Portuguese conjugation explanation

Compulsory proclisis

<p>Whether we place a reflexive pronoun before the verb (proclisis, e.g. Eu te amo.) or after the verb (enclisis, e.g. Eu amo-te.) usually depends on:</p>

<ul>

<li>the dialect we are using (Brazilian or Portuguese),</li>

<li>whether it is written or spoken language,</li>

<li>whether we are in a formal or informal situation.</li>

</ul>

<p>However, there are <strong>several cases when placing the pronoun before the verb is compulsory</strong>:</p>

<ul>

<li>in <strong>negative</strong> sentences,</li>

<li>in <strong>interrogative</strong> sentences introduced by a question word,</li>

<li>after <strong>subordinating conjunction or preposition</strong>,</li>

<li>after <strong>adverbs</strong>,</li>

<li>after <strong>indefinite pronouns</strong>.</li>

</ul>

<p>Let's see some examples for all of these cases.<p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Negative sentences</div>

<ul>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eu <strong>não</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">me atrasarei</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I won't be late.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Nunca</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">te lembras</span> do aniversário do teu pai. (<span style="font-style: italic;">You never remember your father's birthday.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Jamais</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">nos esqueceremos</span> de ti. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We will never forget you.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Ninguém</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se importa</span> com a minha situação. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Nobody cares about my situation.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Na natureza <strong>nada</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se cria</span>, <strong>nada</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se perde</span>, tudo se transforma. (<span style="font-style: italic;">In nature, nothing is created, nothing is lost, everything is transformed.</span>)</div></li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Interrogative sentences introduced by a question word</div>

<ul>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Onde</strong> eu <span class="green_emphasis">me sento</span>? (<span style="font-style: italic;">Where do I sit?</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Como</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">te sentes</span> hoje? (<span style="font-style: italic;">How do you feel today?</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Quem</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se importa</span> com isso? (<span style="font-style: italic;">Who cares about that?</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Quando</strong> eles <span class="green_emphasis">se casaram</span>? (<span style="font-style: italic;">When did they get married?</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Porque</strong> (EU)/ <strong>Por que</strong> (BR) <span class="green_emphasis">te desculpas</span> de algo que não fizeste? (<span style="font-style: italic;">Why do you apologize for something you didn't do? </span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Quantas</strong> vezes por semana tu <span class="green_emphasis">te banhas</span>? (<span style="font-style: italic;">How many times a week do you take a bath?</span>)</div></li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">After subordinating conjunctions and prepositions</div>

<ul>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">É a isto <strong>que</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">me refiro</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">This is what I am referring to.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Vamos achar algum lugar <strong>para</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">nos sentarmos</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Let's find somewhere to sit down.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ele foi suspenso <strong>porque</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se comportou</span> mal. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He was suspended because he misbehaved.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eu gosto do modo <strong>como</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">te exprimes</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I like the way you express yourself.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">A vila acabou <strong>por</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se esvaziar</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The village eventually emptied out.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eu não quero, mas tenho <strong>de</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">me levantar</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I don't want to, but I have to get up.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Não parava de falar <strong>em</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se mudar</span> para a América. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He kept talking about moving to America.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Seria bom <strong>se</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">nos apressássemos</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">It would be good if we hurried.</span>)</div></li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">After adverbs</div>

<ul>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Já</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">te esqueceste</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">You've already forgotten.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Um dia <strong>talvez</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se realize</span> esse sonho. (<span style="font-style: italic;">One day this dream might come true.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eu <strong>pouco</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">me importo</span> com as opiniões dos outros. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I don't really care about others' opinions.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Hoje</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">me sinto</span> seu amigo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Today I feel like his friend.</span>)</div></li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">After indefinite pronouns</div>

<ul>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Tudo</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se resolverá</span> no tempo certo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Everything will work out in due time.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Todos</strong> os ovos <span class="green_emphasis">se estragaram</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">All the eggs have gone bad.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Alguém</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se opõe</span> ao novo plano? (<span style="font-style: italic;">Is anyone opposed to the new plan?</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Alguns</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se atrasaram</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Some of them were late.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Ambos</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se sentaram</span>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">They both sat down.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Poucos</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se lembram</span> do meu aniversário. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Few people remember my birthday.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Algo</strong> <span class="green_emphasis">se passava</span> com ela. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Something was wrong with her.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Muitos</strong> cidadãos <span class="green_emphasis">se juntaram</span> ao exército. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Many citizens joined the army.</span>)</div></li>

<li><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Os <strong>outros</strong> países <span class="green_emphasis">se opuseram</span> ao projecto. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The other countries opposed the project.</span>)</div></li>

</ul>