What does “I” mean in Portuguese?
The English pronoun “I” names the person who is speaking. Portuguese says eu: eu sei (“I know”), eu também (“me too”), sou eu (“it’s me”).
The first thing to learn about eu is how often Portuguese leaves it out. The ending of a Portuguese verb already shows who is acting: sei can only mean “I know”, moro can only mean “I live”. So Portuguese normally drops the pronoun, and English cannot: Moro em Lisboa, “I live in Lisbon”. You met this in Lesson 7: estou, moro, nasci, penso, all without eu. When eu does appear, it is doing a job. It makes the speaker stand out (eu é que sei, “I’m the one who knows”), it marks a contrast (tu ficas e eu vou), or it makes clear who is meant where a verb form serves two persons (quando eu era pequeno, because era also means “he/she was”).
The second thing to learn is that eu is only the subject form. Like English I and me, the Portuguese pronoun changes with its job, but it has more forms than English: eu (subject), me (object: ela conhece-me, “she knows me”), mim (after a preposition: para mim, “for me”) and comigo (“with me”, one word). Where English says “me” on its own, as in “Who, me?” or “Me too!”, Portuguese uses eu: Quem, eu? Eu também!
The word comes from Late Latin eo, from Classical Latin ego, through Old Galician-Portuguese eu. Mim continues Latin mihi, and comigo is con- added to Latin mecum, “with me”, which already contained the preposition. Eu is written with a small letter, unlike English “I”, except at the start of a sentence.
This lesson uses European Portuguese, as Lesson 5 declared for this course. Brazilian usage is noted in Section E where it differs.
FAQ: What does eu mean in Portuguese?
Q: How do I say “I” in Portuguese? A: Eu: eu sei, “I know”. But in most sentences you leave it out: sei, “I know”; moro no Porto, “I live in Porto”.
Q: How do I say “it’s me”? A: Sou eu, literally “am I”. The verb ser agrees with eu: never é eu.
Q: How do I say “for me” and “with me”? A: Para mim and comigo. After a preposition eu becomes mim (para mim, de mim, sem mim), and com + mim is written comigo.
Q: How do I say “me too” and “not me”? A: Eu também and eu não. Short answers keep the subject form.
Q: Is it “para mim” or “para eu”? A: Both exist, for different jobs. Isto é para mim, “this is for me”. But when the pronoun is the subject of a following infinitive, standard Portuguese uses eu: ela deu-me o livro para eu ler, “she gave me the book for me to read”.
Key Takeaways: -
Eu = “I”, the subject form only; it is written with a small letter -
Portuguese usually drops eu, because the verb ending already says “I”: sei, moro, sou -
Eu is used for emphasis, contrast or clarity: tu ficas e eu vou; quando eu era pequeno -
The other forms: me (object), mim (after prepositions), comigo (with me) -
Short answers and comparisons use eu: eu também, sou eu, mais alto do que eu
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eu /ew/ — a falling diphthong: a close e, as in the first part of English “day”, gliding to a short u. Say “ay-oo” as one quick syllable, with the weight on the e. It is not the vowel of English “you”. Keep it apart from the open éu of céu (“sky”) and chapéu (“hat”), /ɛw/, which begins with the e of English “bed”.
me /mɨ/ — the unstressed e of European Portuguese is /ɨ/, a very short, weak vowel. Attached to a verb it is hardly heard: chamo-me sounds like “SHAH-moom”, deu-me like “DAY-oom”.
mim /mĩ/ — a single nasal i. The m at the end is not pronounced: it only shows that the vowel goes through the nose. Mim rhymes with sim (“yes”) and fim (“end”).
comigo /kuˈmiɡu/ — stressed on the middle syllable: koo-MEE-goo. Both o’s are unstressed and close to /u/.
Stress: when eu is used, it is usually stressed, because it is there for emphasis: Eu não! Eu é que sei. The object form me is never stressed and leans on its verb.
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Duplex Method: line a gives each Portuguese word with its meaning; line b gives the same words with IPA and grammatical glosses.
