B1 · Mittelstufe Kapitel 2

Reflexive Verbs for Life and Relationships

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61 Beispiele
6 Min.
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Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master essential reflexive verbs to describe your daily life and meaningful relationships with native-level precision.

  • Distinguish between reflexive social verbs and their transitive counterparts.
  • Apply correct prepositional structures for graduation, dating, and moving.
  • Navigate everyday social scenarios from meeting friends to saying goodbye.
Speak about your life with authentic Portuguese rhythm.

Was du lernen wirst

Ready to truly elevate your Portuguese and express yourself like a native speaker? This chapter is going to be a game-changer! You'll dive deep into essential reflexive verbs that are at the heart of daily life and relationships. We'll unravel the nuances of 'Lembrar-se de' to elegantly recount memories and 'Esquecer-se de' to talk about forgetting, paying close attention to when to use that crucial 'de' and when to omit it – these details make all the difference! Planning to meet friends? You'll master 'Encontrar-se com' for arranging meetups, clearly differentiating it from simply 'encontrar' (to find an object). And when it's time to say goodbye, you'll confidently use 'Despedir-se de' to ensure you're not accidentally 'firing' someone! For talking about moving to a new home, 'Mudar-se' will become your go-to, ensuring you never confuse it with just 'moving' furniture. You’ll also learn how to use 'Aproximar-se de' to describe getting closer to someone, both physically and emotionally. And for those heartfelt moments, 'Apaixonar-se por' will teach you how to express falling in love beautifully. Finally, if you're looking to discuss your academic achievements, 'Formar-se em' will help you talk about graduating in a specific field with ease. By mastering these 8 rules, you'll be able to communicate more naturally and deeply about major life events, friendships, and romantic moments. Your conversations will become richer, more nuanced, and truly expressive. Let's get started!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Differentiate between 'encontrar' and 'encontrar-se' in social contexts.

Kapitel-Leitfaden

Overview

Welcome to a pivotal chapter in your B1 Portuguese journey! This guide is designed to help you master essential Portuguese grammar related to reflexive verbs, allowing you to express yourself with greater nuance and authenticity, especially when talking about daily life and relationships. As you progress in Portuguese grammar, understanding these verbs is crucial for sounding like a native speaker.
We'll dive into verbs like Lembrar-se de (to remember) and Esquecer-se de (to forget), highlighting the critical role of the preposition 'de'. You'll learn to differentiate between Encontrar (to find) and Encontrar-se com (to meet up with), and confidently use Despedir-se de (to say goodbye). We'll also cover Mudar-se (to move house), Aproximar-se de (to get closer), Apaixonar-se por (to fall in love), and Formar-se em (to graduate).
Mastering these verbs will significantly enrich your conversations about significant life events, friendships, and romantic connections, making your Portuguese sound much more natural and expressive.

