How to Use Se with Portuguese Verbs: Names, Feelings, and Actions
In chamar-se or sentir-se, se is part of the verb pattern; learn these combinations in context instead of translating se as one fixed word.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Some Portuguese verbs use a pronoun that refers back to the subject. In ela se chama Ana, se is part of the verb chamar-se (to be called). In ele se sente melhor, se belongs with sentir-se (to feel). The forms change with the subject: me chamo, se chama, nos sentimos.
Recognize an action or state connected back to the subject
This is not always a literal action someone performs on themselves. Some verbs are pronominal in a particular meaning, so learn the whole phrase and its context rather than translating se as ‘oneself’ every time.
Eu me chamo Lucas.
My name is Lucas.
Ela se sente mais confiante hoje.
She feels more confident today.
A gente se encontrou na estação.
We met at the station.
Match the pronoun to the person and notice Brazilian placement
The common subject-pronoun set includes me, te, se, nos, and se for vocês/eles/elas in many everyday Brazilian patterns. In speech, unstressed pronouns often appear before the verb: me chamo, te aviso, se lembra. Formal writing can use different placement, and regional choices vary.
Not every Portuguese verb takes se just because its English translation uses ‘myself’ or ‘each other.’ For a practical start, memorize frequent combinations such as chamar-se, sentir-se, and encontrar-se, then learn new verbs with example sentences.
Você se lembra do nome dela?
Do you remember her name?
Nós nos encontramos depois do trabalho.
We meet each other after work.
Pode se sentar aqui, se quiser.
You can sit here if you’d like.
Put it into practice
Some verbs use a pronoun connected to the subject, as in me chamo or se sente. Learn the verb-plus-pronoun pattern and notice common pre-verbal placement in Brazilian speech.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “You can sit here if you’d like”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Build on this guide with everyday expressions and native Brazilian audio. Choose iPhone, Android, or the web app.