Start with a handshake and eye contact on a first meeting, especially in business. Once rapport builds, or in casual social settings, expect the greeting to shift toward a cheek kiss (between women, or a man and a woman) or a hug (abraço) — men greeting men usually stick to a handshake or a hug, not a kiss.
If a kiss is offered, move to your left first and offer your cheek, then switch to the right. Don’t count kisses in advance, just mirror however many the other person gives you.
- This carries into the goodbye, too — Brazilians kiss on departure the same way they do on arrival, so don’t expect the greeting ritual to be a one-time thing per visit.
- Expect it to fold into business meetings as trust builds — see the entry on business-card exchange and personal space for how this plays out once a handshake stops being enough.