Object Pronouns in Portuguese: Me, Te, O, A, Lhe and Where They Go
The Portuguese pronouns for direct and indirect objects, and the differences in placement between Brazil and Portugal.
Object pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition: "I see him", "she gave me a book". Portuguese has clear sets for each.
The forms
| Person | Direct object | Indirect object |
|---|---|---|
| me | me | me |
| you (tu) | te | te |
| him / it (m.) | o | lhe |
| her / it (f.) | a | lhe |
| us | nos | nos |
| them (m.) | os | lhes |
| them (f.) | as | lhes |
Direct object answers "whom or what": Vejo o João → Vejo-o. (I see him.) Indirect object answers "to whom": Dou o livro à Ana → Dou-lhe o livro. (I give her the book.)
Placement in Portugal
Object pronouns usually follow the verb, joined by a hyphen:
- Vejo-o. — I see him.
- Dou-lhe o livro. — I give her the book.
- Ele ama-me. — He loves me.
They come before the verb after negatives and some words:
- Não o vejo. — I don't see him.
- Ele disse que me ama. — He said that he loves me.
Placement in Brazil
Brazilian speakers usually put the pronoun before the verb:
- Eu te amo. — I love you.
- Ele me viu. — He saw me.
- Vou te ligar. — I'll call you.
In everyday Brazilian speech, o/a are often replaced by the stressed pronouns ele/ela after the verb: Vi ele ontem. In writing, vi-o or eu o vi is used.
Contractions
Direct and indirect pronouns can combine:
| Combination | Meaning |
|---|---|
| me + o = mo | it to me |
| lhe + o = lho | it to him/her |
These contractions are mostly written, and mostly European Portuguese.
After the infinitive
- Quero vê-lo. (PT) — I want to see him.
- Quero te ver. (BR) — I want to see you.
When the infinitive ends in -r, -s or -z, the pronoun o/a becomes lo/la: vê-lo, fazê-la.
Examples
- Você me ajuda? (BR) / Ajudas-me? (PT) — Will you help me?
- Eu o conheço. / Conheço-o. — I know him.
- Ela me deu um presente. / Ela deu-me um presente. — She gave me a present.
Tips
- Learn the table.
- Choose the placement for your variety.
- Use the dictionary to check verbs and pronouns.
English Portuguese Dictionary
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