A2Lesson 5: Object Pronouns & Basic Placement

Communicative function: avoiding repetition, fluent speech

Brazilian Portuguese uses pronouns, pro-forms, ellipsis, and reference words to avoid repetition and create smooth, natural-sounding speech, with specific patterns that differ from written language and formal registers.

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Personal pronouns replace names:

First mention: "Maria chegou ontem"
Next mentions: "Ela estava cansada"

Object pronouns replace things:

"Comprei um livro. O li ontem" (I bought a book. I read it yesterday)
"Conhece São Paulo? Moro lá" (Know São Paulo? I live there)

Possessives avoid repetition:

"Esse é o carro do João. O dele é azul" (That's João's car. His is blue)

Pro-forms: The Swiss Army Knives

ISSO/ISSO AÍ (this/that thing just mentioned):

"Ele pediu demissão." "Isso me surpreendeu!" (He quit. That surprised me!)
"Vamos viajar amanhã." "Isso aí!" (We're traveling tomorrow. That's right!)

Communicative function: avoiding repetition, fluent speech

Related topics

Basic Pronoun Substitution

Personal pronouns replace names:

Object pronouns replace things:

Possessives avoid repetition:

Pro-forms: The Swiss Army Knives

ISSO/ISSO AÍ (this/that thing just mentioned):

AQUILO (that thing further away/before):