How This Grammar Works

Reflexive verbs in Portuguese, often called pronominal verbs, describe actions where the subject performs and receives the action. They are characterized by the use of a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, vos, se) that matches the subject. In this chapter, we focus on specific reflexive verbs that are indispensable for discussing life's milestones and relationships.
  1. 1Lembrar-se de: This means
    to remember (of something/someone).
    It requires the reflexive pronoun and the preposition de.
* Eu me lembro do nosso primeiro encontro. (I remember our first meeting.)
  1. 1Esquecer-se de: Similar to lembrar-se, this means
    to forget (of something/someone).
    It also uses the reflexive pronoun and de. The non-reflexive Esquecer means to forget something directly, without de.
* Ele se esqueceu do aniversário dela. (He forgot her birthday.)
* Eu esqueci a carteira em casa. (I forgot my wallet at home.)
  1. 1Encontrar-se com: Use this to express
    to meet up with someone
    by arrangement. The simple verb Encontrar means to find an object or to encounter someone by chance.
* Vamos nos encontrar no centro. (Let's meet downtown.)
* Eu encontrei um livro interessante. (I found an interesting book.)
  1. 1Despedir-se de: This means
    to say goodbye to someone.
    It always takes the reflexive pronoun and the preposition de.
* Eles se despediram dos amigos no aeroporto. (They said goodbye to their friends at the airport.)
  1. 1Mudar-se: Use this verb specifically when you move house or relocate. The non-reflexive Mudar means to change generally.
* Nós nos mudamos para um apartamento maior. (We moved to a bigger apartment.)
* Preciso mudar de roupa. (I need to change clothes.)
  1. 1Aproximar-se de: This means
    to get closer to
    someone or something, both physically and emotionally. It requires the reflexive pronoun and de.
* Ele se aproximou dela lentamente. (He slowly got closer to her.)
  1. 1Apaixonar-se por: To express
    to fall in love with,
    you must use this reflexive verb with the preposition por.
* Eles se apaixonaram um pelo outro na universidade. (They fell in love with each other at university.)
  1. 1Formar-se em: This means to graduate in a specific field of study. It uses the reflexive pronoun and the preposition em.
* Ela se formou em engenharia civil. (She graduated in civil engineering.)

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Eu lembro aquele dia.
✓ Correct:
Eu me lembro daquele dia.
*Explanation:* The verb lembrar-se is pronominal when meaning
to remember (of something/someone)
and requires both the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, etc.) and the preposition de.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Nós vamos encontrar com nossos amigos.
✓ Correct:
Nós vamos nos encontrar com nossos amigos.
*Explanation:* When referring to arranging a meeting with people, the reflexive form encontrar-se com is the correct and most natural choice in Portuguese. The reflexive pronoun is essential.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Ele se apaixonou com ela.
✓ Correct:
Ele se apaixonou por ela.
*Explanation:* The verb apaixonar-se (to fall in love) always takes the preposition por to indicate the person one falls in love with, not com.

Real Conversations

A

A

Você se lembra da nossa viagem a Portugal no ano passado? (Do you remember our trip to Portugal last year?)
B

B

Claro que sim! E nos despedimos dos nossos amigos em Lisboa antes de voltar. (Of course! And we said goodbye to our friends in Lisbon before coming back.)
A

A

Ouvi dizer que a Maria se mudou para o Porto. (I heard Maria moved to Porto.)
B

B

Sim, ela se formou em arquitetura e conseguiu um ótimo emprego lá. (Yes, she graduated in architecture and got a great job there.)
A

A

Como o João e a Ana se apaixonaram? (How did João and Ana fall in love?)
B

B

Eles se aproximaram muito durante um projeto na faculdade e o resto é história! (They got very close during a university project and the rest is history!)

Quick FAQ

Q

What's the difference between esquecer and esquecer-se de in Portuguese?

Esquecer is transitive and means to forget something directly, without a preposition (e.g., Esqueci a chave - I forgot the key). Esquecer-se de is pronominal and means

to forget about something or someone,
requiring the reflexive pronoun and de (e.g., Esqueci-me do compromisso - I forgot the appointment).

Q

When should I use mudar vs mudar-se in Portuguese?

Use mudar when you simply change something (e.g., Mudar de roupa - to change clothes). Use mudar-se specifically when you move house or relocate to a new place.

Q

Can I use encontrar to mean 'meet up with someone' in Portuguese?

While encontrar can sometimes imply a casual, unplanned encounter, for arranged meetings with people, it's much more common and natural to use the reflexive encontrar-se com.

Q

Is apaixonar-se always reflexive in Portuguese?

Yes, when expressing

to fall in love,
it is always used reflexively with the pronoun (apaixonar-se) and takes the preposition por to indicate with whom.

Cultural Context

These reflexive verbs are deeply embedded in everyday Portuguese conversations, especially when discussing personal experiences, relationships, and significant life events. Using them correctly is a hallmark of sounding natural and authentic. Despedir-se is a fundamental part of Portuguese social etiquette, while Apaixonar-se por is the standard, heartfelt way to express falling in love.
Mastering these forms demonstrates not just Portuguese grammar proficiency but also a grasp of cultural nuances in communication. They are used universally across Portuguese-speaking countries.

