A2 Pronouns 12 min read Medium

Reflexive Pronouns: Where do they go? (Me lavo vs. Lavo-me)

Negative words like 'não' are magnets that always pull the reflexive pronoun to the front of the verb.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Reflexive pronouns show the action reflects back on the subject; in Brazil, they usually sit before the verb.

  • Use 'me, te, se, nos, se' to show the subject is doing the action to themselves.
  • In Brazilian Portuguese, place the pronoun before the verb: 'Eu me lavo'.
  • In European Portuguese, the pronoun often follows the verb: 'Lavo-me'.
Subject + (Pronoun) + Verb

Overview

Mastering the placement of reflexive pronouns in Portuguese is crucial for advanced learners, transitioning you from basic comprehension to speaking more naturally and idiomatically. These small words – me, te, se, nos, vos – indicate that the subject of the verb is also its object, performing an action upon themselves or each other. Unlike English, where "myself" consistently follows the verb, Portuguese positions these pronouns dynamically: either before the verb (proclisis) or after it (enclisis).

This seemingly minor detail profoundly impacts how your Portuguese sounds, often signaling your regional dialect and level of formality. Brazilians predominantly favor proclisis, placing the pronoun before the verb, even in contexts where Europeans would opt for enclisis. Conversely, European Portuguese adheres more strictly to enclisis as a default, especially when no linguistic "magnet" pulls the pronoun forward.

Understanding the underlying principles governing this placement, rather than just memorizing rules, is key to truly internalizing this aspect of Portuguese grammar.

How This Grammar Works

Portuguese reflexive pronouns operate under a system primarily dictated by syntax and, significantly, by regional preference. The core mechanism revolves around two primary positions relative to the verb: proclisis and enclisis. Historically, enclisis was the standard in all varieties of Portuguese, reflecting a conservative grammatical structure.
However, Brazilian Portuguese evolved, largely due to sociolinguistic factors including the influence of non-standard forms, towards a strong preference for proclisis. This divergence means that while the fundamental rules of "attraction" apply to both, their default applications differ.
Proclisis occurs when the reflexive pronoun precedes the verb. This position is grammatically mandatory in both European and Brazilian Portuguese when certain "attractive" words or phrases are present. For instance, in Eu me levanto cedo, the pronoun me comes before the verb levanto.
This position feels natural and is generally the most common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese, regardless of whether a magnet is present.
Enclisis involves placing the reflexive pronoun immediately after the verb, connected by a hyphen. This was, and largely remains, the default position in European Portuguese when no attractive word dictates proclisis. An example is Levanto-me cedo.
Grammatically, enclisis also occurs when the verb starts a sentence in European Portuguese, a rule often disregarded in informal Brazilian speech. This distinction is one of the most prominent markers between the two major variants of the language.
The concept of "magnetic words" (palavras atrativas) is central to understanding pronoun placement. These are specific adverbs, conjunctions, pronouns, or other elements that exert a syntactic pull, forcing the reflexive pronoun into the proclitic position. This attraction is a fundamental rule in both variants, overriding regional defaults when present.
The linguistic principle at play is often related to the concept of clitic climbing or the desire to avoid starting a prosodic unit (like a sentence) with an unstressed pronoun. The historical shift in BP towards pervasive proclisis simplified the rule set for many speakers, making proclisis the unmarked default.
While largely archaic and confined to highly formal or literary contexts in contemporary Portuguese, mesoclisis is a third, less common placement option. It involves inserting the pronoun within the verb, specifically between the stem and the ending of verbs in the future simple or conditional tenses (e.g., levantar-me-ei). This construction, derived from older grammatical forms, is virtually non-existent in modern spoken Portuguese and is typically only encountered in classic literature, legal documents, or formal speeches in Portugal.
For learners, active use of mesoclisis is strongly discouraged; it will sound unnatural and overly formal.

