1Module 7
Pronouns
Pronomes Pessoais Complemento
Key Concept
European Portuguese uses clitic pronouns (unstressed pronouns attached to verbs) for direct and indirect objects. Unlike Brazilian Portuguese, EP strongly prefers enclisis (pronoun after the verb) in affirmative sentences, and proclisis (before the verb) after negation, question words, and subordinating conjunctions.
Key Phrase — Try saying it!
Ela deu-me o livro.
1Subject Pronouns (Quick Reference)
| Pronoun | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I | Often omitted — verb form implies the subject | |
| you (informal) | Used with friends, family, peers | |
| / | he / she | Also used for 'it' (no neuter) |
| we | A gente + 3rd sing. is common in speech | |
| / | they (m/f) | Masculine plural for mixed groups |
| you (neutral) | Takes 3rd person verb forms | |
| / | you (formal) | Used with strangers, elders, officials |
2Possessive Pronouns (Pronomes Possessivos)
| Owner | Masc. Sing. | Fem. Sing. | Masc. Pl. | Fem. Pl. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eu | ||||
| tu | teus | tuas | ||
| ele/ela/você | ||||
| nós | ||||
| eles/elas/vocês |
3Object Pronouns (Pronomes Complemento)
| Subject | Direct Object | Indirect Object |
|---|---|---|
| eu | me | me |
| tu | te | te |
| ele | o | lhe |
| ela | a | lhe |
| nós | nos | nos |
| eles | os | lhes |
| elas | as | lhes |
4Clitic Placement Rules
Enclisis (default)
In affirmative declarative sentences, the pronoun comes after the verb, joined by a hyphen.
Proclisis (before the verb)
The pronoun comes before the verb after: negation (não, nunca, ninguém), question words (quem, que, onde), subordinating conjunctions (que, quando, se, porque, embora), and adverbs (já, ainda, também, sempre).
Mesoclisis (future/conditional)
In the simple future or conditional, the pronoun is inserted in the middle of the verb form. This is formal and distinctive of EP.
Contractions (direct + indirect)
When both direct and indirect object pronouns appear, they contract: lhe + o = lho, lhe + a = lha, lhes + os = lhos.