Me dê

Place the phrase at the start of your request. Follow it with the object you want. For example, Me dê o sal means 'Give me the salt'. In Brazil, putting the pronoun me before the verb is the standard way people actually talk. It sounds natural and fluid. Just remember to add a por favor (please) to keep it polite!

Use it in everyday transactions. At a market, say Me dê um quilo de laranjas. At a cafe, try Me dê um café, por favor. It works perfectly with friends too. If a friend is holding your phone, just say Me dê meu celular. It is practical and gets the job done without fuss.

Avoid using it in very formal writing or speeches. In strict grammar, you shouldn't start a sentence with me. In those cases, people use Dê-me. However, in spoken Brazilian Portuguese, Dê-me sounds like you are a character in a 19th-century novel. Also, don't use it with your boss unless you have a very close relationship. It might sound a bit too demanding without the right tone.

Brazilians are generally direct but very warm. While Me dê is an imperative (a command), it doesn't feel bossy if your tone is friendly. There is a famous song by Roberto Carlos called 'Quero que vá tudo pro inferno' where he sings Me dê sua mão. It shows how the phrase is used to ask for connection, not just objects. It is a phrase of proximity.

In Portugal, they almost always say Dê-me. In Brazil, you might hear Me dá in very casual settings. Me dá is the 'tu' or 'você' informal version. Me dê is technically the 'você' formal command, but it is used widely in all neutral settings. If you want to be extra sweet, you can say Me dá aqui while pointing.