That's a good question. In written form they are close enough that someone who speaks portuguese could read a text in spanish and have a good understanding of what it is about even if they havent had a single spanish lesson in their lives
When it comes to spoken language, though, things can get tricky. The way that words and sounds are pronounced can be very different so it may be hard to understand what someone is saying
That's particularly important as spanish speakers in some countries in south america are known for speaking quite fast so it can be really hard for a portuguese speaking person to understand them
For example: in some countries "buseta" means bus. In portuguese we have the word buceta which is spelt differently but pronounced almost exactly the same. However, it means pussy LOL
That's a good question. In written form they are close enough that someone who speaks portuguese could read a text in spanish and have a good understanding of what it is about even if they havent had a single spanish lesson in their lives
I believe the opposite is also true for spanish speakers reading stuff in portuguese but I can't say for sure.
When it comes to spoken language, though, things can get tricky. The way that words and sounds are pronounced can be very different so it may be hard to understand what someone is saying
That's particularly important as spanish speakers in some countries in south america are known for speaking quite fast so it can be really hard for a portuguese speaking person to understand them
For me, personally, if they speak slowly I can usually understand them pretty well so I would say the languages are pretty close
However there are a few "traps" because some words are written and spoken similarly but have completly different meanings in the two languages
For example: in some countries "buseta" means bus. In portuguese we have the word buceta which is spelt differently but pronounced almost exactly the same. However, it means pussy LOL
So yea, things can get weird some times