Is it an insult to aproach someone in Brazil in spanish?

Answer 1

Kinda, but at the same time not really. It annoys us to no end that people assume we speak Spanish (many people don't), although we can understand it well enough for the most part. It's probably a good idea to learn how to say "I do not speak Portuguese, but I speak Spanish. Do you speak or understand Spanish?", but is infinitely better than to approach someone in English without asking if they speak it first. It's way less likely to be taken as an insult, though.

I do not speak Portuguese, but I speak Spanish. Do you speak or understand Spanish? - Eu não falo Português, mas falo Espanhol. Você fala ou entende Espanhol?

(pronunciation: Eh-ooh nah-oom fah-lo por-tu-gu'ehss, maeez fah-lo es-pa-nhawl. Vo-seh fah-la es-pa-nhawl?)

Answer 2

Not really, but they likely won't understand what you're saying.