Type the word "informação" and count your keystrokes. It has 10 characters, but on a Brazilian keyboard it takes 11 key presses, and on a US keyboard set to US-International it takes 12 or more. That gap is the whole reason Brazilian Portuguese typing practice needs its own approach.
English typing courses teach you letters. Portuguese asks for something more: accents that live on dead keys, a ç that sits where English speakers expect a semicolon, and word endings like -ção and -ões that hit the same finger several times in a row. None of this is hard. It is just rarely practiced on purpose.
What is the ABNT2 keyboard?
ABNT2 is the standard keyboard layout sold in Brazil, defined by ABNT (Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas). It is a QWERTY layout, so every letter from A to Z is in the same place as on a US keyboard. The differences are a dedicated ç key, two dead keys for accents, and a few extra and moved punctuation keys.
If you learned letter positions on any QWERTY keyboard, you already know most of ABNT2. What changes is the right side of the board, the area your right pinky covers.
| Key | ABNT2 (Brazil) | US-International | Mac (U.S. layout) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ç | own key, right of L | ' then c (Windows) or AltGr + , | Option + c |
| á é í ó ú | ´ key (right of P), then vowel | ' then vowel | Option + e, then vowel |
| ã õ | ~ key (right of Ç), then vowel | Shift + ` then vowel | Option + n, then vowel |
| â ê ô | Shift + ~ key, then vowel | Shift + 6 then vowel | Option + i, then vowel |
| à (crase) | Shift + ´ key, then a | ` then a | Option + `, then a |
| / and ? | own key, left of right Shift | own key | own key |
ABNT2 also adds a key between the left Shift and Z (for \ and |). If your keyboard has a key there and a ç next to L, you are on ABNT2.
How do dead keys work for Portuguese accents?
A dead key does nothing on its own. You press it, nothing appears, and the accent attaches to the next letter you type. To write "é" on ABNT2, you press the ´ key and then e. To write the accent by itself, you press the dead key and then the space bar.
This is why accents feel slow to beginners. Each accented vowel is two separate movements, and the first one gives no visual feedback. Touch typists learn to treat the pair as a single gesture, the same way "th" becomes one motion in English.
A few practical points that save frustration:
- The acute accent (´) and the grave accent (`) share one key. Shift picks the grave, which you only need for the crase "à".
- The tilde (~) and circumflex (^) share another key. Shift picks the circumflex for â, ê, ô.
- If you press a dead key and then a letter that cannot take that accent (like ´ then k), most systems print both characters separately. That is your signal you hit the wrong key.
- The trema (ü) was removed from standard Brazilian spelling by the orthographic reform that took effect in 2009. You can skip it in practice unless you type proper names.
Which fingers type ç, ~ and the accent keys?
On ABNT2, the right pinky types ç, the ´ accent key and the ~ accent key. That is a lot of work for the weakest finger, and it is the main physical difference between typing Portuguese and typing English.
In English, the right pinky mostly handles the semicolon, the apostrophe and Enter, and it can go minutes without moving. In Portuguese it is busy constantly. Look at the ending "-ção": ç (right pinky), ~ (right pinky), a (left pinky), o (right ring finger). Two pinky presses on neighboring keys, back to back, in one of the most common endings in the language.
The home row on ABNT2 is the same as everywhere: A S D F for the left hand, J K L Ç for the right. Ç replaces the semicolon as the resting key for your right pinky. Keep that finger anchored there, and ´ and ~ are each one short reach away.
How do you practice typing in Brazilian Portuguese?
Practice Brazilian Portuguese typing in three layers: learn the letter positions first, then drill accents and ç as separate movements, then type real Portuguese words and sentences where they appear naturally. Skipping the middle layer is why many people who touch type English still look down every time they need "ão".
Here is a practice order that works:
- Letters without accents. Learn the full keyboard by touch using plain words. This part is identical to any QWERTY course, and our guide on how to learn to type covers it step by step.
- Dead-key pairs in isolation. Type ´a ´e ´i ´o ´u, then ~a ~o, then ^a ^e ^o, slowly, without looking. Say the pair in your head as one sound.
- Ç drills. Alternate words with ç in different positions: "caça", "açúcar", "força", "coração", "criança".
- Common endings. Repeat -ção, -ções, -ão, -ões, -ência, -ável until they flow: "informação", "informações", "mão", "mãos", "experiência", "possível".