8.1a Eu I chamo-me I-call-myself Pedro Pedro
8.1b Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG chamo-me /ˈʃɐmumɨ/ call.PRES.1SG-REFL.1SG Pedro /ˈpedɾu/ Pedro
8.2a Sou am eu I
8.2b Sou /so/ be.PRES.1SG eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG
8.3a Eu I também also
8.3b Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG também /tɐ̃ˈbɐ̃j̃/ also
8.4a Eu I não not sei I-know
8.4b Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG não /nɐ̃w̃/ NEG sei /sɐj/ know.PRES.1SG
8.5a Quem who eu I
8.5b Quem /kɐ̃j̃/ who eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG
8.6a Eu I e and a the Ana Ana somos we-are irmãs sisters
8.6b Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG e /i/ and a /ɐ/ the.F.SG Ana /ˈɐnɐ/ Ana somos /ˈsomuʃ/ be.PRES.1PL irmãs /iɾˈmɐ̃ʃ/ sister.F.PL
8.7a Tu you ficas you-stay aqui here e and eu I vou I-go sozinho alone
8.7b Tu /tu/ you.NOM.2SG ficas /ˈfikɐʃ/ stay.PRES.2SG aqui /ɐˈki/ here e /i/ and eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG vou /vo/ go.PRES.1SG sozinho /sɔˈziɲu/ alone.M.SG
8.8a Fui was eu I que who parti I-broke o the copo glass
8.8b Fui /fuj/ be.PRET.1SG eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG que /kɨ/ REL parti /pɐɾˈti/ break.PRET.1SG o /u/ the.M.SG copo /ˈkɔpu/ glass.M.SG
8.9a O the meu my irmão brother é is mais more alto tall do of-the que than eu I
8.9b O /u/ the.M.SG meu /mew/ my.M.SG irmão /iɾˈmɐ̃w̃/ brother.M.SG é /ɛ/ be.PRES.3SG mais /majʃ/ more alto /ˈaltu/ tall.M.SG do /du/ of-the.M.SG que /kɨ/ than eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG
8.10a Eu I se if fosse I-were a to ti you não not dizia I-would-say nada nothing
8.10b Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG se /sɨ/ if fosse /ˈfosɨ/ be.IMPERF.SUBJ.1SG a /ɐ/ to ti /ti/ you.OBL.2SG não /nɐ̃w̃/ NEG dizia /dɨˈziɐ/ say.IMPERF.1SG nada /ˈnadɐ/ nothing
8.11a Quando when eu I era was pequeno small passava I-used-to-spend os the verões summers em in casa house dos of-the meus my avós grandparents
8.11b Quando /ˈkwɐ̃du/ when eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG era /ˈɛɾɐ/ be.IMPERF.1SG pequeno /pɨˈkenu/ small.M.SG passava /pɐˈsavɐ/ spend.IMPERF.1SG os /uʃ/ the.M.PL verões /vɨˈɾõjʃ/ summer.M.PL em /ɐ̃j̃/ in casa /ˈkazɐ/ house.F.SG dos /duʃ/ of-the.M.PL meus /mewʃ/ my.M.PL avós /ɐˈvɔʃ/ grandparent.M.PL
8.12a A the minha my mãe mother quer wants que that eu I estude I-study medicina medicine mas but eu I prefiro I-prefer música music
8.12b A /ɐ/ the.F.SG minha /ˈmiɲɐ/ my.F.SG mãe /mɐ̃j̃/ mother.F.SG quer /kɛɾ/ want.PRES.3SG que /kɨ/ that eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG estude /ɨʃˈtudɨ/ study.PRES.SUBJ.1SG medicina /mɨdiˈsinɐ/ medicine.F.SG mas /mɐʃ/ but eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG prefiro /pɾɨˈfiɾu/ prefer.PRES.1SG música /ˈmuzikɐ/ music.F.SG
8.13a Ela she deu-me gave-me o the livro book para for eu I ler to-read nas in-the férias holidays
8.13b Ela /ˈɛlɐ/ she deu-me /ˈdewmɨ/ give.PRET.3SG-me.DAT.1SG o /u/ the.M.SG livro /ˈlivɾu/ book.M.SG para /ˈpɐɾɐ/ for eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG ler /leɾ/ read.INF nas /nɐʃ/ in-the.F.PL férias /ˈfɛɾjɐʃ/ holiday.F.PL
