Pronouns with Infinitives: Before or After? (fazê-lo vs te fazer)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
In Portuguese, you can attach object pronouns to the end of an infinitive (fazê-lo) or place them before (o fazer).
- Infinitive alone: Pronoun usually follows (enclisis) or precedes (proclisis).
- Negative sentences: The 'não' forces the pronoun before the verb (proclisis).
- Preposition + Infinitive: Pronoun can follow, but 'para' often triggers proclisis.
Overview
Mastering pronoun placement with infinitives in Portuguese is a significant step towards achieving B2 fluency. Unlike English, where object pronouns consistently follow the verb, Portuguese clitic pronouns (me, te, o, a, nos, vos, os, as, lhe, lhes) exhibit dynamic behavior. They can attach before the infinitive (proclisis) or after it (enclisis), and sometimes even integrate within the verb form itself (mesoclisis, though less common with infinitives).
This flexibility is not arbitrary; it follows specific grammatical rules and often varies significantly between Brazilian Portuguese (BP) and European Portuguese (EP) usage. Understanding the linguistic principles governing this placement—such as attraction, euphony, and rhythm—is crucial, as it affects both the naturalness and the grammatical correctness of your speech and writing.
This guide will dissect the nuances of object pronoun placement with infinitives, providing clear rules, detailed formation patterns, and insights into contemporary usage across different registers and dialects. You will learn not just where to place pronouns, but why they are placed there, enabling you to construct grammatically sound and idiomatically natural sentences. Pay close attention to the morphological changes that infinitives undergo when pronouns are attached enclitically, as these are frequent sources of error for learners.
How This Grammar Works
-ar, -er, -ir), the placement of an unstressed object pronoun is primarily a choice between proclisis and enclisis. Proclisis occurs when the pronoun precedes the infinitive, creating a smooth flow, especially in spoken Brazilian Portuguese. For example, Eu quero te ajudar (I want to help you).Eu quero ajudá-lo (I want to help him).não, nunca), certain adverbs (já, sempre), indefinite pronouns (tudo, nada), and relative or interrogative pronouns (que, quem).poder + infinitive, ter que + infinitive)—you gain additional flexibility. In such cases, the pronoun can often attach to either the auxiliary verb or the infinitive, depending on dialectal preference and the presence of attractors. For instance, in BP, Eu te posso ajudar and Eu posso te ajudar are both common.Eu posso ajudá-lo is typically preferred unless an attractor mandates proclisis with the auxiliary, as in Não o posso ajudar (I cannot help him). Understanding these underlying principles will help you predict and apply the correct placement, moving beyond rote memorization.Formation Pattern
o, a, os, as. For other object pronouns, the process is simpler. Master these patterns to avoid common errors.
o, a, os, as)
-r, -s, or -z, these final consonants are dropped. The pronoun then changes to lo, la, los, or las, and is attached with a hyphen. Additionally, an accent mark (acute or circumflex, depending on the vowel sound) is added to the preceding vowel if it's a or e to maintain the original stress pattern. Verbs ending in -ir generally do not take an accent on the i unless for specific phonetic reasons.
-ar | o, a, os, as | -á-lo, -á-la, -á-los, -á-las | comprar + o -> comprá-lo (to buy it)
-er | o, a, os, as | -ê-lo, -ê-la, -ê-los, -ê-las | fazer + a -> fazê-la (to do it)
-ir | o, a, os, as | -i-lo, -i-la, -i-los, -i-las | sentir + o -> senti-lo (to feel it)
Precisamos encontrar um carro. Precisamos encontrá-lo rapidamente. (We need to find a car. We need to find it quickly.)
É importante ler as instruções. É importante lê-las com atenção. (It's important to read the instructions. It's important to read them carefully.)
Você deveria pedir ajuda. Você deveria pedi-la sem hesitação. (You should ask for help. You should ask for it without hesitation.)
me, te, se, nos, vos, lhe, lhes)
-ar, -er, -ir | me, te, se, nos, vos | -me, -te, -se, -nos, -vos | ajudar + me -> ajudar-me (to help me)
-ar, -er, -ir | lhe, lhes | -lhe, -lhes | dar + lhe -> dar-lhe (to give to him/her)
Vou dizer a verdade. Vou dizer-te a verdade. (I'm going to tell the truth. I'm going to tell you the truth.)
Ele quer falar comigo. Ele quer falar-me sobre o projeto. (He wants to talk to me. He wants to talk to me about the project.)
É bom sentir conectado. É bom sentir-se útil. (It's good to feel connected. It's good to feel useful.)
Não posso te ajudar. (I can't help you.) - Não is the attractor.
Sempre quero o fazer. (I always want to do it.) - Sempre is the attractor.
Para se divertir, é preciso estar aberto. (To have fun, one needs to be open.) - Para can act as an attractor, especially in BP.
