Where Do Pronouns Go in Brazilian Portuguese? Me Disseram and Common Patterns
Brazilian speakers often place unstressed object pronouns before the verb in speech, even when formal grammar guides emphasize other patterns.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, an unstressed pronoun commonly comes before a conjugated verb: me falaram (they told me), te entendo (I understand you), and se chama (is called). This is called próclise.
Start with the pattern you will hear
The pronoun is attached in writing, but it is usually pronounced as part of the phrase. Learn the whole chunk rather than translating word by word from English.
Me avisaram ontem.
They let me know yesterday.
Te mando o endereço agora.
I’ll send you the address now.
A gente se encontra lá.
We’ll meet there.
Notice how a word before the verb can attract the pronoun
Negative words, question words, and certain connecting words typically place the pronoun before the verb in standard grammar. The same placement is natural in Brazilian speech.
With an infinitive, several options may occur across registers and regions. Vou te ligar is common in Brazil; ligar-te belongs to a more formal or literary pattern and is not the default conversational choice for many speakers.
Não me falaram o horário.
They didn’t tell me the time.
Quem te ensinou essa expressão?
Who taught you that expression?
Vou te ligar quando chegar.
I’ll call you when I arrive.
Put it into practice
For conversation, recognize and practice common Brazilian chunks such as me disseram and vou te ligar. In formal writing, follow the style guide required for that context.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “We’ll meet there”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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