8.14a Eu I cá here não not me myself queixo I-complain tenho I-have saúde health trabalho work e and amigos friends
8.14b Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG cá /ka/ here não /nɐ̃w̃/ NEG me /mɨ/ REFL.1SG queixo /ˈkɐjʃu/ complain.PRES.1SG tenho /ˈtɐɲu/ have.PRES.1SG saúde /sɐˈudɨ/ health.F.SG trabalho /tɾɐˈbaʎu/ work.M.SG e /i/ and amigos /ɐˈmiɡuʃ/ friend.M.PL
8.15a Faz do o that que which eu I digo I-say não not faças you-do o that que which eu I faço I-do
8.15b Faz /faʃ/ do.IMP.2SG o /u/ that.DEM que /kɨ/ REL eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG digo /ˈdiɡu/ say.PRES.1SG não /nɐ̃w̃/ NEG faças /ˈfasɐʃ/ do.PRES.SUBJ.2SG o /u/ that.DEM que /kɨ/ REL eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG faço /ˈfasu/ do.PRES.1SG
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8.1 Eu chamo-me Pedro. → “My name is Pedro.”
8.2 Sou eu. → “It’s me.”
8.3 Eu também. → “Me too.”
8.4 Eu não sei. → “I don’t know.”
8.5 Quem, eu? → “Who, me?”
8.6 Eu e a Ana somos irmãs. → “Ana and I are sisters.”
8.7 Tu ficas aqui e eu vou sozinho. → “You stay here and I’ll go on my own.”
8.8 Fui eu que parti o copo. → “I was the one who broke the glass.”
8.9 O meu irmão é mais alto do que eu. → “My brother is taller than me.”
8.10 Eu, se fosse a ti, não dizia nada. → “If I were you, I wouldn’t say anything.”
8.11 Quando eu era pequeno, passava os verões em casa dos meus avós. → “When I was little, I spent the summers at my grandparents’ house.”
8.12 A minha mãe quer que eu estude medicina, mas eu prefiro música. → “My mother wants me to study medicine, but I prefer music.”
8.13 Ela deu-me o livro para eu ler nas férias. → “She gave me the book to read in the holidays.”
8.14 Eu cá não me queixo: tenho saúde, trabalho e amigos. → “Me, I can’t complain: I’ve got my health, a job and friends.”
8.15 Faz o que eu digo, não faças o que eu faço. → “Do as I say, not as I do.” (Traditional saying.)
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8.1 Eu chamo-me Pedro.
8.2 Sou eu.
8.3 Eu também.
8.4 Eu não sei.
8.5 Quem, eu?
8.6 Eu e a Ana somos irmãs.
8.7 Tu ficas aqui e eu vou sozinho.
8.8 Fui eu que parti o copo.
8.9 O meu irmão é mais alto do que eu.
8.10 Eu, se fosse a ti, não dizia nada.
8.11 Quando eu era pequeno, passava os verões em casa dos meus avós.
8.12 A minha mãe quer que eu estude medicina, mas eu prefiro música.
8.13 Ela deu-me o livro para eu ler nas férias.
8.14 Eu cá não me queixo: tenho saúde, trabalho e amigos.
8.15 Faz o que eu digo, não faças o que eu faço.
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These are the grammar rules for eu in Portuguese:
1. The forms of the first person singular
eu — subject: eu sei, “I know”
me — direct and indirect object, attached to the verb: conhece-me, “he knows me”; deu-me o livro, “she gave me the book” (8.13); also reflexive: chamo-me, “I call myself” (8.1)
mim — after a preposition: para mim, “for me”; de mim, “of/from me”; sem mim, “without me”; por mim, “as far as I’m concerned”; a mim, “to me”
comigo — com + mim, always written as one word: vem comigo, “come with me”
The possessives (meu, minha, meus, minhas, “my, mine”) belong with eu in meaning but agree with the thing possessed, as in Lesson 5.
