Object Pronoun Placement: Proclisis

Proclisis is all about the "attractor words." These are specific words that have a magnetic pull. They sit before the verb and demand the pronoun stay close. Imagine you are at a party. You see your best friend (the attractor). You are going to stand next to them, right? You won't go to the other side of the room. In this grammar rule, the pronoun is you. The attractor word is your friend. The verb is the room. If the friend is there, you stay in front of the verb. If the friend is gone, you might wander to the back. This is the most common placement in Brazilian Portuguese. Even without a magnet, Brazilians love proclisis. However, for exams or formal writing, you need the magnets.

1. 1Setting up proclisis is a simple three-step process.
2. 2Identify your main verb. For example, amo (I love).
3. 3Check for an attractor word before the verb. Let's use não (not).
4. 4Place the object pronoun between the attractor and the verb.
5. 5Result: Não te amo (I don't love you).
6. 6Notice how te jumped in front of amo? Without the não, you would say Amo-te (in Portugal) or just Te amo (in casual Brazil). But with não, the pronoun has no choice. It must go before the verb. It is a grammatical law. Breaking it won't land you in jail. But it might make a grammar teacher cry.

There are several "Magnet Categories" you should memorize.

• Negative words: não, nunca, jamais, ninguém. (e.g., Nunca me ligaste).
• Relative pronouns: que, quem, qual. (e.g., O rapaz que te viu).
• Indefinite pronouns: tudo, alguém, pouco, algo. (e.g., Alguém me chamou).
• Adverbs: hoje, sempre, talvez, aqui. (e.g., Sempre te disse a verdade).
• Subordinating conjunctions: quando, se, porque, embora. (e.g., Quando o encontrei).
• Interrogative words: quem, onde, como. (e.g., Quem te contou?).

Imagine you are in a job interview. You want to say "Someone recommended me." You use an indefinite pronoun: Alguém me recomendou. It sounds professional and correct. Or you are ordering food and want to say "Don't bring me the bill." You use a negative: Não me traga a conta.

There is one golden rule in Portuguese grammar. Never, ever start a sentence with an object pronoun. At least, not in formal writing.

• Wrong: Me empresta o livro? (Very common in Brazil, but technically a "mistake").
• Right: Empresta-me o livro?

Also, if there is a comma or a pause, the magnet loses its power.

• Example: Ontem, vi-o no parque.

Because of the comma after Ontem, the adverb can't pull the pronoun. The comma acts like a glass wall. The magnet can't reach through it. It is like trying to use your remote control through a lead shield. It just won't work.

The biggest mistake is ignoring the "que" magnet. The word que is the strongest magnet in the Portuguese language. It is like a black hole; nothing escapes it. If you see que, the pronoun must go before the verb.

• ✗ O livro que deu-me...
• ✓ O livro que me deu...

Another mistake is using proclisis after a pause.

• ✗ Hoje, se faz sol.
• ✓ Hoje, faz-se sol.

Don't worry if you mess this up sometimes. Even native speakers in Brazil use proclisis almost 100% of the time. They even start sentences with pronouns. But if you are writing an essay or talking to a diplomat, follow the magnets.

Proclisis (Before) vs. Enclisis (After).

In Portugal, Enclisis is the default. You say Amo-te.

In Brazil, Proclisis is the default. You say Te amo.

However, when a magnet appears, both dialects agree. They both use Proclisis.

• Portugal: Não te amo.
• Brazil: Não te amo.

See? Magnets bring people together. It is the one time everyone agrees on where the pronoun should live. It is like a family reunion where everyone finally stops arguing about the barbecue.