B1 · Intermédiaire Chapitre 2

Reflexive Verbs for Life and Relationships

6 Règles totales
61 exemples
6 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

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.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

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.

Guide du chapitre

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.

Exemples clés (4)

1

Nós nos encontramos no shopping às 15h.

On se retrouve au centre commercial à 15h.

Se rencontrer : Encontrar-se (Rendez-vous et hasards)
2

Encontrei-me com o chefe no elevador.

J'ai croisé le patron dans l'ascenseur.

Se rencontrer : Encontrar-se (Rendez-vous et hasards)
3

O entregador está se aproximando da sua casa.

Le livreur s'approche de ta maison.

Se Rapprocher : Le verbe Aproximar-se
4

Não se aproxime da borda!

Ne t'approche pas du bord !

Se Rapprocher : Le verbe Aproximar-se

Conseils et astuces (4)

💬

Le 'A Gente' brésilien

Au Brésil, pour tes plans entre amis, 90% des gens disent
A gente se encontra
au lieu de
Nós nos encontramos
. C'est beaucoup plus naturel et local.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se rencontrer : Encontrar-se (Rendez-vous et hasards)
⚠️

Le risque du licenciement

N'oublie jamais le pronom réfléchi (me, se, nos) sauf si tu veux vraiment annoncer à quelqu'un qu'il a perdu son job !
Eu me despedi dele.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dire au revoir (Despedir-se)
⚠️

Alerte faux-ami

N'utilise pas 'Mover' pour déménager ! Si tu dis
Eu movi para Lisboa
, on croira que tu es une statue géante qu'on a transportée.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbe de Déménagement Portugais : Mudar-se (Changer de Logement)
💡

Le sandwich au 'De'

C'est simple : [Personne] + [Mouvement] + [DE] + [Cible]. Sans le 'de', on dirait que tu deviens physiquement l'objet ! Exemple :
Eu me aproximo do carro.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se Rapprocher : Le verbe Aproximar-se

Vocabulaire clé (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

Erreurs courantes

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

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

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

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

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

Wrong: Ele se formou de engenharia.
Correct: 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

Pratique rapide (10)

Complète avec le pronom réfléchi correct pour 'Nós' au Brésil.

Nós ___ encontramos no parque amanhã.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: nos
Avec 'Nós', le pronom réfléchi est toujours 'nos'.
Nós nos encontramos...

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se rencontrer : Encontrar-se (Rendez-vous et hasards)

Complète avec le bon pronom réfléchi et la forme verbale au présent.

Eu ___ (despedir-se) de você agora.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me despeço
Pour le sujet 'Eu', le pronom est 'me' et la conjugaison irrégulière au présent est 'despeço'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dire au revoir (Despedir-se)

Trouve l'erreur dans cette phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós se despedimos da Maria ontem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos despedimos da Maria ontem.
Le sujet 'Nós' demande le pronom réfléchi 'nos', pas 'se'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dire au revoir (Despedir-se)

Trouve l'élément manquant dans cette phrase.

O gato se aproxima rato com cuidado.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: O gato se aproxima do rato com cuidado.
Tu ne peux pas oublier la préposition 'de', qui devient 'do' devant le mot masculin 'rato'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se Rapprocher : Le verbe Aproximar-se

Complète avec la bonne contraction de préposition.

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: da
Le verbe 'aproximar-se' demande toujours la préposition 'de'. 'De' + 'a' (la fenêtre) devient 'da'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se Rapprocher : Le verbe Aproximar-se

Trouve et corrige l'erreur.

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós apaixonamos pelo Brasil.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos apaixonamos pelo Brasil.
Les verbes réfléchis ont besoin d'un pronom. Pour 'Nós', le pronom est 'nos'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Tomber amoureux : utiliser les verbes pronominaux (Apaixonar-se)

Complète la phrase avec le bon pronom réfléchi.

Eu ___ apaixonei por esse restaurante.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me
Avec le sujet 'Eu', on utilise toujours le pronom réfléchi 'me'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Tomber amoureux : utiliser les verbes pronominaux (Apaixonar-se)

Corrige la préposition manquante.

Eu me encontrei a Julia no cinema.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu me encontrei com a Julia no cinema.
Quand on utilise 'encontrar-se' pour dire 'rencontrer quelqu'un', il faut utiliser la préposition 'com'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se rencontrer : Encontrar-se (Rendez-vous et hasards)

Quelle phrase implique un rendez-vous prévu avec une personne ?

Choisis la meilleure option :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu encontrei-me com o Carlos.
La première phrase parle de trouver un objet. La deuxième utilise 'me' + 'com', ce qui implique un rendez-vous social.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se rencontrer : Encontrar-se (Rendez-vous et hasards)

Quelle phrase utilise correctement le pronom réfléchi ?

Choisis la bonne option :

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos aproximamos da festa.
Le pronom doit s'accorder avec le sujet. Pour 'Nós', on utilise obligatoirement 'nos'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Se Rapprocher : Le verbe Aproximar-se

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

'Encontrar' est transitif (trouver un objet ou une personne). 'Encontrar-se' est réciproque ou réfléchi (se donner rendez-vous ou se trouver dans un certain état) comme dans
Eu me encontrei com ele
.
Au Brésil, à l'oral, oui, Eu encontrei ela est très courant pour dire 'je l'ai croisée'. Mais pour un écrit formel, utilise la forme réfléchie.
Non, tu peux dire au revoir à un lieu ou une étape de vie. Par exemple :
Me despedi da minha antiga casa
.
'Tchau' est le mot que tu prononces. 'Despedir-se' est le verbe qui décrit l'action.
Eu me despedi com um tchau
.
'Mudar' signifie changer quelque chose (un avis, une chaîne). 'Mudar-se' est réfléchi et veut dire déménager, comme dans
Eu me mudei ontem
.
Surtout pas ! 'Mover' concerne le mouvement physique d'un objet. Si tu l'utilises pour ton domicile, ça sonnera très bizarre, comme dans
Eu movi a cadeira
.
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Reflexive Verbs: Actions on Yourself
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Identifying Objects: Him, Her, and It
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