2. Eu is usually left out
The verb ending already shows the person: sou, sei, moro, prefiro. A plain statement does not need eu: Sou o Pedro, “I’m Pedro”; Não sei, “I don’t know”. Putting eu in every sentence, as English puts “I”, sounds heavy and insistent in Portuguese.
3. When eu is used
For emphasis: Eu não sei (8.4) is “I don’t know” with weight on the I: others may know, I do not.
For contrast: tu ficas aqui e eu vou sozinho (8.7); a minha mãe quer…, mas eu prefiro música (8.12).
For clarity: in several tenses the first and third persons have the same form. Era is “I was” and “he/she was”; passava, estude and fosse are the same. In quando eu era pequeno (8.11) and quer que eu estude (8.12), eu shows who is meant.
On its own or in a list: Quem, eu? (8.5); Eu também (8.3); eu e a Ana (8.6).
4. Short answers and comparisons keep eu
Where English uses “me” without a verb, Portuguese keeps the subject form: Eu também (“me too”), Eu não (“not me”), Quem, eu? (“who, me?”). After do que and como in comparisons, eu is also the form: mais alto do que eu (8.9), tão alto como eu, “as tall as me”.
5. Sou eu: ser agrees with eu
In sentences that identify someone, ser agrees with eu, not with an English-style “it”: Sou eu, “it’s me”; Fui eu que parti o copo, “it was I who broke the glass” (8.8). In the que clause the verb also stays in the first person: fui eu que parti, not partiu. Fui eu quem partiu, with quem and the third person, is also correct.
6. Para eu + infinitive
After a preposition the pronoun is normally mim: Isto é para mim. But when the pronoun is the subject of an infinitive that follows, standard Portuguese uses eu: para eu ler (8.13), “for me to read”; antes de eu sair, “before I leave”. The test is to ask who does the action of the infinitive: if the answer is “I”, write eu.
7. Eu and the position of me
In European Portuguese a subject pronoun does not pull me in front of the verb. The object pronoun follows the verb with a hyphen: Eu chamo-me Pedro (8.1), Ela deu-me o livro (8.13). Words such as não, que, quando and já do pull it in front: Eu cá não me queixo (8.14). Brazil puts me in front in both cases: Eu me chamo Pedro.
8. Eu e…, tu e eu
When eu is joined to other subjects, the verb is in the first person plural: Eu e a Ana somos irmãs (8.6); tu e eu lavamos (8.28). The order eu e a Ana and a Ana e eu are both correct; putting eu last is often thought more polite in formal writing.
9. Se eu fosse a ti
“If I were you” is se eu fosse a ti in Portugal, se eu fosse você in Brazil. In 8.10 eu is set at the front, before se, to put the speaker forward: “Me, if I were you…”.
Common mistakes for English speakers:
Mistake: Using eu in every sentence. ✗ Eu acordo às sete, eu tomo o pequeno-almoço e eu vou para o trabalho. → ✓ Acordo às sete, tomo o pequeno-almoço e vou para o trabalho.
Mistake: Eu after a preposition. ✗ para eu (meaning “for me”), ✗ com eu → ✓ para mim, comigo.
Mistake: Writing com mim. ✗ com mim → ✓ comigo.
Mistake: É eu for “it’s me”. ✗ É eu. → ✓ Sou eu.
Mistake: Mim in comparisons. ✗ mais alto do que mim → ✓ mais alto do que eu.
Mistake: Mim before an infinitive in formal Portuguese. ✗ para mim fazer → ✓ para eu fazer.
Mistake: Eu after entre. ✗ entre eu e tu → ✓ entre mim e ti.
Mistake: A capital letter in mid-sentence. ✗ Ela e Eu → ✓ Ela e eu.