Formation Pattern

1
The placement of reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, vos) in Portuguese follows a hierarchy of rules, with "magnetic words" overriding default regional preferences. Understanding this hierarchy is key to correct usage. The fundamental distinction lies in whether an attractive word is present immediately before the verb.
2
1. The Overriding Force: "Magnetic Words" (Palavras Atrativas)
3
When any of the following words or structures appear directly before the verb, they act as strong magnets, invariably pulling the reflexive pronoun into the proclitic position (before the verb). This rule applies consistently across both European and Brazilian Portuguese, although BP may still use proclisis even without these magnets.
4
| Category | Magnetic Words/Structures | Example (BP & EP) |
5
|:-------------------|:--------------------------------------------------------------|:--------------------------------------------------|
6
| Negative Terms | não, nunca, jamais, ninguém, nada, nem | Ele não se preocupa. (He doesn't worry.) |
7
| Adverbs | já, sempre, muito, pouco, bem, mal, aqui, ali | Eu sempre me lembro. (I always remember.) |
8
| Interrogative | quem, que, onde, quando, como, por que | Onde se senta o professor? (Where does the teacher sit?) |
9
| Relative | que, quem, onde, cujo, quanto | A pessoa que se formou. (The person who graduated.) |
10
| Subordinating Conjunctions | que, se, quando, embora, para que, como | Espero que se divirtam. (I hope you enjoy yourselves.) |
11
| Indefinite | alguém, ninguém, tudo, nada, todos, vários | Tudo se resolveu. (Everything was resolved.)|
12
| Demonstrative | este, esse, aquele, isto, isso, aquilo (when acting as pronoun before verb) | Isso se aprende. (That is learned.) |
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| Exclamative | Expressions of exclamation | Como me sinto feliz! (How happy I feel!) |
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Crucial Note: The magnetic word must directly precede the verb or verbal phrase. If there's an intervening pause or another clause, the attraction might be weakened or negated.
15
2. Default Placement without Magnetic Words:
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When no magnetic word is present immediately before the verb, the default regional preferences come into play. This is where the most significant difference between Brazilian and European Portuguese emerges.
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European Portuguese (EP) Default: Enclisis
18
In EP, if no attractive word is present, the reflexive pronoun typically goes after the verb, connected by a hyphen. This is the prescriptive norm and often used in formal and informal contexts.
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Rule: Never start a sentence with a pronoun. This is a very strong grammatical rule in EP.
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Example (EP): Levanto-me cedo todos os dias. (I get up early every day.)
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Example (EP): Senta-se por favor. (Sit down, please.)
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Example (EP - after participle): Tendo-se levantado... (Having gotten up...)
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Brazilian Portuguese (BP) Default: Proclisis (Commonly)
24
In spoken and informal BP, proclisis is the overwhelming preference, even when no magnetic word is present. It is generally accepted, though prescriptivists may argue against it.
25
Rule: It is very common to start a sentence with a pronoun in informal BP, defying the EP rule.
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Example (BP): Eu me levanto cedo todos os dias. (I get up early every day.)
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Example (BP): Me senta, por favor. (Sit down, please – informal, common.)
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Example (BP - after participle): Tendo se levantado... (Having gotten up...)
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3. Verbal Phrases (Locuções Verbais):
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Verbal phrases (e.g., estar + gerúndio, ir + infinitivo) introduce more flexibility, especially in BP. A verbal phrase consists of an auxiliary verb (like estar, ir, ter, poder, dever, querer) and a main verb in the infinitive, gerund, or participle form.
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With a Magnetic Word before the auxiliary verb:
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The magnetic word pulls the pronoun to the front of the entire verbal phrase.
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Example: Não se pode queixar. (You can't complain.) - Both BP and EP
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Alternatively, the pronoun can attach to the main verb, but it's less common with strong magnets.
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Example: Não pode queixar-se. (Less common, but grammatically acceptable in EP.)
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Without a Magnetic Word:
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| Context | European Portuguese | Brazilian Portuguese |
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|:--------------------------------------------|:----------------------------------------------------------|:----------------------------------------------------------|
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| Auxiliary + Main Verb (Infinitive/Gerund) | Before auxiliary (less common) or after main verb (most common) | Before auxiliary (most common) or before main verb |
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| Example (Infinitive) | Vou-me levantar. (I'm going to get up.) | Eu me vou levantar. (I'm going to get up.) OR Eu vou me levantar. |\
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| Example (Gerund) | Estou-me lavando. (I'm washing myself.) | Eu me estou lavando. (I'm washing myself.) OR Eu estou me lavando. |
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Important Nuance: In European Portuguese, when a verbal phrase begins a sentence without a magnetic word, the pronoun attaches to the auxiliary verb if the auxiliary is not conjugated (Vou-me levantar) or to the main verb (Estou a lavar-me). If the auxiliary is conjugated and starts the sentence, the pronoun attaches to the auxiliary (Levanto-me para ir). The most consistent rule for EP learners is to attach the pronoun after the conjugated verb unless a magnet is present.
43
Mesoclisis (Archaic for Future/Conditional):
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Only for simple future (futuro do presente) and conditional (futuro do pretérito) tenses when no magnetic word precedes the verb.
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The pronoun is inserted between the verb stem and the ending.
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Example: Ajudar-te-ei. (I will help you.) Dir-se-ia. (One would say.)
47
This is almost exclusively found in highly formal writing or historical texts. Avoid using it in modern conversation.

