Reflexive Pronoun Placement

In Portuguese, pronoun placement is like a game of tug-of-war. We call it "Colocação Pronominal." There are three main positions: Proclisis (before the verb), Enclisis (after the verb), and Mesoclisis (in the middle). Don't let those big names scare you! For now, focus on the first two. Most of the time, certain words act like magnets. They pull the pronoun toward the front. If there is no magnet, the pronoun usually relaxes after the verb. In casual Brazilian Portuguese, the "magnet" rule is very relaxed. Almost everyone puts the pronoun before the verb. However, if you are writing a formal email or taking a test, you need to know the official rules. It is like a grammar traffic light—green means go ahead, red means stop and check for magnets.

1. 1The Magnet Rule (Proclise): Put the pronoun before the verb if there is an "attractor" word. These are words like não (not), sempre (always), or que (that).
2. 2Example: Não me lavo (I don't wash myself).
3. 3The Default Rule (Ênclise): Put the pronoun after the verb with a hyphen if there is no magnet or if you are starting a sentence.
4. 4Example: Lavo-me (I wash myself).
5. 5The Verb Phrase Rule: When you have two verbs together (like vou lavar), the pronoun can usually go in the middle or at the end.
6. 6Example: Vou me lavar or Vou lavar-me.

You will use reflexive placement every time you talk about your routine. Think about waking up, getting dressed, or feeling happy. These all use reflexive pronouns!

• Negatives: Words like não, nunca, and jamais are the strongest magnets. They always pull the pronoun to the front.
• Questions: Words like quem, qual, and por que also act as magnets.
• Relative Clauses: If you use the word que, the pronoun stays in front.
• Adverbs: Words like hoje, sempre, and talvez usually pull the pronoun forward.

Imagine you are in a job interview. Using the correct placement shows you have great attention to detail. It is like wearing a nice suit for your sentences!

There is one golden rule in formal Portuguese: Never start a sentence with a reflexive pronoun.

• Wrong: Me chamo Paulo.
• Right: Chamo-me Paulo.

Now, here is the secret. In Brazil, everyone says Me chamo Paulo when talking to friends. It is totally fine in the streets! But if you are writing a letter to the President (or your Portuguese grandmother), stick to Chamo-me. Think of it like a grammar tuxedo. You don't wear a tuxedo to the beach, and you don't use hyper-formal grammar at a BBQ. Just remember: if you start with the verb, the pronoun goes to the back.

• Starting with "Me": This is the #1 mistake for learners. Even if you hear Brazilians do it, try to avoid it in class.
• Forgetting the Hyphen: If the pronoun goes after the verb, it needs a little bridge. Lavo me is wrong; Lavo-me is right.
• Ignoring Magnets: If you say Não lavo-me, you are fighting the magnetic pull of não. The não is too strong! It must be Não me lavo.
• Overthinking: Don't freeze up! Even native speakers mess this up sometimes. If you are in Brazil, just put it before the verb. You'll be right 90% of the time.

You might confuse reflexive pronouns with object pronouns (like o, a, os, as). The good news? They follow the exact same placement rules! The only difference is the meaning. Reflexive means "to myself," while object pronouns mean "him/her/it."

• Reflexive: Eu me vejo (I see myself).
• Object: Eu o vejo (I see him).

Both use the same "magnet" rules. If you master one, you master both. It's a two-for-one deal!