portuguese is the spoken language in rio de janeiro -  portuguese shares some similarities with spanish, but it is still quite different and should not be confused. native or fluent spanish speakers will be likely be able to communicate with portuguese speakers - but basic or superficial spanish knowledge is not particularly helpful in rio.

few people are fluent in english in the city, so it is useful to learn some basic words and phrases before heading to rio. this said, thanks to the extremely nice and communicative nature of the locals, fluency or knowledge of portuguese is not necessary for thorough enjoyment of the city - most tourist landmarks feature signs in english and english speaking personnel is normally available.