Quem foi santa Brígida da Irlanda

What does “rapariga” mean in Portugal vs Brazil?

In Portugal, rapariga is the ordinary word for a girl or young woman — as neutral as rapaz is for a boy, and at home in schools, newspapers and parish leaflets alike. Cross the Atlantic and it changes character: in much of Brazil rapariga means a prostitute or a kept woman, so Brazilians reach for menina, moça or garota instead. One word, two very different rooms.

The pejorative sense is strongest in the Northeast of Brazil; elsewhere the word can simply sound archaic. The safe rule for learners is regional: rapariga in Portugal, menina/moça/garota in Brazil. This clip is European Portuguese, and the usage is unremarkable there — as raparigas tecerem bonecas de palha, “the girls weave straw dolls” for St Brigid’s Day.