National Anthem Comparison
Brazil vs Portugal
1
Shared themes
✗
Different moods
68
68 years apart
✗
Different continents
Comparison Analysis
Brazil (South America) and Portugal (Europe) come from different parts of the world, yet both express national identity through song. Brazil's "Brazilian National Anthem" was written in 1822; Portugal's "The Portuguese" in 1890.
Both anthems share themes of flag. Brazil additionally explores nature, independence, love of homeland and freedom, while Portugal also touches on battle / war, ancestors / heritage and identity.
The emotional tones differ: Brazil's anthem is majestic, while Portugal's is fierce.
Brazil's anthem predates Portugal's by 68 years, having been written in 1822 compared to 1890.
Shared themes
Brazil
🌿 Nature 🗽 Independence ❤ Love of homeland 🕊 Freedom 🚩 Flag
Portugal
⚔ Battle / War 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage 🏛 Identity 🚩 Flag
Shared themes:
🚩 Flag
Metadata
| Brazil | Portugal | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1822 | 1890 |
| Adopted | 1922 | 1911 |
| Lyricist | Joaquim Osório Duque-Estrada | Henrique Lopes de Mendonça |
| Composer | Francisco Manuel da Silva | Alfredo Keil |
| Language | pt | pt |
| Region | South America | Southern Europe |
Lyrics Side by Side
Brazil
Hino Nacional Brasileiro
Original
Ouviram do Ipiranga as margens plácidas
De um povo heróico o brado retumbante,
E o sol da liberdade, em raios fúlgidos,
Brilhou no céu da pátria nesse instante.
Se o penhor dessa igualdade
Conseguimos conquistar com braço forte,
Em teu seio, ó liberdade,
Desafia o nosso peito a própria morte!
Ó Pátria amada,
Idolatrada,
Salve! Salve!
Brasil, um sonho intenso, um raio vívido
De amor e de esperança à terra desce,
Se em teu formoso céu, risonho e límpido,
A imagem do Cruzeiro resplandece.
Gigante pela própria natureza,
És belo, és forte, impávido colosso,
E o teu futuro espelha essa grandeza.
Terra adorada,
Entre outras mil,
És tu, Brasil,
Ó Pátria amada!
Dos filhos deste solo és mãe gentil,
Pátria amada, Brasil!
Deitado eternamente em berço esplêndido,
Ao som do mar e à luz do céu profundo,
Fulguras, ó Brasil, florão da América,
Iluminado ao sol do Novo Mundo!
Do que a terra, mais garrida,
Teus risonhos, lindos campos têm mais flores;
"Nossos bosques têm mais vida",
"Nossa vida" no teu seio "mais amores."
Ó Pátria amada,
Idolatrada,
Salve! Salve!
Brasil, de amor eterno seja símbolo
O lábaro que ostentas estrelado,
E diga o verde-louro dessa flâmula
– "Paz no futuro e glória no passado."
Mas, se ergues da justiça a clava forte,
Verás que um filho teu não foge à luta,
Nem teme, quem te adora, a própria morte.
Terra adorada,
Entre outras mil,
És tu, Brasil,
Ó Pátria amada!
Dos filhos deste solo és mãe gentil,
Pátria amada, Brasil!
Translation
The placid banks of the Ipiranga heard
The resounding cry of a heroic people,
And the sun of liberty, in shining beams,
Shone in the homeland's sky at that instant.
If the pledge of this equality
We succeeded in conquering with strong arm,
In your bosom, O Liberty,
Our breast defies death itself!
O beloved,
Idolized homeland,
Hail! Hail!
Brazil, an intense dream, a vivid ray
Of love and hope descends to earth,
If in your beautiful sky, smiling and limpid,
The image of the Southern Cross blazes.
Giant by your own nature,
You are beautiful, strong, a fearless colossus,
And your future mirrors this greatness.
Adored land,
Among a thousand others,
You are the one, Brazil,
O beloved homeland!
Of the children of this soil you are gentle mother,
Beloved homeland, Brazil!
Lying eternally in a splendid cradle,
To the sound of the sea and the light of the deep sky,
You shine, O Brazil, flower of the Americas,
Illuminated by the sun of the New World!
Your smiling, lovely fields have more flowers
Than the most brightly adorned land;
"Our forests have more life,"
"Our life" in your bosom "more loves."
O beloved,
Idolized homeland,
Hail! Hail!
Brazil, may the symbol of eternal love be
The starry banner that you display,
And let the green and gold of this pennant say:
"Peace in the future and glory in the past."
But if you raise the strong club of justice,
You will see that a son of yours does not flee the fight,
Nor does one who adores you fear death itself.
Adored land,
Among a thousand others,
You are the one, Brazil,
O beloved homeland!
Of the children of this soil you are gentle mother,
Beloved homeland, Brazil!
Portugal
A Portuguesa
Original
Heróis do mar, nobre povo,
Nação valente, imortal,
Levantai hoje de novo
O esplendor de Portugal!
Entre as brumas da memória,
Ó Pátria, sente-se a voz
Dos teus egrégios avós,
Que há-de guiar-te à vitória!
Às armas, às armas!
Sobre a terra, sobre o mar,
Às armas, às armas!
Pela Pátria lutar
Contra os canhões marchar, marchar!
Translation
Heroes of the sea, noble people,
Brave and immortal nation,
Raise once more today
The splendour of Portugal!
Among the mists of memory,
O Fatherland, one hears the voice
Of your distinguished forefathers,
That shall guide you to victory!
To arms, to arms!
Over land, over sea,
To arms, to arms!
To fight for the Fatherland!
Against the cannons, march on, march on!
Interesting facts
Brazil
- 1. The lyrics borrow lines from Gonçalves Dias's Romantic poem 'Canção do exílio' (Song of Exile), including 'Nossos bosques têm mais vida' (Our groves have more life)
- 2. The melody's first lyrics, written in 1831 by the poet and judge Ovídio Saraiva de Carvalho to celebrate Pedro I's abdication, attacked the Portuguese and even proposed renaming Rio de Janeiro 'Rio de Abril', after 7 April, the day of the abdication
- 3. When the Republic was proclaimed in 1889, the new government held a contest for a new anthem, but Deodoro da Fonseca, head of the provisional government, kept the old melody, reportedly saying 'I prefer the old one'; it then had no official lyrics until 1922
- 4. The lyrics mention the Southern Cross ('a imagem do Cruzeiro resplandece'), the constellation that also appears among the stars on the national flag
Portugal
- 1. Written as a protest song against the British Ultimatum, which forced Portugal to withdraw from territories in Africa
- 2. It was not written as a party song, but it became the marching song of the failed republican revolt in Porto on 31 January 1891, after which the monarchy banned it
- 3. The cry 'Às armas!' ('To arms!') recalls the 'Aux armes' of the French Marseillaise; musicologist Maria José Borges cites the view that Keil deliberately wove reminiscences of the Marseillaise and of fado into the music
- 4. A popular story holds that the chorus once ran 'contra os bretões' (against the Britons) instead of 'contra os canhões' (against the cannons), but copies printed in 1890 already read 'canhões', and historian Rui Ramos calls the story a legend
Listen
Brazil
Portugal
