The direct object Personal Pronouns in European Portuguese are the key to fluency! Once you master these you will find speaking a breeze! If you are looking for the Reflexive Verbs, click here.
What is a Direct Object?
In grammar, a direct object is the person or thing that receives the action of the verb directly.
English Example:
“I saw him.” → “Him” is the direct object.
“I saw her.” → “Her” is the direct object.
Portuguese Equivalent:
“Eu vi-o.” → “-o” replaces “him.”
“Eu vi-a.” → “-a” replaces “her.”
🔤 The Direct Object Pronouns
These pronouns replace nouns that are the direct object of the verb. Here’s a breakdown:
| Subject Pronoun | Direct Object Pronoun | Example |
| Eu | me | Ele viu-me. (He saw me.) |
| Tu | te | Eu vi-te. (I saw you.) |
| Ele/Ela/Você | o / a | Eu vi-o. / Eu vi-a. (I saw him/her.) |
| Nós | nos | Eles viram-nos. (They saw us.) |
| Vós | vos | Nós vimos-vos. (We saw you all.) |
| Eles/Elas/Vocês | os / as | Eu vi-os. / Eu vi-as. (I saw them.) |
📝 Note:
- “o/a/os/as” agree in gender and number with the noun they replace.
- “me/te/nos/vos” are invariable and used for both direct and indirect objects.
🧩 Placement of Direct Object Pronouns
European Portuguese has three main placements for direct object pronouns:
1. After the Verb (Enclisis)
This is the default in affirmative sentences.
- Eu vi-o ontem. (I saw him yesterday.)
- Ela comprou-as. (She bought them.)
🧠 Rule: Attach the pronoun to the verb with a hyphen.
2. Before the Verb (Proclisis)
Triggered by certain words like:
- não (not): Não o vi. (I didn’t see him)
- já (already): Já me viu. ( He already saw me)
- nunca (never): Nunca te vi. (I have never seen you)
These words pull the pronoun before the verb.
3. In the Middle of the Verb (Mesoclisis)
Rare and formal, used with future tense in literary or legal contexts.
- Dar-te-ei o livro. (I will give you the book.)
🧠 When to Use Direct Object Pronouns
Use them when you want to avoid repeating nouns and make speech more fluid.
✅ Instead of repeating a noun:
- Eu vi o João. → Eu vi-o.
(I saw John → I saw him)
✅ When the object is known from context:
- Ela comprou os bilhetes. → Ela comprou-os.
(He bought the tickets → He bought them)
✅ In short answers:
- Viste a Maria? → Sim, vi-a ontem
(Did you see Maria? → Yes, I saw her yesterday)
🧪 Practice Examples
Try rewriting these with direct object pronouns:
- Eu vi a Ana. → Eu vi-a.
(I saw Ana → I saw her)
- Ele comprou os livros. → Ele comprou-os.
(He bought the books → He bought them)
- Nós ajudámos o Pedro. → Nós ajudámo-lo.
(We helped Pedro → We helped him)
- Tu viste-me ontem? → Sim, vi-te.
(Did you see me yesterday? → Yes, I saw you)
When attaching pronouns to verbs ending in -r the final letter is dropped and an -l is added to the pronoun:
Ele quer comprar os livros → Ele quer comprá-los
(He wants to buy the books → He wants to buy them)
Ela quer ver o filme → Ela quer vê-lo
(She wants to watch the filme → She wants to watch it.)
Quero comer a sobremesa → quero comê-la toda!
(I want to eat the dessert → I want to eat it all!)
Ela quer cortar as rosas → Ela quer cortá-las
(She wants to cut the roses → She wants to cut them)
🧠 Why? This avoids awkward sound combinations and follows phonetic rules.
📚 Final Tips
- Always match gender and number with the noun being replaced.
- Watch for trigger words that change pronoun placement.
- Practice with common verbs like ver (to see), ouvir (to hear), ajudar (to help), conhecer (to meet).
⚠️ Special Rules & Spelling Changes
When attaching pronouns to verbs ending in -r, -s, or -z, the final letter is dropped and an -l is added to the pronoun:
| Verb | Pronoun | Combo | Result |
| Amar (to love) | o → lo | amas + o (you love him) | Ama-lo. |
| Fazer (to make) | a → la | ele faz + a (he makes it [the bed]) | Fá-la. |
| Dizer (to say) | os → los | ela diz + os (she says it) | Di-los. |
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