portugalski

Portugalski refers to the Portuguese language, a Romance language that originated in the Iberian Peninsula and later spread worldwide through exploration and colonial history. It belongs to the Western Ibero-Romance subgroup and is written in the Latin alphabet, using diacritics to indicate stress, vowel quality, and nasalization.

Geographic distribution and status: Portuguese is the official language of Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, East Timor, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Equatorial Guinea. In Macau, it is an official language alongside Chinese. It is also widely spoken in diaspora communities across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and parts of Asia, making it a global language with a broad cultural footprint.

Varieties and writing: The two most prominent standard varieties are European Portuguese (Portugal) and Brazilian Portuguese (Brazil). Other regional varieties exist in Africa and Asia. They are largely mutually intelligible, though they differ in pronunciation, some vocabulary, and, to a lesser extent, grammar. Portuguese orthography is based on the Latin script; spelling has been harmonized across many Lusophone countries through a series of orthographic agreements, with revisions in the 2000s and 2010s.

Cultural and global role: Portuguese has a rich literary and cultural tradition and is widely taught as a foreign language. It serves as an official language of several international organizations and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). As a global lingua franca in several regions, it plays a central role in commerce, education, media, and diplomacy across the Portuguese-speaking world.