Answers: A, B and D.

Brazil: Greetings, titles and names

A woman and a man or two women may kiss each other lightly on the cheek, alternating from one side to the other. Between acquaintances this is not an actual kiss but a touching of cheeks. Each person leans to their left first, brushing right cheeks. The norm in most places – including Rio de Janeiro – is to then lean to the right to touch left cheeks for a second kiss. In São Paulo, there is only one kiss. In a few areas, three kisses are common. Do not worry if you forget how many in which place, as this sometimes happens and the two people generally share a laugh and move on.

To make a good impression on a business associate, be sure to give them a firm handshake.

Address a man as Senhor (Seen-YOHR) plus his first name and a woman as Senhora (Seen-YOH-ruh) plus her first name. Brazilians tend to use first names very early in a relationship, but foreigners should wait until they are invited to do so. Using first names is not a sign of familiarity, but rather a mark of the more informal culture around names in Brazil. Doctors, professors, and priests usually go by their titles plus their first names. Physicians, lawyers, and persons with university degrees are addressed as Doutor (Doh-TOHR). Do not be surprised if you are addressed as Senhor Tom/Senhora Fran, for example, rather than Senhor(a) Smith.

Most Brazilians have two surnames - one from their mother, and one from their father. Generally, the mother's surname is written before the father's, and is more commonly used when addressing people.

When meeting a group of people, shake hands with each person you are introduced to. Wave to everyone as you are leaving.

Excerpted from Living Abroad's Brazil Report: Greetings, titles and names

Written by Michael Cadden, SGMS-T, VP International Operations