When To Use It

Reflexive pronouns are indispensable in Portuguese for expressing a wide array of actions where the subject and object are the same, or when denoting reciprocal actions. Their usage extends beyond simple self-directed actions, encompassing idiomatic expressions and grammatical constructions that differ from English.
1. Direct Reflexive Actions:
This is the most straightforward use: the subject performs an action directly upon themselves. These are often actions related to daily routines or personal care. The pronoun must agree in person and number with the subject.
  • Eu me visto. (BP - I get dressed.) / Visto-me. (EP - I get dressed.)
  • Ela se penteia. (She combs her hair.)
  • Nós nos lavamos antes de dormir. (We wash ourselves before sleeping.)
2. Reciprocal Actions:
When two or more subjects perform an action on each other, the plural reflexive pronouns (nos, vos, se) are used. The context usually clarifies whether the action is reciprocal or simply plural reflexive.
  • Eles se abraçaram calorosamente. (They hugged each other warmly.)
  • Nós nos falamos todos os dias. (We speak to each other every day.)
  • Vocês se respeitam muito. (You respect each other a lot.)
3. Idiomatic Reflexive Verbs:
Many verbs in Portuguese are inherently reflexive, or become so to convey a specific meaning, even if their English equivalents are not. These verbs often express states, emotions, or processes rather than direct, physical actions. The se here is often part of the verb's core meaning.
  • Sentir-se (to feel): Ele se sente bem. (He feels good.)
  • Queixar-se (to complain): Ela se queixa muito. (She complains a lot.)
  • Arrepender-se (to regret): Nós nos arrependemos. (We regret it.)
  • Lembrar-se de (to remember): Eu me lembro do nome. (I remember the name.)
  • Esquecer-se de (to forget): Ele se esqueceu do aniversário. (He forgot the birthday.)
4. Impersonal Constructions with se (Passive/Indefinite Subject):
While not strictly reflexive in meaning, the pronoun se is often used in constructions that remove or generalize the agent of an action. The placement rules for this se are identical to those for reflexive pronouns, making it crucial to understand. This se makes the verb either passive or impersonal.
  • Impersonal se (Indefinite Subject): Se vive bem aqui. (One lives well here / People live well here.)
  • Passive Voice with se: Vendem-se casas. (Houses are sold.) / Aluga-se apartamento. (Apartment for rent.)
  • Observation: The choice between Eu me levanto and Levanto-me is often more about regional identity and formality than strict meaning. In Brazil, me levanto is the default and sounds completely natural in almost all contexts. In Portugal, levanto-me is the standard for spoken language without a magnet, with me levanto sounding distinctly Brazilian or very informal.