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Frequency
Eu is one of the most common words in spoken Portuguese, but it is less frequent than “I” is in English, because so many sentences leave it out. A learner who writes eu at the start of every sentence is quickly recognised as an English speaker.
Portugal and Brazil
Use of eu: Brazilian Portuguese, above all in speech, states the subject pronoun more often than European Portuguese does. A learner of the European standard should leave eu out unless it does one of the jobs in Section D, rule 3.
Position of me: European Eu chamo-me Pedro, Brazilian Eu me chamo Pedro (Section D, rule 7).
Para mim fazer: in Brazilian speech para mim fazer is very common, but it is not accepted in formal writing on either side of the Atlantic, where para eu fazer is the rule.
Se eu fosse a ti (Portugal), se eu fosse você (Brazil).
Pronunciation: eu is /ew/ in both countries. In the north of Portugal it may sound /jew/ after a vowel.
Eu cá
Eu cá (8.14), literally “I here”, is a colloquial European Portuguese way of setting yourself apart from others: “me, I…”, “as for me”. It belongs to everyday speech, not to formal writing.
O eu
Eu can also be a masculine noun, with the plural eus: o eu, “the self, the ego”. Literary criticism speaks of o eu lírico or o eu poético, the voice that says “I” in a poem, which is not the same as the poet. Section F gives a famous example.
Faz o que eu digo
The saying in 8.15 is the Portuguese form of English “do as I say, not as I do”. Note the two imperatives: faz is the ordinary tu imperative, but the negative uses the subjunctive: não faças.
Idioms with eu and its forms: -
“Eu também” — me too -
“Eu cá” — as for me (colloquial, Portugal) -
“Eu é que sei” — I’m the one who knows; it’s my business -
“Eu que o diga!” — you’re telling me! (literally “I am the one to say it”) -
“Por mim” — fine by me; as far as I’m concerned -
“Cá para mim” — if you ask me; in my opinion (Portugal) -
“Pobre de mim!” — poor me!
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Source: Fernando Pessoa, writing as Álvaro de Campos, “Tabacaria” (“The Tobacco Shop”), dated 15 January 1928, first published in the review Presença in 1933. The text follows the transcription at RTP Ensina, which agrees with Revista Úrsula; one other online transcription reads Mas penso tanta coisa, without ser.
Context: Pessoa wrote under several invented names, the heteronyms, each with its own life and style. Álvaro de Campos is the naval engineer, modern and restless. “Tabacaria” is his best-known poem. Sitting at his window, looking at the tobacco shop across the street, he measures his dreams against his failures. The poem opens “Não sou nada” (“I am nothing”), without eu; these two lines, from early in the poem, turn the pronoun into the poem’s question.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
F.1a Que what sei know eu I do of-that que which serei I-will-be eu I que who não not sei I-know o that que which sou I-am
F.1b Que /kɨ/ what sei /sɐj/ know.PRES.1SG eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG do /du/ of-that.M.SG que /kɨ/ REL serei /sɨˈɾɐj/ be.FUT.1SG eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG que /kɨ/ REL não /nɐ̃w̃/ NEG sei /sɐj/ know.PRES.1SG o /u/ that.DEM que /kɨ/ REL sou /so/ be.PRES.1SG
F.2a Ser to-be o that que which penso I-think Mas but penso I-think ser to-be tanta so-much coisa thing
F.2b Ser /seɾ/ be.INF o /u/ that.DEM que /kɨ/ REL penso /ˈpẽsu/ think.PRES.1SG Mas /mɐʃ/ but penso /ˈpẽsu/ think.PRES.1SG ser /seɾ/ be.INF tanta /ˈtɐ̃tɐ/ so-much.F.SG coisa /ˈkojzɐ/ thing.F.SG
F-B: Authentic Text with Idiomatic English Translation
Que sei eu do que serei, eu que não sei o que sou? Ser o que penso? Mas penso ser tanta coisa!
→ “What do I know of what I shall be, I who do not know what I am? To be what I think? But I think of being so many things!” (Latinum Institute translation.)
