Portuguese Reflexive Verbs: How to Use Me, Te, Se & Nos
Brazilian Portuguese grammar
When Me, Te, Se and Nos Become Part of the Verb
Portuguese reflexive verbs are not just a list of verbs with se. Sometimes the subject really acts on itself, as in Ela se cortou. Sometimes two people act on each other, as in Eles se abraçaram. And sometimes the pronoun is simply part of how the verb works, as in Eu me lembro, Ela se arrependeu, or Você se chama…. This guide shows you how those patterns work in real Brazilian Portuguese.
Start with the idea
What Is a Reflexive Verb in Portuguese?
In the clearest reflexive pattern, the subject performs an action and receives that same action. English often expresses this with myself, yourself, himself, herself, ourselves, and themselves.
Not reflexive
Ela cortou o pão.
She cut the bread.
The action goes from ela to another object.
Reflexive
Ela se cortou.
She cut herself.
The subject and the person affected by the action are the same.
A useful test for a genuinely reflexive meaning is whether an expression such as a si mesmo / a si mesma makes sense:
He hurt himself.
Ele machucou a si mesmo. is possible as an emphatic version.
But this test immediately reveals something important: not every Portuguese verb used with se is truly reflexive. With a verb such as arrepender-se, the pronoun belongs to the verb, but the meaning is not “to repent oneself.” That is why learners need a broader category than “reflexive verbs.”
The core forms
Portuguese Reflexive Pronouns
| Subject | Reflexive form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| eu | me | Eu me cortei. | I cut myself. |
| tu | te | Tu te machucaste. | You hurt yourself. |
| você / ele / ela | se | Ela se olhou no espelho. | She looked at herself in the mirror. |
| nós | nos | Nós nos encontramos cedo. | We met / found each other early, depending on context. |
| vocês / eles / elas | se | Eles se abraçaram. | They hugged each other. |
For learners focused on Brazilian Portuguese, the highest-value everyday pattern is therefore:
eu → me
Eu me lembro.
você / ele / ela / a gente → se
Você se lembra.
A gente se lembra.
nós → nos
Nós nos lembramos.
You will also hear regional variation with tu. For a broad learner base, recognize it without trying to force all of Brazil into one conjugation chart.
The distinction most textbooks blur
Three Different Patterns That Look Similar
The same little pronouns can do very different jobs. Keeping these three patterns separate makes the entire topic easier.
1. True reflexive action
The subject acts on itself.
I cut myself while cooking.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
2. Reciprocal action
Two or more people perform the action toward each other.
The friends hugged each other.
We talk to each other every week.
Context usually tells you whether se means “themselves” or “each other.” When you need to remove ambiguity, Portuguese can add um ao outro / uma à outra / uns aos outros.
3. Pronominal verbs
With these verbs, the pronoun is part of the lexical pattern. The meaning is not literally reflexive.
I regret it / I repent.
She complained about the noise.
Do you remember him?
Trying to translate the pronoun as “myself / yourself / herself” in these sentences will often produce nonsense. Learn the whole verb pattern, not just the base infinitive.
High-value vocabulary
Common Reflexive and Pronominal Verbs in Brazilian Portuguese
| Verb | Natural meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| chamar-se | to be called / to be named | Eu me chamo Lucas. |
| lembrar-se (de) | to remember | Você se lembra disso? |
| esquecer-se (de) | to forget | Eu me esqueci da chave. |
| sentir-se | to feel / to feel oneself in a state | Ela se sente melhor hoje. |
| arrepender-se (de) | to regret | Ele se arrependeu da decisão. |
| queixar-se (de) | to complain | Ela se queixou do atendimento. |
| preocupar-se (com) | to worry about | Não se preocupe com isso. |
| acostumar-se (a/com) | to get used to | Eu me acostumei ao horário. |
| apaixonar-se (por) | to fall in love with | Ele se apaixonou pelo Brasil. |
| divertir-se | to have fun / enjoy oneself | A gente se divertiu muito. |
| machucar-se | to hurt oneself / get hurt | Ela se machucou no treino. |
| vestir-se | to get dressed | Eu me vesti rápido. |
Do not memorize this as an alphabetical exception list. Learn each verb with the preposition and sentence pattern it normally requires: lembrar-se de, preocupar-se com, apaixonar-se por, and so on.
One verb, different structure
How the Pronoun Can Change the Meaning or Grammar
chamar vs. chamar-se
I called Ana.
My name is Ana.
sentir vs. sentir-se
I felt a pain.
I felt tired.
lembrar vs. lembrar-se de
That reminds me of my childhood.
I remember my childhood.
esquecer vs. esquecer-se de
I forgot the key.
I forgot the key.
Where the pronoun goes
Pronoun Placement in Real Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese strongly favors pronouns before the main verb in ordinary conversation. That gives you very useful patterns:
One verb
Eu me lembro.
Ela se chama Marina.
A gente se preocupa.
Two-verb structures
Eu vou me mudar.
Ela está se preparando.
Você precisa se acostumar.
In more monitored writing, you may encounter placements that sound formal or literary in Brazil, such as lembrou-se, chama-se, or prepare-se. These forms are important to recognize, but they are not the only patterns you need for Brazilian conversation.
Brazilian usage
What You Will Actually Hear in Brazil
Real Brazilian Portuguese is especially useful here because several verbs do not behave exactly like simplified textbook lists suggest.
Levantar can appear with or without a reflexive pronoun
I got up early.
I got up early.