Common Mistakes

Navigating reflexive pronoun placement is a common stumbling block for Portuguese learners, particularly when confronting the differences between European and Brazilian usage. These errors often stem from overgeneralization or applying rules from one dialect to the other. Becoming aware of these pitfalls can significantly improve your fluency and accuracy.
1. Ignoring Magnetic Words (The "Zombie" Pronoun Error):
This is perhaps the most critical and universally incorrect mistake across both Portuguese variants. Magnetic words always pull the pronoun to the proclitic position. Failing to observe this creates an ungrammatical construction.
  • Incorrect: *Eu não lavo-me. (The não is a magnet, demanding proclisis.)
  • Correct: Eu não me lavo. (Both BP and EP)
  • Explanation: The negative adverb não is a strong attractive force. The pronoun me must immediately follow não and precede the verb lavo. This rule is inviolable in formal and informal contexts.
2. Starting a Sentence with a Pronoun in European Portuguese (EP):
While perfectly acceptable and common in informal Brazilian Portuguese, beginning a sentence with a reflexive pronoun is grammatically incorrect and highly unidiomatic in European Portuguese.
  • Incorrect (EP): *Me levanto cedo.
  • Correct (EP): Levanto-me cedo.
  • Correct (BP informal): Me levanto cedo.
  • Explanation: EP has a strict rule against starting a sentence with an unstressed pronoun. Learners often transfer BP's relaxed usage to EP, resulting in an immediate flag of a non-native speaker. Even in verbal phrases, if the auxiliary verb starts the sentence, the pronoun must be enclitic to it in EP (Vou-me levantar).
3. Misplacing Pronouns in Verbal Phrases (Especially for Learners of EP):
Verbal phrases (auxiliary + main verb) can be confusing. A common error for EP learners is to place the pronoun after the auxiliary verb when it should attach to the infinitive/gerund, or vice-versa.
  • Common Error (EP): *Estou me lavando. (Sounds Brazilian in EP)
  • Correct (EP): Estou-me lavando. (Informal, acceptable) OR Estou lavando-me. (More formal, less common)
  • Correct (BP): Eu me estou lavando. OR Eu estou me lavando.
  • Explanation: In EP, when no magnet is present, if the auxiliary verb is conjugated, the pronoun attaches to it. If the auxiliary is estar + gerund, attaching to estar is common informally, but attaching to the gerund is also possible. In BP, placing the pronoun before the auxiliary or between the auxiliary and the main verb are both extremely common.
4. Confusing Reflexive Pronouns with Direct/Indirect Object Pronouns:
Although they share similar placement rules (proclisis/enclisis), the form and function of reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, vos) are distinct from direct (o, a, os, as) and indirect (lhe, lhes) object pronouns. Learners sometimes incorrectly apply the phonetic changes of direct object pronouns to reflexives.
  • Incorrect: *Eu lavo-o-me. (Mixing o and me incorrectly).
  • Correct: Eu lavo-me (reflexive) or Eu lavo-o (direct object,

Reflexive Pronoun Table

Subject Pronoun (BR) Pronoun (PT) Example
Eu
me
me
Eu me lavo
Tu
te
te
Tu te lavas
Ele/Ela/Você
se
se
Ele se lava
Nós
nos
nos
Nós nos lavamos
Eles/Elas/Vocês
se
se
Eles se lavam

Meanings

Reflexive pronouns indicate that the subject of the verb is also the object of the action.

1

Self-action

Doing something to oneself.

“Eu me penteio.”

“Ela se olha no espelho.”

2

Reciprocal

Doing something to each other.

“Eles se amam.”

“Nós nos abraçamos.”

3

Inherent Reflexive

Verbs that are always reflexive.

“Eu me queixo muito.”

“Ele se arrepende.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Reflexive Pronouns: Where do they go? (Me lavo vs. Lavo-me)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative (BR)
Pronoun + Verb
Eu me visto
Affirmative (PT)
Verb + Pronoun
Visto-me
Negative
Não + Pronoun + Verb
Não me visto
Question
Pronoun + Verb?
Você se veste?
Infinitive
Verb + Pronoun
Vou vestir-me
Gerund
Verb + Pronoun
Estou vestindo-me

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Estou a preparar-me.

Estou a preparar-me. (Getting ready for an event)

Neutral
Estou me preparando.

Estou me preparando. (Getting ready for an event)

Informal
Tô me arrumando.

Tô me arrumando. (Getting ready for an event)

Slang
Tô me montando.

Tô me montando. (Getting ready for an event)

Reflexive Pronoun Map

Reflexive Pronoun

Pronouns

  • me myself
  • te yourself
  • se himself/herself

Usage

  • rotina routine
  • emoção emotion
  • recíproco reciprocal
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Examples by Level

1

Eu me lavo.

I wash myself.

2

Ele se veste.

He gets dressed.

3

Nós nos sentamos.

We sit down.

4

Eu me chamo Ana.

I call myself Ana.

1

Eu não me sinto bem.

I don't feel well.

2

Você se lembra de mim?

Do you remember me?

3

Eles se encontram no parque.

They meet in the park.

4

Nós nos divertimos muito.

We had a lot of fun.

1

Gostaria de lavar-me antes de sair.

I would like to wash myself before leaving.

2

Eles se conhecem há anos.

They have known each other for years.

3

Não se deve falar assim.

One should not speak like that.

4

Ela se arrependeu da decisão.

She regretted the decision.

1

Estou me sentindo melhor hoje.

I am feeling better today.

2

Eles teriam se casado se pudessem.

They would have married if they could.

