Brasil or Brazil: Which Spelling Is Correct?
The country with the samba, the Amazon, and five World Cup stars seems to spell its own name two different ways. Football jerseys shout Brasil, while geography textbooks calmly print Brazil. Both are real, both are correct somewhere, but they are not interchangeable. This guide settles the Brasil vs Brazil question once and for all, with the rule, the exceptions, and examples you can copy. Find more plain-English spelling guides on the KnowsVista homepage.
⚡ Quick answer
In English, the country’s name is spelled Brazil (with a z): the beaches of Brazil. Brasil (with an s) is the Portuguese spelling, correct when writing in Portuguese or quoting a Portuguese name.
🧠 Memory trick: Brazil with a z is for the English-speaking world; Brasil with an s belongs to South America, where they speak Portuguese.
When to use Brazil
Use Brazil in every piece of English writing, essays, news articles, emails, travel blogs, and conversation. It is the only spelling English-language dictionaries and style guides accept for the country.
- Brazil is the largest country in South America.
- She spent a month backpacking through Brazil.
- Brazil has won the FIFA World Cup five times.
- Our supplier ships coffee beans directly from Brazil.
When to use Brasil
Write Brasil when you are writing in Portuguese, quoting a Portuguese phrase, or reproducing an official Portuguese name exactly. You will also meet it on jerseys, chants, and logos aimed at Brazilian audiences.
- Ele mora no Brasil. (Portuguese: He lives in Brazil.)
- The stadium roared “Brasil! Brasil!” during the match.
- Confederação Brasileira de Futebol, the Brasilian football federation.
- The airline’s logo reads “Voar para o Brasil” on its Portuguese site.
The tricky exceptions
Proper names keep their original spelling
When a Portuguese name appears inside English text, keep its Brasil spelling, translating a proper noun would be a mistake. Merriam-Webster’s entry for Brazil lists the country as a geographical name “Brazil” with the variant “Portuguese Brasil,” which confirms that Brasil is a language difference, not an English misspelling. So in English you write “the beaches of Brazil,” but you quote the Portuguese anthem’s line about Brasil as written.
- English text: “Tourism to Brazil is booming.”
- Portuguese quote: “Amado Brasil” in the anthem’s lyrics.
Brasília and other look-alikes
The capital city is spelled Brasília (with an s and an accent) in both English and Portuguese, do not “correct” it to Brazília. The same goes for the adjective form: English uses Brazilian (with a z), as in Brazilian music, while Portuguese uses brasileiro. And the country code you see at the Olympics is BRA, which comes from Brasil, but that does not change the English spelling.
- The summit was held in Brasília, the capital.
- He plays Brazilian jazz on Friday nights.
Brasil vs Brazil at a glance
| Brasil | Brazil | |
|---|---|---|
| Usually | Portuguese writing and names | All English writing |
| Meaning | The country’s name in Portuguese | The country’s name in English |
| Example | Seleção do Brasil | The music of Brazil |
| Trick | S for South America, where they speak Portuguese | Z is the English spelling, always |
Quick practice
Fill in the blank with Brasil or Brazil:
- My cousin moved to __________ last year. (English sentence)
- Ela nasceu no __________. (Portuguese sentence)
- The report compared exports from __________ and Argentina. (English report)
Answer key:
- 1. Brazil (English sentence)
- 2. Brasil (Portuguese sentence)
- 3. Brazil (English report)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do football fans write “Brasil” with an S?
Because the national team’s own name is Portuguese: Seleção do Brasil. Fans chant the Portuguese spelling, and jerseys carry it. In English commentary, though, the country is still Brazil.
Is it “Brazilian” or “Brasilian”?
In English it is Brazilian with a z, Brazilian coffee, Brazilian Portuguese. Brasiliano exists only in Portuguese and Italian contexts.
How do you spell the capital of Brazil?
Brasília, with an s and an accent on the i. Both English and Portuguese use this spelling, so do not change it to a z.
Final thoughts
The Brasil or Brazil question is really a language question, not a spelling contest. English says Brazil with a z; Portuguese says Brasil with an s. Match your spelling to the language you are writing in, and you will never be wrong. If you struggle with look-alike pairs like this one, separate or seperate is another classic worth reviewing, and you can run any draft through the free KnowsVista grammar checker before you hit publish.
Leave a Reply