Portuguese business culture places a strong emphasis on building personal relationships. Meetings focus initially on getting to know one another on a personal level to establish trust and lay the groundwork for long-term partnerships. Courtesy, politeness, and punctuality, while not as strict as in some cultures, are still important. Gift giving is also customary, with small gifts presented to customers and partners to express appreciation. Dress is generally conservative and business attire is expected, though flexibility is shown in some companies on Fridays.

1. Portuguese Business Etiquette

2. Relationships Relationship-based tradition
Flexibility
Meetings
The family has remained the foundation of the country’s social order
Friendly and welcome to strangers
Personal relationships are especially important in business
Looking forward to long-term business relationships rather than a single one-off
transaction
Especially at initial meetings, the Portuguese are interested in getting to know one
another
Courtesy and politeness are rather important in Portuguese society
When meeting for the first time one stays reserved and formal
A firm handshake is appropriate; say your name clearly and maintain eye contact
Men commonly shake hands and offer a friendly pat on the back;
Women give two kisses on the cheeks

3. Infographic Style
Body Language Dining Gift Giving Dress Code
In Portuguese society in general,
appearance is very important.
Portuguese people are usually
aware of current fashion trends
and clothes are often used to
express one’s status and
success.
Long lunches and
restaurant dinners are
part of the typical
working day in Portugal
Being overly
demonstrative with
hand gestures or body
language gives a bad
impression
In the Portuguese
business environment it
is normal to give a gift
to customers and
partners
Punctuality
In Portugal punctuality
is not seen as
important.

4. Punctuality
Interestingly, people from the North are usually more punctual than those
from the South. More than 30 minutes late is generally considered to be
rude. For foreigners, the best practice is to be on time, probably 5 minutes
late.
If you are running late, is it
advisable to telephone
your business contact and
advise them of your delay
When you arrive for a
meeting, do not be offended
if you are kept waiting for up
to 20 minutes
The Portuguese will often
specify the time arrangements in
a somewhat lax way; it is
recommended to ask to specify
the time

5. Body Language
The Portuguese do not use a lot of
gestures; being overly demonstrative
with hand gestures or body language
gives a bad impression
Gestures
The Portuguese tend to be direct in
their communication style; tends to be
more on the formal side when in public
and much less so in private; the
Portuguese tend to speak quite fast and
somewhat loudly
Communication
An arm’s length is usually the
appropriate amount of personal space.
The Portuguese tend to touch a bit
when conversing with good friends and
family.
Personal Space

6. Dining
When invited to a colleague’s or business
partner’s house for dinner, don’t forget to
bring a gift for the host and/or hostess
Be careful to distinguish between social and
business situations – as in a social context it
is not customary to discuss business matters,
unless the host raises the subject
If you are invited to a dinner, try to
arrive no more than 15 minutes after
the stipulated time; being late between
half an hour and an hour is accepted
when you go to a party or larger social
gathering

7. Gift Giving
When you receive a gift, keep in mind that the Portuguese
consider it polite to open the gift when received. Gifts are
normally not exchanged at business meetings, but small
gifts may be appropriate at the successful conclusion of
negotiations.
When invited to a
Portuguese home for
dinner, bring flowers,
good quality
chocolates or candy
for the hostess. Do
not give red flowers to
your host.
Your company’s gifts
should be
representative of your
country and their value
must be able to be
clearly perceived by the
recipient.
Giving wine in Portugal
is best avoided, stick to
spirits.
Excessively expensive
gifts can be accepted
only if they are really
appropriate for a
particular business
situation and if the
person involved has a
high position within the
company. At Christmas
suppliers usually
distribute gifts to their
customers.
In the Portuguese
business environment it
is normal to give a gift to
customers and partners.
To reject a gift is seen
as offensive.
Also, as gifts are
considered to be a
personal gesture, it is
not polite to re-distribute
a gift to staff.

8. Dress Code
Male Portuguese business associates
normally wear long sleeved.
When in a meeting, it is fine to take off
your jacket if you are hot, however, it is
advisable to check first whether the other
party minds.
For women, it is advisable to dress well
but not to overdress. Trousers and
trouser suits are also acceptable as a part
of women’s business attire.
When going out to a social event, it is
advisable to choose your dress carefully
and ensure it is clean and your
accessories are coordinated. When
invited to a meal, men should wear a tie.
When going to the opera or theatre, a tie
is also the best option.
Business dress is usually rather formal.
In some cases, however, companies
allow their staff to dress down on Fridays.
However, a standard business suit is still
the most common form of dress among
businessmen.

9. Thank You
Welcome to Portugal