Agricultor vs. fazendeiro
While both words translate to "farmer" in English, usage depends heavily on the specific country and the scale of the operation. In Brazil, the distinction is often between a wealthy landowner (fazendeiro) and a cultivator of crops (agricultor). In Portugal, agricultor is the standard word for the profession, whereas fazendeiro is rarely used to describe local farmers.
Agricultor
A2This term literally means "agriculturist" or someone who works the soil. In Portugal, agricultor is the most common and neutral way to say farmer, regardless of land size. In Brazil, agricultor often implies a focus on crops rather than livestock, and it is frequently used for small-scale or family farming (agricultura familiar) rather than massive agribusiness.
O agricultor levou seus legumes para a feira.
(The farmer took his vegetables to the market.)
Em Portugal, todo agricultor sabe quando plantar as vinhas.
(In Portugal, every farmer knows when to plant the vines.)
Meu avô era um pequeno agricultor que plantava milho.
(My grandfather was a small-scale farmer who planted corn.)
O governo ofereceu ajuda financeira ao agricultor local.
(The government offered financial aid to the local farmer.)
Os agricultores estão protestando contra o preço dos fertilizantes.
(The farmers are protesting against the price of fertilizers.)
Fazendeiro
B1This word is derived from fazenda, which means a large farm or estate. In Brazil, a fazendeiro is specifically the owner of a large property, often associated with wealth, cattle ranching, or large commodity plantations (like soy or coffee). In Portugal, this word is not used in daily life to describe a farmer; Portuguese speakers usually only hear it in Brazilian soap operas.
O fazendeiro comprou um novo trator para a colheita de soja.
(The farm owner bought a new tractor for the soy harvest.)
Aquele fazendeiro possui milhares de cabeças de gado.
(That rancher owns thousands of heads of cattle.)
A filha do fazendeiro herdou todas as terras.
(The rancher's daughter inherited all the lands.)
Ser um fazendeiro no Brasil exige muito investimento.
(Being a large-scale farmer in Brazil requires a lot of investment.)
Os fazendeiros da região se reuniram para discutir segurança.
(The ranch owners of the region met to discuss security.)
Summary
Use fazendeiro almost exclusively in a Brazilian context to describe the wealthy owner of a large estate or ranch. Use agricultor as the standard term in Portugal for anyone farming, and in Brazil to describe the profession of working the land, particularly for crop growers and smaller operations.