While Europeans should have no problem with Portuguese measurements (medidas), for those of us in the United State, it’s useful to learn measurements in Portuguese, since Brazil uses the metric system. Let’s take a look at some of the major areas.

Temperature

In Brazil, temperature is measured in Celsius. You can use an online conversion site to convert temperatures, but some key numbers to remember are that 0 degrees Celsius = 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and 32 degrees Celsius = approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Length

Forget inches and feet. Brazil uses centimeters, meters, and kilometers. Some key numbers to keep in mind: five centimeters = approximately 2 inches, 1 meter = approximately 3 feet, and five kilometers = approximately 3 miles.

Weight

Kilograms are the most important weight unit you’ll need to know in Brazil, for health, mail, and heavy lifting. One kilo equals 2.2 pounds, and 50 kilos equals approximately 110 pounds. This is especially useful if you need to step on a scale to measure your body weight, since for Americans, a number between 50 and 70 seems very odd when looking at weight.

Time

Brazil runs on military time, which is out of 24 hours instead of 12. The easiest way to learn this system is to add the number of the hour to 12. For example, 2PM would be 14:00 [12 + 2], and 8PM would be 20:00 [12 + 8].  This is especially important in written Portuguese, since schedules are written using this system.

Other measurements

Shoe size

In Brazil, shoes are measured on a system similar to the European system. For example, a US men’s 7.5 is a 38 in Brazil, and a US women’s 8 is a 41 in Brazil. To convert your shoe size, click here.

Clothing size

Brazilian clothing sizes are similar to European clothing sizes. To see a little chart of Brazilian and US sizes, click here.

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To work on your Portuguese and get useful conversions, check out Convert World, available in English and in Portuguese.

What other medidas are useful to know?