A2 (Elementary)Lesson 3: Reflexive Pronouns & Daily Routines
Reflexive pronouns (me, se, nos) show that the subject does something to itself — they're the backbone of talking about your daily routine. The good news for Brazil: one form, se, covers almost everyone, and the pronoun almost always sits right before the verb.
me = myself (eu)
se = yourself / himself / herself / themselves (você, ele, ela, vocês, eles, elas — and a gente)
nos = ourselves (nós)
In Brazil, se covers almost everyone (você and a gente rule the day)
Placement: the pronoun comes before the verb — Eu me visto, not visto-me
Even before an auxiliary: Vou me deitar, Estou me arrumando
Some verbs shift meaning: chamar (to call) vs chamar-se (to be named)
Daily-routine verbs are often reflexive: levantar-se, vestir-se, deitar-se
subject + reflexive pronoun (me / se / nos) + verb — in Brazil the pronoun goes before the verb (Eu me levanto), even before an auxiliary (Vou me deitar)
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You can't talk about your daily routine without reflexive pronouns! From "Me levanto às 7" (I get up at 7) to "Como você se chama?" (What's your name?), these little words are everywhere. They're the difference between lavar (to wash something) and se lavar (to wash yourself), vestir (to dress someone) and se vestir (to get dressed). Master them and you can narrate your whole day, from waking up to going to bed — and finally understand Brazilians rattling off their routines.
| Subject | Reflexive Pronoun | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eu | me | Eu me levanto | I get up |
| Você/Ele/Ela | se | Ela se veste | She gets dressed |
| Nós | nos | Nós nos preparamos | We get ready |
| Vocês/Eles/Elas | se | Eles se lavam | They wash up |
In Brazil, se does most of the work: with você replacing tu and a gente often replacing nós, it's the form you'll reach for the vast majority of the time. (Te exists but is much rarer.)
"Acordo às 6:30, mas só me levanto às 7. Primeiro me espreguiço, depois vou ao banheiro. Me lavo, escovo os dentes e tomo banho. Me visto enquanto tomo café. Me arrumo rapidamente e saio." (I wake up at 6:30, but I only get up at 7. First I stretch, then I go to the bathroom. I wash up, brush my teeth, and take a shower. I get dressed while I have coffee. I get ready quickly and head out.)
"Durante a semana, me preparo para o trabalho cedo. Me visto de forma mais formal — não me sinto confortável de bermuda no escritório. Nós nos reunimos às 9h para a reunião diária. À tarde, me canso um pouco, então me levanto e caminho." (During the week, I get ready for work early. I dress more formally — I don't feel comfortable in shorts at the office. We meet at 9 for the daily meeting. In the afternoon, I get a little tired, so I get up and walk around.)
"No fim de semana, me permito acordar tarde. Não me preocupo com horário. Me visto com calma, me alimento bem. À tarde, me divirto com os amigos — nós nos encontramos no shopping ou na praia." (On the weekend, I let myself sleep in. I don't worry about the clock. I get dressed at my own pace and eat well. In the afternoon, I have fun with friends — we meet up at the mall or the beach.)
"Me exercito três vezes por semana. Primeiro me aqueço por dez minutos. Depois do treino, me alongo bem. Me sinto muito melhor quando me exercito com regularidade." (I work out three times a week. First I warm up for ten minutes. After the workout, I stretch well. I feel much better when I exercise regularly.)
Some verbs never take a reflexive pronoun:
"Vou embora." (I'm leaving.) — not me vou embora
"Fico em casa." (I stay home.) — not me fico
"Pareço cansado." (I look tired.) — not me pareço
A few verbs work both ways:
acordar or acordar-se (wake up) — in Brazil, plain acordo is far more common
"Esqueci" or "Me esqueci" (I forgot)
"Lembrei" or "Me lembrei" (I remembered)
The Brazilian habit this lesson teaches — putting the little pronoun before the verb — is so iconic it has its own poem. In 1925 the modernist Oswald de Andrade wrote Pronominais, contrasting the grammar book's "Dê-me um cigarro" with how Brazilians really talk: "Me dá um cigarro." A century later, opening a sentence with the pronoun is still unmistakably Brazilian — and still makes purists wince.
Sources: A colocação pronominal no português brasileiro — Ciência UFPR
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