When To Use It
- Brazilian Portuguese (BP):
- There is a strong and pervasive preference for proclisis in nearly all contexts, especially in spoken language and informal writing. Attractors often reinforce proclisis but are not always strictly necessary for it to occur. Many BP speakers will use proclisis even without an explicit attractor, particularly when the infinitive is part of a verb chain.
- Example (verb chain):
Eu te quero ajudar.orEu quero te ajudar.(I want to help you.) The second option, placing the pronoun immediately before the infinitive, is exceptionally common. - Example (after preposition):
Para me dizer a verdade.(To tell me the truth.) - While enclisis (e.g.,
ajudá-lo) is grammatically correct and appears in formal BP, it often sounds stiff or overly formal in casual conversation.
- European Portuguese (EP):
- Enclisis is the default and most common placement when no strong proclitic trigger is present. This is considered the grammatically neutral position.
- Example (no attractor):
Eu quero ajudá-lo.(I want to help him/you formal). This is the standard in EP speech and writing. - Proclisis only occurs when explicitly required by a proclitic attractor.
- Example (after preposition):
Para dizer-me a verdade.(To tell me the truth.) This is the standard in EP.
- Negative Adverbs:
não,nunca,jamais,nem. Não o quero ver.(I don't want to see him.) - Incorrect (EP):*Não quero vê-lo.(Incorrect becausenãoforces proclisis)Nunca te vou esquecer.(I will never forget you.)
- Adverbs (generally):
já,ainda,sempre,muito,pouco,bem,mal,aqui,lá,apenas,também,somente,talvez,assim,agora,ontem,hoje,amanhã, etc. Eu já o sabia fazer.(I already knew how to do it.)Ele sempre me tenta convencer.(He always tries to convince me.)
- Indefinite Pronouns/Adjectives:
tudo,nada,alguém,ninguém,algum,nenhum,muito,pouco,cada,outro,certo,vário,tanto. Tudo o fez pensar.(Everything made him think.)Nada me impede de tentar.(Nothing stops me from trying.)
- Interrogative and Relative Pronouns/Adverbs:
que,quem,onde,quando,como,cujo. A pessoa que o viu, pode testemunhar.(The person who saw him can testify.)Quem te ensinou a falar assim?(Who taught you to speak like that?)
- Subordinating Conjunctions:
que,se,quando,enquanto,conforme,embora,para que. Espero que te possa ajudar.(I hope I can help you.)Ainda que nos quisessem impedir, não conseguiriam.(Even if they wanted to stop us, they wouldn't succeed.)
- After Prepositions (BP vs. EP):
- In BP, proclisis after prepositions (
para,a,de,por,em) is common and natural:Para te ajudar, preciso de mais informações.(To help you, I need more information.) - In EP, enclisis is generally preferred after prepositions unless a stronger attractor intervenes:
Para ajudar-te, preciso de mais informações.
auxiliary verb + infinitive (e.g., poder + fazer, dever + dizer, ir + ver), the pronoun placement offers more permutations:- Before the Auxiliary:
Eu te quero ajudar.(BP - common, but can sound emphatic or slightly less natural than before infinitive) - Between Auxiliary and Infinitive:
Eu quero te ajudar.(BP - extremely common and natural in speech/informal writing) - After the Infinitive:
Eu quero ajudá-lo.(EP - default; BP - formal/less common in speech)
- Crucial Rule: If an attractor is present, it will typically force the pronoun to precede the entire verb chain (i.e., before the auxiliary verb). This is true for both BP and EP, especially for strong attractors.
Não te quero ajudar.(I don't want to help you.) - Here,nãoforcestebeforequero. You would not sayNão quero te ajudarin EP, and it's less preferred in formal BP.
- Table of Verb Chain Placement Examples:
Eu quero te ver. (most common) or Eu te quero ver. | Eu quero vê-lo. (standard) |não) | Não te quero ver. (standard) | Não o quero ver. (standard, o for 'you' formal/him) |Para te ajudar. (common) | Para ajudar-te. (standard) |Common Mistakes
ele, ela, eles, elas) in object positions. In English,Enclisis Formation
| Infinitive | Pronoun | Result |
|---|---|---|
|
Fazer
|
o
|
fazê-lo
|
|
Ver
|
a
|
vê-la
|
|
Amar
|
os
|
amá-los
|
|
Comer
|
as
|
comê-las
|
Nasal Endings
| Infinitive | Pronoun | Result |
|---|---|---|
|
Fazem
|
o
|
fazem-no
|
|
Dão
|
a
|
dão-na
|
Meanings
This rule governs the placement of object pronouns (me, te, o, a, nos, vos, os, as) when they accompany an infinitive verb.
Enclisis (After)
Attaching the pronoun to the end of the infinitive.
“Vou fazê-lo agora.”
