the Brazilian Portuguese dialect, but nevertheless it is part of Latin American courtesy. When Brazilians are speaking to someone who is older or of a higher social class, or to someone that they simply are not acquainted with, Brazilians will normally use the phrases o senhor for a man and a senhora for a woman. Social distance can be measured in many different ways — age, social class, level of education, and familiarity, among other social cues. After getting to know someone, you may switch to the more colloquial pronoun você (you).

What about hugs and kisses? And what do you when you are introduced for the first time? In the south of Brazil (in big cities like São Paulo), it is common for women to kiss on one cheek once. In Rio de Janeiro and in other parts of Brazil, such as northeastern cities of Recife and Salvador, women normally give each other two kisses, one on each cheek. This may happen every time you see each other, if you are friendly acquaintances. For closer relationships, such as cousins, sisters, or close friends, this is not common. Men and women will do the same, one or two kisses, while men will pat each other on the back and shake hands warmly.