One should shake hands again upon leaving. When greeting acquaintances and friends, men embrace and pat one another on the back, and women kiss both cheeks, starting with the right. Between women, you only shake hands on very formal occasions, and if you don't know the person at all.
Portuguese are traditional and conservative. They are a people who retain a sense of formality when dealing with each other, which is displayed in the form of extreme politeness.
The Portuguese have an open-minded society but place a greater importance on religious values than those in other western European nations. In Portuguese culture, people and relationships are considered more important than time, so punctuality is not as emphasized.
Defining a national character is never easy, but it can be said that most Portuguese are easy-going, welcoming, and friendly. Although some at first may appear sullen and morose to foreigners, they're generally known to be willing to go out of their way to help.
THE HORNS / THE CORNA.
Usually known as the symbol for “rock on,” this is a rude hand gesture in some countries such as Portugal, Brazil, France, Italy, Greece or Spain. This is considered a suggestive gesture made to a man to imply that his wife is cheating on him and signifies a bull's horns.
PDA is often frowned upon in Portugal. This doesn't obviously include holding hands, hugging, and a quick kiss. However, intense kissing is disrespectful and will get you lots of stares. People might actually come up to you and call this behavior out.
Portuguese people are welcoming, easy-going and friendly
As in all countries, there are some differences in the people depending on where you are, and in Portugal you'll see clear differences between those from the city and the countryside, and even between people from the north of the country and the Algarve.
Being kind and humble, for example, are typical characteristics linked to the Portuguese and what is considered to be a good Christian.
Common verbal greetings include 'olá' ('hello'), 'bom dia' ('good day'), 'boa tarde' ('good afternoon') and 'boa noite' ('good evening' or 'good night').
First of all, it can be used to get someone's attention. A polite way to do this in Portuguese is to say com licença or simply licença. Licença is also what you'd say if you were pushing through a crowd; it's a polite way to ask someone to step out of your way. What is this?
Is Portugal friendly to foreigners? Portugal is always welcoming foreigners with open arms, and the Portuguese people are very friendly. Most of the Portuguese locals know how to express themselves in English, which will make it easier for you to communicate everywhere.
“You're Welcome” in Portuguese: De nada
So when someone says obrigado or valeu to you, gives you their graças, or tells you that they want to agradecer you, what should your reply be? The most common way to say “you're welcome” is de nada; literally “of nothing”. You can also say por nada.
For the Portuguese, gifts are a sign of respect, not a bribe. The usual practice is to present gifts unwrapped and to give them at the beginning of a business encounter. If you receive a wrapped gift, it is polite to open it immediately and express gratitude. It is not polite to give a gift in return at the same time.
Olhe! Look (pay attention)! This word alone might be a bit rude, so it's better to complement it with other words that make it polite: Olhe, desculpe, por favor!
“Olá” is the best choice and go-to option for most social situations regardless of the person you are addressing. Translating to “hello,” It's somehow formal, but also friendly.
Spain voted Europe's MOST humble country and one of most welcoming to Muslims. SPAIN is the country least likely to regard their culture as superior to others, a poll of 56,000 people in 34 European nations has found.
By American standards, these rules might sound exceptionally lenient, but Portugal has different social rules. While not as nocturnal as their Spanish neighbors (probably because unlike the Spanish, they're not in the wrong time zone), the Portuguese tend to stay up late — even families with young children.
Silva/da Silva
Silva is the most popular surname in Portugal, and da Silva takes the lead in Brazil.
Today, the vast majority of Portuguese identify as Roman Catholic (81%). However, most consider themselves as non-practising. For many, national and cultural identity is often linked to Catholicism, rather than purely a religious affiliation.
Having said that, Portuguese men and women can be quite shy and cautious when it comes to meeting potential partners. Furthermore, they tend to be more reserved than other cultures when it comes to expressing their emotions.
Ongoing concerns include corruption, certain legal constraints on journalism, poor or abusive conditions for prisoners, and the effects of racial discrimination and xenophobia. Prosecutors have pursued corruption cases against top officials in recent years.
The main motive for emigration, at least in modern times, was economic. Portugal was long among the poorest countries in Europe. With the countryside able to support only a portion of farmers' offspring and few opportunities in the manufacturing sector, many Portuguese had to go abroad to find work.