Reflexive Verbs in Brazilian Portuguese: Se, Me, and Te
Reflexive pronouns connect an action to its subject, but many common Portuguese verbs work differently from their English translations.
Real Life Portuguese · 8 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
A reflexive construction can show that the subject performs an action on or for themselves. The pronoun changes with the subject: me (I), te (you, informal in many varieties), se (he, she, you formal, or they), and nos (we). The verb ending still carries important information about who is acting.
Understand what a reflexive pronoun does
Portuguese dictionaries often list these verbs with -se, as in chamar-se (to be called) or sentir-se (to feel). The written ending helps you recognize the verb, but the pronoun moves into the sentence according to Portuguese grammar and style.
Eu me chamo Alex.
My name is Alex. (literally, I call myself Alex.)
Ela se sente melhor hoje.
She feels better today.
Nós nos preparamos para a viagem.
We are getting ready for the trip.
Use reflexive patterns for daily routines
Many routine verbs can describe an action someone does to themselves: levantar-se (to get up), vestir-se (to get dressed), and preparar-se (to get ready). In everyday Brazilian speech, you will also hear pronouns placed before the verb, as in eu me levanto. Formal writing may place them differently.
Do not memorize only the infinitive. Learn the subject, pronoun, and conjugated verb as one phrase. That helps you produce a natural sentence without pausing to rebuild the grammar from English.
Eu me levanto às sete.
I get up at seven.
Você se veste rápido.
You get dressed quickly.
A gente se prepara antes da aula.
We get ready before class.
Notice that not every verb maps directly from English
Some Portuguese verbs commonly appear with a reflexive pronoun even when the English translation does not use “oneself.” Sentir-se bem means “to feel well,” and chamar-se is the ordinary way to give someone’s name. In other cases, a verb can appear with or without a pronoun and the meaning changes.
Treat the pronoun as part of the verb pattern you are learning. A literal English translation can be useful at first, but it may sound unnatural or misleading if you use it as a permanent word-for-word rule.
Como você se chama?
What is your name? (literally, What do you call yourself?)
Ele se lembra da conversa.
He remembers the conversation.
Ela sentou na cadeira.
She sat down on the chair.
Practice one routine from beginning to end
Describe three steps in your morning using first-person phrases, then change one sentence to você or a gente. Notice how the pronoun changes with the subject. Keep the story simple and say it aloud so you practice the sound and order together.
When reading, look for the infinitive with -se and find the subject and pronoun in the sentence. That small check will help you recognize the construction even when it appears in a longer paragraph.
Eu acordo, me levanto e me preparo para trabalhar.
I wake up, get up, and get ready for work.
Como vocês se sentem hoje?
How are you all feeling today?
A gente se encontra depois da aula.
We’ll meet after class.
Put it into practice
Write a three-step routine and underline each subject and reflexive pronoun. Use Real Life Portuguese audio to notice these forms in conversation, and ask an I Speak Portuguese teacher to correct your own routine sentences.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “I get up at seven”?
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.