Indirect Object Pronouns: Me, Te, Lhe, Nos, Lhes

Imagine you are at a busy restaurant. You want to tell the waiter something. You don't say 'I tell the waiter the order'. You say 'I tell him the order'. The 'him' is the indirect object pronoun. In Portuguese, this is lhe. These pronouns replace the 'to someone' part. They usually sit right before the verb. This is very common in Brazilian Portuguese. In Portugal, they often go after the verb. For now, let's focus on the Brazilian style. It is simpler for many beginners. You use me for 'to me'. You use te for 'to you' (informal). You use lhe for 'to him', 'to her', or 'to you' (formal). For 'to us', use nos. For 'to them', use lhes. It is like a delivery service for words. The verb is the package. The pronoun is the address. Without the address, the package gets lost.

1. 1Identify the person receiving the action.
2. 2Choose the matching pronoun from the list.
3. 3Place the pronoun before the conjugated verb.
4. 4If the sentence is negative, keep it before the verb.
5. 5For me (to me), use me.
6. 6For te (to you, informal), use te.
7. 7For lhe (to him/her/you formal), use lhe.
8. 8For nos (to us), use nos.
9. 9For lhes (to them/you all), use lhes.
10. 10Example: Eu te dou um presente.
11. 11'Eu' is the subject.
12. 12'te' is the pronoun (to you).
13. 13'dou' is the verb (give).
14. 14'um presente' is the object.
15. 15It is a very logical sequence.

Use these pronouns with verbs of communication. This includes dizer (to say) and contar (to tell). Use them with verbs of giving. This includes dar (to give) and entregar (to deliver). Use them when you do a favor. Verbs like fazer or pedir work well here. Imagine a job interview scenario. You want to say 'I will tell you my experience'. You would say Eu lhe conto minha experiência. It sounds professional and smooth. Use them when ordering food too. Ele nos traz a conta means 'He brings us the bill'. It is perfect for daily life. Use them when asking for directions. Você pode me dizer onde é o metrô?. This means 'Can you tell me where the subway is?'. These pronouns are everywhere in Brazil. They make you sound polite. They also make you sound efficient.

Do not use these for direct actions. If you see someone, don't use lhe. Seeing is a direct action. For 'I see him', use Eu o vejo. Indirect pronouns need a 'to' or 'for' logic. Do not use them for physical movement to a place. If you go to the beach, don't use me. Use Eu vou à praia. These pronouns are for people, not places. Also, avoid using lhe if you are being very informal in Brazil. Many Brazilians prefer para você in casual chats. But lhe is never wrong. It just sounds a bit more 'fancy'. Think of it like wearing a nice suit. You don't wear a suit to the beach. But you wear it to a wedding.

Many learners use lhe for 'him' as a direct object. This is the most common trap. Remember: lhe is 'to him', not just 'him'. Another mistake is mixing up te and lhe. Use te for friends and family. Use lhe for your boss or strangers. Don't forget the plural lhes. People often use the singular lhe for 'them'. This is common in speech but wrong in writing. It is like a grammar speed bump. Just slow down and check the number of people. Another mistake is pronoun placement. In negative sentences, the pronoun must stay before the verb. Não lhe digo nada is correct. Não digo-lhe nada is wrong. Don't worry, even the pros trip here. Just keep practicing every day.

Direct object pronouns are different. They are o, a, os, and as. They replace the thing itself. Indirect pronouns replace the person receiving the thing.

Direct: Eu o vi (I saw him).

Indirect: Eu lhe dei o livro (I gave him the book).

See the difference? In the first, 'he' is what I see. In the second, 'he' receives the book. Think of direct as 'the target'. Think of indirect as 'the recipient'. In English, 'him' looks the same for both. In Portuguese, we like to be specific. It is like having different keys for different doors. You wouldn't use your car key for your house. Don't use a direct pronoun for an indirect job.