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São Paulo

Same Brazilian foundations as Rio — full vowels, hissing t and d, l as w — with two differences a Brazilian hears instantly: final s is a plain s, not Rio's sh, and the r is a tap or an American-style curl rather than a breath. The paulistano r before a consonant, 'porta' with the tongue curled, is the giveaway.

Where: Brazil — paulistano

The way in: 'Dois' with a plain s, 'porta' with an American r.

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Reference

São Paulo

Melody and rhythm

Faster and flatter than Rio, with less swing on the stressed syllables. The question rise is shorter.

What moves, one rule at a time

In the order the mouth applies them. Every before-and-after is playable — click the IPA. The pattern is the rule as the engine runs it, for the curious.

Consonants

t hisses before i

t(?=[iɪ]) → t͡ʃ

Word	Reference	Accent
tia
noite

d hisses before i

d(?=[iɪ]) → d͡ʒ

Word	Reference	Accent
dia
cidade

l at the end of a syllable is a w

l(?=[pbtdkɡqʔmnɲŋɴfvθðszʃʒɕʂʐçxχɣʁħʕhβʝlʎɹrɾjwɥʈɖɳɽʋɦ]|$| ) → w

Word	Reference	Accent
Brasil
mal

Final s is a plain s, not sh

ʃ(?=[pbtdkɡqʔmnɲŋɴfvθðszʃʒɕʂʐçxχɣʁħʕhβʝlʎɹrɾjwɥʈɖɳɽʋɦ]|$| ) → s

How: A plain s, tongue tip forward.

The one place São Paulo sides against both Rio and Lisbon. Hear a sh at the end of 'dois' and the speaker is from Rio.

Word	Reference	Accent
dois
mais
festa

r before a consonant curls back

ɾ(?=[pbtdkɡqʔmnɲŋɴfvθðszʃʒɕʂʐçxχɣʁħʕhβʝlʎɹrɾjwɥʈɖɳɽʋɦ]|$| ) → ɹ

When: when no vowel follows

How: The English r of 'car', tongue bunched back.

The 'r caipira', the countryside r of the interior of São Paulo state — the same sound as an American r. City speakers have it before consonants; in the countryside it is everywhere.

Word	Reference	Accent
porta
carta
falar

Vowels

Final unstressed e is a full i

ɨ → i

Word	Reference	Accent
sete
noite

Other accents of Portuguese: Lisbon · Rio de Janeiro · all accents