In Brazil we also use Muito before Obrigado to emphasize the act of giving thanks. “Obrigado” is the verb oblige inflected in the past tense. Those who study linguistics believe that this was a formal way to end a letter. One felt obligated in some way to serve someone esteemed. Some time later, the language ended up changing and this expression ended up being reduced to a verb, which became an expression of gratitude. When someone says “obrigado” to you, you should say “de nada”.
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