3

Preciso me preparar para a reunião.

I need to prepare myself for the meeting.

4

Vende-se esta casa.

This house is for sale.

1

Jamais me esquecerei desse dia.

I will never forget that day.

2

Tendo-se em conta os fatos, decidi sair.

Taking the facts into account, I decided to leave.

3

Não se viu nada de estranho.

Nothing strange was seen.

4

Eles se viram obrigados a sair.

They found themselves forced to leave.

1

Viu-se, pois, que a solução era inviável.

It was seen, therefore, that the solution was unfeasible.

2

Não se há de negar a evidência.

One must not deny the evidence.

3

Sentindo-se acuado, ele fugiu.

Feeling cornered, he fled.

4

Eles se hão de encontrar novamente.

They shall meet again.

Easily Confused

Reflexive Pronouns: Where do they go? (Me lavo vs. Lavo-me) vs Direct Object Pronouns

Learners confuse 'me' (reflexive) with 'me' (direct object).

Reflexive Pronouns: Where do they go? (Me lavo vs. Lavo-me) vs Passive 'se'

Learners confuse reflexive 'se' with passive 'se'.

Reflexive Pronouns: Where do they go? (Me lavo vs. Lavo-me) vs Reciprocal 'se'

Learners think 'se' only means 'himself'.

Common Mistakes

✗

Eu lavo.

✓

Eu me lavo.

Missing the reflexive pronoun.
✗

Eu se lavo.

✓

Eu me lavo.

Wrong pronoun for 'Eu'.
✗

Lavo-me eu.

✓

Eu me lavo.

Incorrect word order for Brazil.
✗

Eu lavo-me.

✓

Eu me lavo.

Mixing dialects.
✗

Não lavo-me.

✓

Não me lavo.

Negative word forces pronoun to front.
✗

Ele me lava.

✓

Ele se lava.

Wrong pronoun for third person.
✗

Nós lavamos.

✓

Nós nos lavamos.

Missing reflexive pronoun.
✗

Eles se amam-se.

✓

Eles se amam.

Double pronoun usage.
✗

Quero lavar-me.

✓

Quero me lavar.

Proclisis is preferred in BR.
✗

Ele se arrepende de nada.

✓

Ele não se arrepende de nada.

Missing negative particle.
✗

Vende-se casas.

✓

Vendem-se casas.

Verb must agree with the subject.
✗

Tendo-se visto ele.

✓

Tendo-se visto.

Redundant subject.
✗

Não se viu eles.

✓

Não se viram eles.

Agreement error.
✗

Se viu-se.

✓

Viu-se.

Incorrect placement.

Sentence Patterns

Eu ___ ___ todos os dias.

Você ___ ___ bem?

Nós ___ ___ muito na festa.

Eu não ___ ___ de nada.

Real World Usage

Social Media very common

Eu me divertindo muito!

Texting constant

Tô me arrumando.

Job Interview common

Eu me considero dedicado.

Travel common

Onde posso me hospedar?

Food Delivery occasional

Vou me servir de um café.

News common

Viu-se um aumento nos preços.

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💡

Mirror Rule

Think of the reflexive pronoun as a mirror. If the subject is the object, use the pronoun.
⚠️

Don't skip it

Omitting the pronoun changes the verb meaning entirely.
🎯

Negative First

In negative sentences, the pronoun always goes before the verb, no matter the dialect.
💬

BR vs PT

In Brazil, put it before; in Portugal, put it after.

Smart Tips

You can often choose where to put the pronoun.

Eu quero me lavar. → Eu quero lavar-me.

Always put the pronoun before the verb.

Não lavo-me. → Não me lavo.

Stick to proclisis (before the verb).

Lavo-me. → Eu me lavo.

Stick to enclisis (after the verb).

Eu me lavo. → Lavo-me.

Pronunciation

lavo-me [la-vu-mi]

Enclisis

In Portugal, the pronoun is attached to the verb, often changing the stress.

Question

Você se sente bem? ↑

Rising intonation at the end.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Me, Te, Se, Nos, Se — think of a mirror reflecting back to the 'self'.

Visual Association

Imagine looking in a mirror and seeing yourself doing the action. The pronoun is the reflection.

Rhyme

Eu me lavo, tu te vestes, se ele se penteia, nós nos divertimos na areia.

Story

Ana wakes up. She 'se levanta'. She looks in the mirror and 'se olha'. She feels happy and 'se sente' bem.

