Revision of Pronominal Placement
In Portuguese, the correct placement of pronouns in a sentence can greatly impact clarity and understandability. It is important to follow the proper rules to avoid confusion. This guide will refresh your knowledge on pronoun placement and help you improve your communication skills in Portuguese.
1. Pronoun Placement with Verbs
1.1. Direct Object Pronouns
When using a direct object pronoun in combination with a verb, there are a few rules to follow:
- Before the verb:
- When the verb is in the infinitive form, the pronoun comes before it.
- Eu quero
encontrá-lo
. (I want to meet him.)
- Eu quero
- When the verb is in the gerund form, the pronoun comes before it.
- Estou
comprando-os
. (I am buying them.)
- Estou
- When the verb is in the imperative form, the pronoun comes before it.
- Dê-me
um minuto
. (Give me a minute.)
- Dê-me
- When the verb is in the infinitive form, the pronoun comes before it.
- Attached to the verb:
- When the verb is in the indicative or subjunctive form, the pronoun can be attached to the verb.
- Ele
me telefona
todos os dias. (He calls me every day.) - Espero que
me ajudes
. (I hope you help me.)
- Ele
- When the verb is in the indicative or subjunctive form, the pronoun can be attached to the verb.
1.2. Indirect Object Pronouns
Indirect object pronouns also have specific placement rules:
- Before the verb:
- When the verb is in the infinitive, gerund, or imperative form, the pronoun comes before it.
- Preciso
lhe falar
. (I need to speak to you.)
- Preciso
- When the verb is in the indicative or subjunctive form, the pronoun can be attached to the verb.
- Maria
nos convidou
para o jantar. (Maria invited us for dinner.) - Espero que
te lembres
disso. (I hope you remember that.)
- Maria
- When the verb is in the infinitive, gerund, or imperative form, the pronoun comes before it.
1.3. Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are used to indicate that the action of the verb is performed by the subject itself. The placement of reflexive pronouns follows similar rules:
- Before the verb:
- When the verb is in the infinitive, gerund, or imperative form, the pronoun comes before it.
- Vou
me maquiar
. (I'm going to do my makeup.)
- Vou
- When the verb is in the indicative or subjunctive form, the pronoun can be attached to the verb.
- Ela
se arrependeu
do que disse. (She regretted what she said.)
- Ela
- When the verb is in the infinitive, gerund, or imperative form, the pronoun comes before it.
2. Pronoun Placement with Other Sentence Elements
2.1. Pronouns with Prepositions
When a pronoun is combined with a preposition, the pronoun is placed after the preposition.
- Ele está falando
sobre isso
comigo. (He's talking about it with me.) - Eles foram
com ela
ao concerto. (They went to the concert with her.)
2.2. Pronouns with Infinitive Phrases
When a pronoun is used with an infinitive phrase, it is placed before the infinitive.
- Preciso
te ver
amanhã. (I need to see you tomorrow.) - Ela quer
nos ajudar
com a mudança. (She wants to help us with the move.)
2.3. Pronouns with Commands
When a pronoun is used with a command, it is placed after the verb form.
- Fale
comigo
depois. (Talk to me later.) - Traga
as bebidas
para nós. (Bring the drinks for us.)
3. Conclusion
By following these rules for pronoun placement, you will be able to communicate more effectively in Portuguese. Remember to pay attention to verb forms, prepositions, and the specific rules for each type of pronoun. With practice, using pronouns correctly will become second nature, making your Portuguese more fluent and understandable. Obrigado por estudar conosco! (Thank you for studying with us!)
Created: 12/30/2023 | Updated: 5/5/2025