C2 · The pronouns
The pronoun in elevated language
Where the pronoun stands in careful writing — and what you need to read but hardly ever write.
At a glance
- Remember
- After a behind, after para and sem as you like — and me não is for reading, rarely for writing.
- Form
- para que se não digaso that it is not said (elevated)
- Signal words
- me não
- se não
- para o
- a fazê-lo
- todos se
- Trap
- Wrong:Começou a o ler em voz alta.Right:Começou a lê-lo em voz alta.
Your turn
5 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.
The form
| so that it is not said (elevated) | para que se não diga |
| the same (everyday) | para que não se diga |
| in order to see it | para o ver, para vê-lo |
| without telling me anything | sem me dizer nada |
| she began to read it | começou a lê-lo |
| everybody stood up | todos se levantaram |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
Interpolation: não between pronoun and verb — elevated.
Peço-lhe que me não interrompa.I ask you not to interrupt me.
In everyday language não comes before the pronoun.
Pediu que não o incomodassem.He asked not to be disturbed.
After para, sem and de both are possible, after a the pronoun goes behind.
Liguei para te avisar. / Começou a lê-lo.I called to warn you. / She began to read it.
After a stressed quantifier as subject, careful writing puts it in front.
Todos se levantaram.Everybody stood up.
Example sentences
Fê-lo para que se não dissesse o contrário.He did it so that nobody would claim the opposite.
Saiu sem me dizer nada.He left without telling me anything.
Estou a fazê-lo agora mesmo.I'm doing it right now.
Todos se levantaram quando o juiz entrou.Everybody stood up when the judge came in.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
After para, sem and de the pronoun may stand before the infinitive, and whoever has learned that carries it over to a. There it does not work: a o ler would have to merge into ao ler, and that means « while reading ». After a the pronoun goes behind.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
In everyday language two positions are enough: after the verb in a main clause (diz-se), in front of it after a negation, a question word, a subordinating conjunction and some adverbs (não se diz, que se diz, já se diz). Elevated and older writing knows a few more positions, and those you need to recognise.
*Interpolation*: a não steps in between the fronted pronoun and the verb. Peço-lhe que me não interrompa instead of que não me interrompa, para que se não diga instead of para que não se diga. It sounds literary or legal, roughly as « I know not » does in English, and it is rare in conversation.
With an infinitive after a preposition both positions are common in Portugal: para o ver and para vê-lo, sem me dizer and sem dizer-me. After a, though, the pronoun goes behind, because a and o would merge into ao: começou a lê-lo, estou a fazê-lo.
Careful writing also pulls the pronoun to the front after a stressed quantifier as subject: todos se levantaram, alguém me disse, ambos o sabiam. In conversation you hear it after the verb here too; for your own writing the front position is the safe choice.
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