Wichtige Beispiele (4)

1

Nós nos encontramos no shopping às 15h.

Wir treffen uns um 15 Uhr im Einkaufszentrum.

Sich treffen: Encontrar-se (Verabredungen & Zufälle)
2

Encontrei-me com o chefe no elevador.

Ich habe den Chef im Aufzug getroffen.

Sich treffen: Encontrar-se (Verabredungen & Zufälle)
3

O entregador está se aproximando da sua casa.

Der Lieferant nähert sich deinem Haus.

Näherkommen: Das Verb Aproximar-se
4

Não se aproxime da borda!

Geh nicht zu nah an den Rand!

Näherkommen: Das Verb Aproximar-se

Tipps & Tricks (4)

💬

Das brasilianische 'A Gente'

In Brasilien nutzen 90 % der Leute für lockere Pläne lieber
A gente se encontra
statt des förmlichen 'Nós'. Es klingt viel lokaler.
A gente se encontra amanhã.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sich treffen: Encontrar-se (Verabredungen & Zufälle)
⚠️

Der 'Feuer'-Ausrutscher

Vergiss niemals das Reflexivpronomen (me, se, nos), außer du willst wirklich jemanden kündigen!
Eu despedi o funcionário
bedeutet
Ich habe den Mitarbeiter gefeuert.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sich verabschieden (Despedir-se)
⚠️

Vorsicht, falscher Freund!

Sag niemals 'Mover' für einen Umzug! Wenn du sagst
Eu movi para Lisboa
, denken die Leute, du wärst eine Statue, die transportiert wurde.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Umzugsverb: Mudar-se (Wohnort wechseln)
💡

Das 'De'-Sandwich

Baue deine Sätze so: [Person] + [Bewegung] + [DE] + [Ziel]. Ohne 'de' klingt es, als würdest du physisch zum Ziel werden!
Eu me aproximo da casa.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Näherkommen: Das Verb Aproximar-se

Wichtige Vokabeln (6)

encontrar-se to meet up despedir-se to say goodbye mudar-se to move house aproximar-se to get closer apaixonar-se to fall in love formar-se to graduate

Real-World Preview

calendar

Planning the Weekend

Review Summary

  • Encontrar-se + com + alguém
  • Despedir-se + de + alguém
  • Mudar-se + para + lugar
  • Aproximar-se + de + algo/alguém
  • Apaixonar-se + por + alguém
  • Formar-se + em + área

Häufige Fehler

You forgot the reflexive pronoun 'me'. Without it, 'encontrar' means 'to find' by chance.

Wrong: Eu vou encontrar com meu amigo.
Richtig: Eu vou me encontrar com meu amigo.

You need the preposition 'para' to indicate destination when moving.

Wrong: Vou me mudar casa nova.
Richtig: Vou me mudar para a casa nova.

The correct preposition for academic fields is 'em', not 'de'.

Wrong: Ele se formou de engenharia.
Richtig: Ele se formou em engenharia.

Next Steps

You have done an amazing job! Keep practicing these verbs in your daily thoughts, and you'll be speaking like a native in no time.

Write a diary entry using 5 of the 6 reflexive verbs.

Continue to: Identifying Objects: Him, Her, and It

Schnelle Übung (10)

Wähle den richtigen Satz für diese Situation.

Welcher Satz bedeutet 'Ich bin in ein neues Haus gezogen'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu me mudei para uma casa nova.
'Mover' ist für Objekte. 'Mudar' ohne 'me' bedeutet, etwas anderes zu ändern. 'Mudar-se' ist für den Wohnsitz.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Umzugsverb: Mudar-se (Wohnort wechseln)

Welcher Satz bedeutet 'Ich habe mich vom Lehrer verabschiedet'?