Word Web

lavar-sevestir-sesentir-sedivertir-selembrar-searrepender-se

Challenge

Describe your morning routine in 5 sentences using reflexive verbs.

Cultural Notes

Proclisis (pronoun before verb) is the standard in almost all contexts.

Enclisis (pronoun after verb) is standard in formal and neutral speech.

Usage often follows European Portuguese patterns but with local variations.

Reflexive pronouns derive from Latin accusative pronouns (me, te, se).

Conversation Starters

“

Como você se sente hoje?

“

Você se lembra da nossa última aula?

“

Como vocês se conheceram?

“

Você se arrepende de alguma decisão?

Journal Prompts

Write about your morning routine.
Describe a time you felt happy.
How do you prepare for a big day?
Reflect on your language learning journey.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Eu ___ lavo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me
Eu requires 'me'.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Eles ___ amam.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: se
Eles requires 'se'.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Eu lavo-me.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu me lavo
Brazilian standard is proclisis.
Make it negative. Sentence Transformation

Eu me visto.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Não me visto
Negative forces proclisis.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Como você está? B: Eu ___ sinto bem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me
Eu requires 'me'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

divertimos / nos / nós

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos divertimos
Subject + Pronoun + Verb.
Sort by dialect. Grammar Sorting

Which is European?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Lavo-me
Enclisis is typical of PT.
Match subject to pronoun. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me
Eu matches me.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Eu ___ lavo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me
Eu requires 'me'.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Eles ___ amam.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: se
Eles requires 'se'.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Eu lavo-me.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu me lavo
Brazilian standard is proclisis.
Make it negative. Sentence Transformation

Eu me visto.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Não me visto
Negative forces proclisis.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Como você está? B: Eu ___ sinto bem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me
Eu requires 'me'.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

divertimos / nos / nós

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos divertimos
Subject + Pronoun + Verb.
Sort by dialect. Grammar Sorting

Which is European?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Lavo-me
Enclisis is typical of PT.
Match subject to pronoun. Match Pairs

Eu -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me
Eu matches me.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

11 exercises
Choose the correct form. Fill in the Blank

Eu sempre ___ (lembrar) de você.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me lembro
Select the correct negative sentence. Multiple Choice

How do you say 'He doesn't shave'?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ele não se barbeia.
Correct the mistake. Error Correction

Nós não falamos-nos mais.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós não nos falamos mais.
Which is the European Portuguese preference? Multiple Choice

I get up at 7.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Levanto-me às 7.
Fill in the blank. Fill in the Blank

Quando ___ (sentir) triste, me ligue.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: você se sentir
Complete the phrase. Fill in the Blank

É importante que eles ___ (ajudar).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: se ajudem
Find the error. Error Correction

Quem importa-se com isso?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Quem se importa com isso?
Which is correct for 'We love each other'? Multiple Choice

Select the best option.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós nos amamos.
Complete the routine description. Fill in the Blank

De manhã, eu ___ (pentear) o cabelo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me penteio
Select the correct form with 'já'. Multiple Choice

Start text: 'He has already dressed.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ele já se vestiu.
Fix the placement. Error Correction

Jamais esquecerei-me de ti.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jamais me esquecerei de ti.

Score: /11

FAQ (8)

They are essential for daily routines and describing personal states.

Yes, in both Brazilian and European Portuguese.

Yes, they are standard in all registers.

Negative words force the pronoun to the front.

The meaning changes, often making the sentence nonsensical.

Yes, 'se' is the pronoun, 'si' is a prepositional form.

Usually, it describes a personal action or state.

Yes, placement is the main difference.

Scaffolded Practice

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4

Mastery Progress

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Me lavo

Placement rules are slightly more rigid in Spanish.

French moderate

Je me lave

French does not have the enclisis option.

German partial

Ich wasche mich

German pronouns are not clitics.

Japanese low

Jibun de...

Japanese does not use clitics.

Arabic low

Nafsi

Arabic is not a clitic-based system.

Chinese low

Ziji

Chinese has no verb conjugation.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Portuguese Reflexive Verbs: Doing Actions to Yourself (Verbos Reflexivos)

Learn These First

A2 Requires

Portuguese Reflexive Verbs: Doing Actions to Yourself (Verbos Reflexivos)

Overview Portuguese reflexive verbs, or `verbos reflexivos`, describe an action where the subject is also the object. I...

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