Small words like me, te, o, a, lhe, nos make your Portuguese smoother and more natural. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to choose between direct and indirect object pronouns, where to put them in a sentence, and the key differences between Brazil and Portugal. We’ll keep it practical with everyday verbs like ver, dar, ligar, emprestar, and devolver.

What are objects, anyway?

When a verb acts on something, that “something” is the object.

• Direct object: receives the action directly.
  • Eu vejo você. (I see you.)
• Indirect object: receives the result of the action through a preposition (usually para/a).
  • Eu dou flores para você. (I give flowers to you.)

Object pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition and keep sentences short.

Direct object pronouns in action

Use direct pronouns when the verb acts straight on the person.

Eu vejo todos os dias.

Note on usage:

• Brazil (informal speech): Eu vi você. (very common)
• More formal/written (and common in Portugal): Eu o vi / Eu a vi.

Both are correct in context, but the style differs by region and formality.

Indirect object pronouns

Use indirect pronouns for “to/for someone,” often with verbs like dar (to give), dizer (to say/tell), telefonar/ligar (to call), mandar/enviar (to send), emprestar (to lend).

Eu lhe amo. → Eu te amo. ‘Amar’ takes a direct object. Use ‘te’ (or ‘o/a’ formally), not ‘lhe’.

Ela deu um presente.

Where do pronouns go?

Placement can change by country and context. At A2, focus on these common patterns:

• Brazil (everyday speech): pronoun usually before the verb (proclisis).
  • Ela me ligou. (She called me.)
  • Eu te chamo mais tarde. (I’ll call you later.)
• Portugal (often in affirmative sentences): pronoun after the verb with a hyphen (enclisis).
  • Ligou-me.
  • Chama-me mais tarde.

Mini-dialogue: books and favors

Let’s order the conversation. Pay attention to me/te + verbs like emprestar and devolver.

Verb focus: ver (present)

You’ll use ver all the time with direct objects. Here’s the present tense:

Combine with pronouns:

• Eu te vejo. (I see you.)
• Ela nos vê todos os dias. (She sees us every day.)
• Em Portugal: Vê-me agora? (Do you see me now?)

Nós ajudamos ontem.

Quick quiz: choose wisely

Wrap-up and what to practice next

• Direct pronouns (me, te, o/a, nos, os/as) go with verbs like ver, amar, ajudar.
• Indirect pronouns (me, te, lhe, nos, lhes) go with verbs like dar, dizer, ligar/telefonar, emprestar.
• Brazil favors pronouns before the verb (me liga), and often uses para + você/ele/ela instead of lhe in speech. Portugal often puts pronouns after the verb in affirmative sentences (liga-me).

Practice tips:

• Write three sentences with ver using te, me, and nos.
• Write two sentences with dar using me and para você.
• Try converting Brazil-style “Ela me ligou” to Portugal-style “Ligou-me.”

You’ve got this! With a little practice, these tiny words will make your Portuguese sound clear, friendly, and natural.