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Because Galician and Portuguese have a similar Galician-Portuguese ancestry, they are closely linked. Due to their comparable phonetics, grammar, and vocabulary, they can somewhat be understood by one another. But because of regional and historical influences, Galician has been influenced by Spanish, which has resulted in various variations in usage and pronunciation.

The historical, political, and geographic circumstances caused the Portuguese language to diverge from Spanish. Different dialects and regional influences emerged in the Iberian Peninsula following the fall of the Roman Empire. A distinct identity for Portuguese was established with the founding of the Kingdom of Portugal in the 12th century, along with its distinctive lexical, grammatical, and phonetic traits that were shaped over time by contacts with other languages and civilizations.

Some common greeting phrases used in most of the contexts in Portuguese are:

1. Ola - Hello

2. Oi - Hello

3. Bom Dia - Good morning.

4. Boa tarde - Good afternoon

5. Boa noite - Good evening and night.

6. Como vai? - How are you doing?

7. Is everything fine? - Everything okay?

8. Como estás? - How are you doing? (more formal)

The Basque language predominantly influenced Portuguese through place names and vocabulary, particularly in areas where Basque and Portuguese speakers interacted. Because of their geographical proximity and historical interactions, some Basque terminology pertaining to agriculture, geography, and daily life has been absorbed into Portuguese; however, their total effect is limited in comparison to other languages.

After the Roman Empire fell, Vulgar Latin gave way to Spanish and Portuguese. They developed in several regions of the Iberian Peninsula, influenced by indigenous languages like Iberian and Celtic, as well as Arabic during the Moorish period. Political changes, such as the founding of distinct kingdoms (Castile for Spanish and Portugal for Portuguese), strengthened their distinct identities, resulting in each language's own grammatical, phonological, and vocabulary traits.

Although they are both Romance languages, Portuguese and Italian originate from separate branches. Whereas Portuguese is spoken in Brazil and Portugal, Italian is primarily spoken in Italy.

Portuguese has nasal vowels and a more intricate sound system than Italian, which has a simpler vowel system. They have different meanings and usages even if they have similar terminology. In general, Portuguese contains more irregular verbs and dialectical variations than Italian, which has more stable grammar.

Spanish is typically seen to be simpler for English speakers to learn because of its simpler grammar and pronunciation. However, a learner's experience and history might also affect how easy it is for them to learn. Portuguese may be a little more difficult for some learners due to its intricacies, especially in verb conjugations and sound.