Given the name of the language, anyone could surmise that Portuguese originates from Portugal, and most people are also aware that Portuguese is spoken in Brazil. But what most people don’t know is that Portuguese is also used in Africa and Asia, a remnant of Portugal’s historical colonial empire. In Asia, the language is used in East Timor and, to a lesser extent, Macau. In Africa, Portuguese is an official language in six countries: Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Equatorial Guinea.
It’s estimated that around 14 million people in Africa speak Portuguese as their first language, but the true number is likely much higher, as it doesn’t account for Portuguese-speaking migrants to non-Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries like South Africa or Senegal. Thus, some estimates run as high as 41 million African Portuguese speakers, which would make Africa the continent with the second-largest population of Portuguese speakers, even beating out Europe, where the language originally developed. Despite this, Portuguese doesn’t have the hold on Africa that English or French do, and most people don’t even realize the language is widely spoken in parts of the continent, making translation resources for African Portuguese scarce.
Here at TranslationServices.com, we recognize the importance of Portuguese in Africa, and our dedicated African Portuguese team works hard to provide high-quality, specially tailored African Portuguese translation services. Contact us today for a free quote!
What role does Portuguese play in Africa?
Portuguese certainly isn’t the biggest language in Africa, but it’s a major language in certain countries, particularly Angola and Mozambique. In both of these southern African nations, Portuguese is not only the official language and lingua franca but also the majority language, slowly pushing out indigenous African languages. In Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe, Portuguese is used in schools, media, government, and other official domains but is not usually spoken in daily life—instead, inhabitants of these countries use Portuguese-based creoles.
Though Equatorial Guinea has designated Portuguese as one of its official languages, harkening to its history as a Portuguese colony, the language is barely used within the small country’s borders, with the population speaking Spanish instead. South Africa and Senegal, both of which have not recognized Portuguese as an official language, boast large Lusophone communities thanks to migration from Africa’s Portuguese-speaking countries. Zambia has entered the Lusophone scene as well, introducing Portuguese language instruction in elementary schools. Mauritius, a small African island nation in the Indian Ocean, generally uses English, French, and Mauritian Creole but is nonetheless an associate member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, thanks to its strong ties to Lusophone Mozambique and the fact that the Portuguese were the first Europeans to discover the then-uninhabited islands.
Our team is eager to translate to and from African Portuguese for you.
Since being brought to the shores of Africa, the Portuguese language has continued to develop independently in Europe, Africa, and Brazil, leading to a number of different standardized versions of Portuguese today. That means if you’re looking for African Portuguese translation services, hiring a translator from Portugal or Brazil isn’t enough. To help you access the high-quality translation services you deserve, we’ve put together a passionate African Portuguese translation team.
Our African Portuguese translators come from all over Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, and other countries with a Portuguese-speaking community, like South Africa or Senegal. They specialize in translating both to and from their specific dialects, meaning we can accommodate a wide range of African Portuguese translation needs. Our team also covers all different types of documents, from marketing collateral and internal corporate documents, to academic papers and pedagogical materials, to literary masterpieces and computer programs. Our team is here to guide you through your African Portuguese translation journey.
Looking for specialized African Portuguese translation services catering to any of the Portuguese dialects in Africa? Contact our team today for more information!