Both patterns occur in Brazilian Portuguese. The version without me is especially common in everyday speech. That means you should not assume that every concept expressed reflexively in one context requires the pronoun in every Brazilian sentence.
Casar and mudar also show variation
She got married last year.
I moved to São Paulo.
The choice can depend on verb meaning, region, register, and individual usage. For learners, the practical lesson is to recognize both patterns and avoid turning a tendency into an absolute rule.
Lembrar is another important Brazilian case
I remember that.
I remember that.
The first version is structurally transparent as a pronominal verb. The second is also widespread in Brazil. If your goal is real communication, you need to understand why both may appear.
Not “themselves” every time
When Se Means “Each Other”
With a plural subject, a reflexive-looking construction can actually be reciprocal:
They hugged each other.
The two friends met each other at the station.
We’ll talk later / We’ll talk to each other later.
When the sentence could be ambiguous, add an explicit reciprocal expression:
They helped each other.
This is one reason translating se word by word is unreliable. Its job comes from the entire construction.
A crucial boundary
Not Every Se Is Reflexive
Portuguese also uses se in passive and impersonal constructions:
Apartments are sold / Apartments for sale.
People live well here / One lives well here.
These are not reflexive uses. Nobody is “selling themselves” or “living themselves.” They belong to a different grammar system.
English-speaker traps
Common Mistakes With Portuguese Reflexive Verbs
1. Translating “myself” every time
Natural meaning: I regret it.
Not: “I regret myself.”
2. Forgetting the pronoun in a verb you learned as pronominal
I worry about that.
Learn preocupar-se com as one chunk instead of memorizing only preocupar.
3. Using the wrong preposition
lembrar-se de
Eu me lembro dele.
preocupar-se com
Ela se preocupa com o trabalho.
apaixonar-se por
Ele se apaixonou por ela.
acostumar-se a/com
Eu me acostumei ao frio.
4. Treating every omission as an error
Brazilian Portuguese frequently allows variation in verbs such as lembrar, levantar, casar, and mudar. Learn what is standard, what is common in speech, and what changes meaning. Do not replace observation with a rigid checklist.
5. Confusing reflexive se with passive or impersonal se
Ela se cortou is reflexive. Vendem-se casas is passive. Vive-se bem aqui is impersonal. The same word does not mean the same thing in all three sentences.
Use the pattern
Practice: Choose the Best Form
- Eu ___ lembro dessa música. (me / se)
- Ela ___ chama Beatriz. (me / se)
- Nós ___ encontramos depois da aula. (nos / se)
- Você precisa ___ acostumar ao horário. (se / nos)
- Eles ___ abraçaram quando chegaram. (se / nos)
- A gente ___ divertiu muito ontem. (se / nos)
- Eu ___ machuquei jogando futebol. (me / se)
- Não ___ preocupe com isso. (se / te, using você)
Show answers
1. me · 2. se · 3. nos · 4. se · 5. se · 6. se · 7. me · 8. se
Frequently asked questions
Portuguese Reflexive Verbs: FAQ
What are the reflexive pronouns in Portuguese?
The core reflexive forms are me, te, se, nos, vos, se. For everyday Brazilian Portuguese, learners usually encounter me, te, se, and nos most often. Vos belongs to the vós system and is not a conversational priority for most learners of Brazilian Portuguese.
What is the difference between a reflexive verb and a pronominal verb?
A true reflexive verb describes an action that returns to the subject, as in Ela se cortou. A pronominal verb contains a pronoun as part of its lexical pattern even when there is no literal self-directed action, as in Ela se arrependeu.
Why do Brazilians say “eu me lembro”?
Lembrar-se de is a pronominal construction meaning “to remember.” Brazilian Portuguese also widely uses non-pronominal patterns such as eu lembro disso, so learners should recognize both rather than assuming only one exists.
Is “me chamo” wrong at the beginning of a sentence?
It is extremely common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese. More monitored written standards may prefer a subject before the pronoun, such as Eu me chamo…, or an enclitic structure in more formal styles. The difference is largely one of register.
Can “se” mean “each other”?
Yes. With plural subjects, se can express reciprocity: Eles se abraçaram can mean “They hugged each other.” If context is ambiguous, expressions such as uns aos outros make the reciprocal meaning explicit.
Is every verb with “se” reflexive?
No. Portuguese also uses se in pronominal verbs, reciprocal constructions, passive structures, and impersonal constructions. Those uses need to be distinguished rather than grouped under one English label.
Where does the reflexive pronoun go in Brazilian Portuguese?
In ordinary Brazilian speech, pronouns commonly appear before the main verb: eu me lembro, ela se chama, vou me mudar, está se preparando. More formal writing may use other placements.
Sources & further reading
Grammar References Behind This Guide
- Ciberdúvidas: pronominal verbs, reflexive pronouns and inherent pronouns
- Ciberdúvidas: the inherent pronoun in lembrar-se
- Ciberdúvidas: Brazilian use of lembrar de and lembrar-se de
- Ciberdúvidas: reflexive voice, pronominal verbs and passive se
- UFRJ, Diadorim: variation in reflexive pronoun use in Afro-Brazilian Portuguese
From grammar recognition to real conversation
Use These Patterns Without Stopping to Translate Them.
Knowing why eu me lembro, ela se chama, and a gente se fala work is useful. The next step is hearing and producing them naturally while you are actually talking. Conversational in 20 Weeks combines Brazilian Portuguese grammar with guided speaking, listening, and interaction so the structures become usable language.