“Preciso encontrá-la.”
Proclisis (Before)
Placing the pronoun before the infinitive.
“Vou o fazer agora.”
“Preciso a encontrar.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb + Pronoun
|
Vê-lo
|
|
Negative
|
Não + Pronoun + Verb
|
Não o ver
|
|
Question
|
Verb + Pronoun?
|
Vê-lo?
|
|
Preposition
|
Prep + Verb + Pronoun
|
Para vê-lo
|
Formality Spectrum
Desejo vê-lo. (Expressing desire)
Quero vê-lo. (Expressing desire)
Quero o ver. (Expressing desire)
Quero ver ele. (Expressing desire)
Pronoun Placement Map
Formal
- fazê-lo do it
Informal
- o fazer do it
Examples by Level
Eu quero vê-lo.
I want to see him.
Posso ajudá-lo?
Can I help you?
Não o quero fazer.
I don't want to do it.
É importante respeitá-los.
It is important to respect them.
Ao vê-la, ele sorriu.
Upon seeing her, he smiled.
Cumprimentá-lo-ei amanhã.
I will greet him tomorrow.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up when to use which.
Using 'lhe' vs 'o'.
Applying infinitive rules to conjugated verbs.
Common Mistakes
fazer-o
fazê-lo
o fazer-lo
o fazer
fazer-lo
fazê-lo
não fazê-lo
não o fazer
para o fazer-lo
para o fazer
não o fazê-lo
não o fazer
quero o fazer-lo
quero fazê-lo
nunca fazê-lo
nunca o fazer
o ver-lo
o ver
já o fazê-lo
já o fazer
fazer-no
fazê-lo
o fazer-lo
o fazer
não o fazê-lo
não o fazer
Sentence Patterns
Eu quero ___ ___.
Não ___ ___ fazer.
Para ___ ___, preciso de tempo.
Ele prometeu ___ ___.
Real World Usage
Vou te ver.
Desejo realizá-lo.
Podemos observá-lo.
Quero visitá-lo.
Vou pedir-lo.
Vou postar-lo.
The 'R' Rule
Negative Magnets
Regional Choice
Formality Check
Smart Tips
Check if there is a negative word before it.
Use enclisis to sound professional.
Use proclisis for natural flow.
Add 'n' instead of 'l'.
Pronunciation
Enclisis stress
The stress remains on the last syllable of the verb.
Falling
Vou fazê-lo ↘
Declarative statement
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Drop the R, add the L, make it stick and do it well.
Visual Association
Imagine a magnet (the negative 'não') pulling the pronoun to the front of the verb.
Rhyme
If the R is in the way, drop it off and let the L stay.
Story
Maria wanted to call her friend. She said 'Vou ligar-lhe' (formal). Her friend said 'Vou lhe ligar' (informal). Both were happy.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 sentences using infinitives and pronouns, alternating between formal and informal styles.
Cultural Notes
Proclisis is standard. Enclisis is seen as formal or literary.
Enclisis is standard. Proclisis is rare in neutral speech.
Follows European patterns more closely in formal writing.
Derived from Latin enclitic pronouns that attached to the verb.
Conversation Starters
O que você quer fazer hoje?
Você pode me ajudar?
Você já viu o filme?
Como você prefere ser tratado?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Eu quero ___ (fazer + o).
Find and fix the mistake:
Não fazê-lo.
Vou ___ (ajudar + a).
Quero o ver.
Can you use enclisis after 'não'?
A: Posso ver o livro? B: Sim, pode ___.
o / fazer / não / quero
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesEu quero ___ (fazer + o).
Find and fix the mistake:
Não fazê-lo.
Vou ___ (ajudar + a).
Quero o ver.
Can you use enclisis after 'não'?
A: Posso ver o livro? B: Sim, pode ___.
o / fazer / não / quero
Match: Fazer + o
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesEu não vou ___ agora.
Gostaria de ___ (convidar + te).
Nós vamos pôr-as no carro.
To buy it (comprar + a):
É preciso ___ com cuidado.
É importante respeitar eles.
Vou ___ (beijar + te) agora.
Which ending takes a circumflex?
Vamos vendêlo amanhã.
Vou ___ agora.
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
It's a phonetic rule to make the transition to the pronoun smoother.
No, it's very common in Brazil.
Use 'lhe' for indirect objects, not direct ones.
Yes, in formal writing.
Drop the 's' and add 'lo'.
It's a grammatical rule called proclisis trigger.
It takes practice, but the patterns are consistent.
Learn both, but prioritize proclisis for speaking.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
hacerlo
Spanish doesn't have the proclisis option for infinitives.
le faire
French never uses enclisis with infinitives.
es tun
German has no clitic system.
suru
Japanese is pro-drop.
fi'luhu
Arabic suffixes are mandatory.
zuo ta
Chinese has no clitics.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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