- Real text. Type sentences that mix everything: "a prática leva à perfeição quando você treina todos os dias".
Aim for accuracy before speed in steps 2 to 4. A wrong accent is harder to spot on screen than a wrong letter, so a habit of guessing gets locked in fast. The reasons are explained in typing accuracy vs speed.
Should you learn on ABNT2 or US-International?
Learn on the keyboard you physically own. If it is an ABNT2 keyboard, use the ABNT2 layout in your operating system. If you bought a laptop abroad with a US keyboard, US-International is the practical choice, and the method is the same.
The trade-off is real but modest. ABNT2 gives ç its own key and puts accents in a fixed place for the right pinky. US-International needs two keystrokes for ç and turns the apostrophe and quote keys into dead keys, which gets in the way when you type English, code or quotation marks. People who write mostly in Portuguese tend to prefer ABNT2. People who switch between Portuguese and English or program all day often keep US-International and accept the extra keystroke.
What you should avoid is typing on one layout while your operating system is set to another. If the labels say ABNT2 and the system says US, every accent and half the punctuation lands in the wrong place, and your muscle memory learns the mismatch. The broader picture of national layouts is in QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY.
Can a typing tutor handle Portuguese accents?
Yes, as long as it accepts the character your system produces after a dead key and uses Portuguese text in its lessons. Many English-first tutors fail on both: they count "é" as an error, or they never ask you to type an accent at all.
Typiq, a desktop typing tutor for Mac, Windows and Linux, has a Brazilian Portuguese interface and Portuguese lessons built from words like "coração", "informação", "você" and "amanhã". It reads the character your operating system sends, so accents typed with dead keys on an ABNT2 keyboard count as normal keystrokes.
To be exact about one detail: Typiq's on-screen Portuguese keyboard is drawn in the Portugal QWERTY arrangement, not ABNT2. The letters and ç are in the same positions on both, but the accent keys are drawn in different spots than on a Brazilian keyboard. If you type on ABNT2, trust your fingers for ´ and ~ rather than the on-screen map. The lessons and the finger work are the same.
Typiq runs offline, needs no account, and is a one-time purchase with a 30-minute free trial of the desktop app. Plans and prices are on the pricing page. If you type in Portuguese and another language, it is worth reading about what makes a good multilingual typing tutor.
Bottom line
Brazilian Portuguese typing practice is regular touch typing plus two skills English courses skip: dead-key accents and a busy right pinky for ç, ´ and ~. Learn the letters first on the keyboard you own, then drill accent pairs and endings like -ção until they feel like one movement. On ABNT2, "informação" takes 11 key presses; the goal is to make all 11 without looking.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type ç on a keyboard without a ç key?
On Windows with the US-International layout, press the apostrophe and then c, or AltGr and comma. On a Mac with the standard U.S. layout, press Option and c. On an ABNT2 keyboard, ç has its own key to the right of L, typed with the right pinky.
Why does my accent key print nothing when I press it?
Because it is a dead key. It waits for the next letter and combines with it, so ´ followed by a gives á. To type the accent symbol alone, press the dead key and then the space bar. If nothing appears even after the letter, check that your system layout matches your physical keyboard.
Is ABNT2 better than US-International for typing Portuguese?
For text that is mostly Portuguese, ABNT2 is slightly more efficient because ç is one key instead of two and the apostrophe is not a dead key. For people who mix Portuguese with English or programming, US-International is a reasonable choice. Neither is faster in a way that matters more than practice.
How long does it take to learn touch typing in Portuguese?
About the same as in English: most adults reach comfortable touch typing after 4 to 6 weeks of short daily practice. Add a few extra sessions for accents and ç. The letter positions take the longest; dead-key pairs usually become automatic within one or two weeks once you drill them directly.
Which Portuguese words are best for typing practice?
Words that combine ç, tilde and accents in common patterns: "informação", "coração", "criança", "você", "também", "possível", "experiência", "amanhã". Endings like -ção, -ções and -ão appear constantly in real writing, so drilling them gives the biggest return.
Does the keyboard layout change which fingers I use for letters?
No. On ABNT2, US-International and the Portugal layout, every letter from A to Z sits in the same position and uses the same finger. Only the right side of the board changes: ç, the accent keys and some punctuation, all handled by the right pinky.