Wähle die richtige Übersetzung:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu me despedi do professor.
'Despedir o professor' würde bedeuten, dass du ihn gefeuert hast. Du brauchst 'me' und 'do' (de + o).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sich verabschieden (Despedir-se)

Welcher Satz beschreibt ein geplantes Treffen mit einer Person?

Wähle die beste Option:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu encontrei-me com o Carlos.
Der erste Satz bedeutet, einen Stift zu finden. Der zweite nutzt 'me' + 'com' für ein soziales Treffen.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sich treffen: Encontrar-se (Verabredungen & Zufälle)

Welcher Satz nutzt das Reflexivpronomen richtig?

Wähle die richtige Option:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos aproximamos da festa.
Das Pronomen muss zum Subjekt passen. 'Nós' braucht immer 'nos'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Näherkommen: Das Verb Aproximar-se

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler.

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós se mudamos para o centro.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos mudamos para o centro.
Das Pronomen für 'Nós' ist 'nos', nicht 'se'. 'Se' nutzt man für er/sie/sie (Plural).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesisches Umzugsverb: Mudar-se (Wohnort wechseln)

Finde den Fehler in diesem Satz.

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós se despedimos da Maria ontem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos despedimos da Maria ontem.
Das Subjekt 'Nós' verlangt zwingend das Reflexivpronomen 'nos', nicht 'se'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sich verabschieden (Despedir-se)

Fülle die Lücke mit der richtigen Verschmelzung der Präposition.

Eu me aproximo ___ (de + a) janela para ver melhor.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: da
Aproximar-se verlangt die Präposition 'de'. 'De' + 'a' (das Fenster) wird zu 'da'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Näherkommen: Das Verb Aproximar-se

Finde das fehlende Element.

Find and fix the mistake:

O gato se aproxima rato com cuidado.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: O gato se aproxima do rato com cuidado.
Du darfst die Präposition 'de' nicht weglassen (hier verschmolzen zu 'do' vor 'rato').

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Näherkommen: Das Verb Aproximar-se

Korrigiere die fehlende Präposition.

Find and fix the mistake:

Eu me encontrei a Julia no cinema.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu me encontrei com a Julia no cinema.
Wenn du 'encontrar-se' für ein Treffen nutzt, musst du zwingend die Präposition 'com' verwenden.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sich treffen: Encontrar-se (Verabredungen & Zufälle)

Setze das richtige Reflexivpronomen und die Verbform im Präsens ein.

Eu ___ (despedir-se) de você agora.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me despeço
Für das Subjekt 'Eu' ist das Pronomen 'me' und die unregelmäßige Form 'despeço' korrekt.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Sich verabschieden (Despedir-se)

Score: /10

Häufige Fragen (6)

'Encontrar' bedeutet, etwas oder jemanden zu finden. 'Encontrar-se' nutzt du für soziale Treffen oder um deinen Zustand zu beschreiben:
Eu me encontro feliz.
In Brasilien ist Eu encontrei ela umgangssprachlich völlig okay für 'Ich habe sie getroffen'. Grammatikalisch sauberer ist aber die reflexive Form.
Nein, du kannst dich auch von Orten oder Lebensphasen verabschieden. Zum Beispiel:
Me despedi da minha antiga casa
.
'Tchau' ist das Wort, das du sagst. 'Despedir-se' ist das Verb, das die Handlung beschreibt:
Ele se despediu e disse tchau
.
'Mudar' bedeutet, etwas zu ändern, wie eine Meinung. Mudar-se ist reflexiv und bedeutet speziell, den Wohnsitz zu wechseln.
Nein! 'Mover' bezieht sich auf das physische Verschieben von Objekten. Wenn du es für den Wohnsitz nutzt, klingt das sehr seltsam, etwa wie:
Eu movi para a casa nova.
Vorheriges Kapitel
Reflexive Verbs: Actions on Yourself
Nächstes Kapitel
Identifying Objects: Him, Her, and It
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