QWERTY-BR (Brazilian ABNT2) — The Brazilian Portuguese Keyboard
QWERTY-BR (officially ABNT2 — Brazilian Association of Technical Standards) is Brazil's national keyboard standard. It's a 105-key QWERTY variant with dedicated ç key, multiple dead-key accents, and several differences from both Portugal's QWERTY-PT and the US QWERTY.
What makes ABNT2 unique
ABNT2 is Brazil's only legal keyboard standard (per ABNT NBR 10346:2013). Key features:
- 105 keys (vs standard 102 on most European keyboards)
- Dedicated ç key with a specific position (different from QWERTY-PT)
- Extra
/key on the bottom row (dedicated, not Shifted) - AltGr-rich — many symbols accessible via AltGr
- Dead-key accents for Brazilian Portuguese diacritics
The 3 extra keys are typically:
- Dedicated
/(bottom row, between space and right Shift) - Cedilla key in unique position
- Additional symbol/punctuation key
Where each Brazilian Portuguese character lives
- ç: dedicated direct key (specific BR position, different from PT)
- ã: dead key
~+ a (very common in Brazilian Portuguese) - á, é, í, ó, ú: dead key
´+ vowel - â, ê, ô: dead key
^+ vowel - à: dead key
\` + a - ñ (rare in Portuguese): AltGr+N if needed
Practice QWERTY-BR at /pt-BR/qwerty_br/.
QWERTY-BR vs QWERTY-PT
| Feature | QWERTY-BR | QWERTY-PT |
|---|---|---|
| Key count | 105 | 102 |
| ç position | Specific BR position | Right of L |
/ | Dedicated key | Shift+7 |
| Dead key positions | Slightly different | Standard PT |
| Standard | ABNT NBR 10346 | ISO/IEC 9995 derivative |
Day-to-day typing feels similar; both have ç direct and accent dead keys. The differences matter mostly for advanced users and software developers.
See QWERTY-PT vs QWERTY-BR comparison.
Spelling differences: Portugal vs Brazil
The keyboard reflects different Portuguese spellings:
- Portugal: acção, óptimo, facto (kept silent letters until 1990)
- Brazil: ação, ótimo, fato (dropped silent letters earlier)
- Portugal: António, fenómeno (circumflex/different accent)
- Brazil: Antônio, fenômeno
These don't affect keyboard mechanics, just what text you type.
Common Brazilian Portuguese typing patterns
- não, são, mão, pão — -ão words (very common)
- coração, atenção, organização — -ção endings
- avô, avó — circumflex vs acute
- você, está, está, mãe, pai — daily-use words
- Brasil, futebol, samba — proper nouns
- R$ (Brazilian Real) — currency symbol via Shift+4 or AltGr
Touch typing tips for ABNT2
- Drill the ç position — it's in a unique BR location vs PT
- Master the ~ dead key — Brazilian Portuguese has many -ão words
- Use the dedicated / for URLs and dates
- Practice -ção endings since they appear in 5+ common words per paragraph
After 30 days: 50-60 WPM in real Brazilian Portuguese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Brazil have its own keyboard standard?
National standardization (ABNT) is common in many countries. The 105-key design provides more direct character access for Brazilian Portuguese specifics.
Can I use QWERTY-PT instead of ABNT2 in Brazil?
Technically yes — most software supports both. But Brazilian keyboards ship with ABNT2 markings, so the physical keys won't match QWERTY-PT.
What's the difference between Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese typing?
Same character set, slightly different spellings (post-1990 spelling reform). The keyboards reflect these conventions but largely interchangeable.
Is ABNT2 used in Portuguese-speaking Africa?
No — Lusophone Africa generally uses QWERTY-PT (Portugal standard).
How is the Brazilian @ typed?
AltGr+2 on most ABNT2 keyboards (similar to QWERTY-PT). Some variants have direct @ via different combo.
What about the € (euro) key?
Usually AltGr+5 or AltGr+E. Brazilian Real (R$) is more common in BR — type R then Shift+4.
Should non-Brazilian Portuguese speakers use ABNT2 or QWERTY-PT?
Match your physical keyboard. If you bought a Brazilian keyboard, use ABNT2. If European, use QWERTY-PT. Both work for both dialects.
Try it
Practice QWERTY-BR on Typing Hero App — 19 progressive lessons designed for ABNT2.
For more: How to type in Portuguese, QWERTY-PT layout, QWERTY-PT vs QWERTY-BR comparison.