F-C: Authentic Text Only
Que sei eu do que serei, eu que não sei o que sou? Ser o que penso? Mas penso ser tanta coisa!
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
Que sei eu (line 1) — a question with the subject after the verb: “what know I?”. Sei alone would already mean “I know”. The eu is there for emphasis, and placed after the verb it carries the stress of the question: what can I, of all people, know?
eu que não sei o que sou (line 1) — the second eu stands alone, in apposition, followed by a relative clause: “I, who do not know what I am”. The verb in the que clause stays in the first person (sei, sou), as in Fui eu que parti o copo (8.8, Section D rule 5).
do que serei, o que sou (line 1) — o que, “that which, what”, a neuter demonstrative with que. Do que is de + o que: “of what I shall be”. Serei is the future of ser, first person singular.
Ser o que penso? (line 2) — an infinitive used as a whole question: “To be what I think?”. There is no eu here, and none is needed: the infinitive has no person.
penso ser tanta coisa (line 2) — pensar + infinitive, “to think of being, to intend to be”. Tanta coisa, singular in Portuguese, means “so many things”.
The two lines hold three verbs of knowing and being in the first person (sei, serei, sou) and two of thinking (penso, penso), but eu is written only twice, both times in line 1. Portuguese can say “I” through its verb endings alone. When Campos does write eu, it is where the self he cannot define is put in question.
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Marta is having friends to dinner on Saturday, and she plans it with Duarte in text messages. Planning who does what is the natural home of eu: every answer is “I’ll do it” or “not me”.
Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
8.16a Duarte Duarte no on-the sábado Saturday eu I faço I-make o the bacalhau salt-cod
8.16b Duarte /duˈaɾtɨ/ Duarte no /nu/ in-the.M.SG sábado /ˈsabɐdu/ Saturday.M.SG eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG faço /ˈfasu/ make.PRES.1SG o /u/ the.M.SG bacalhau /bɐkɐˈʎaw/ salt-cod.M.SG
8.17a Ótimo excellent E and eu I levo I-bring o the vinho wine
8.17b Ótimo /ˈɔtimu/ excellent.M.SG E /i/ and eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG levo /ˈlɛvu/ take.PRES.1SG o /u/ the.M.SG vinho /ˈviɲu/ wine.M.SG
8.18a E and a the sobremesa dessert Eu I não not tenho I-have tempo time para for tudo everything
8.18b E /i/ and a /ɐ/ the.F.SG sobremesa /sobɾɨˈmezɐ/ dessert.F.SG Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG não /nɐ̃w̃/ NEG tenho /ˈtɐɲu/ have.PRES.1SG tempo /ˈtẽpu/ time.M.SG para /ˈpɐɾɐ/ for tudo /ˈtudu/ everything
8.19a Eu I Nunca never fiz I-made uma a sobremesa dessert na in-the vida life
8.19b Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG Nunca /ˈnũkɐ/ never fiz /fiʃ/ make.PRET.1SG uma /ˈumɐ/ a.F.SG sobremesa /sobɾɨˈmezɐ/ dessert.F.SG na /nɐ/ in-the.F.SG vida /ˈvidɐ/ life.F.SG
8.20a Não not faz it-makes mal harm Eu I mando-te I-send-you a the receita recipe do of-the arroz-doce rice-pudding da of-the minha my avó grandmother
8.20b Não /nɐ̃w̃/ NEG faz /faʃ/ make.PRES.3SG mal /mal/ harm Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG mando-te /ˈmɐ̃dutɨ/ send.PRES.1SG-you.DAT.2SG a /ɐ/ the.F.SG receita /ʁɨˈsɐjtɐ/ recipe.F.SG do /du/ of-the.M.SG arroz-doce /ɐʁoʒˈdosɨ/ rice-sweet.M.SG da /dɐ/ of-the.F.SG minha /ˈmiɲɐ/ my.F.SG avó /ɐˈvɔ/ grandmother.F.SG
8.21a Está it-is bem well mas but se if correr it-runs mal badly eu I não not tenho I-have culpa blame
8.21b Está /ɨʃˈta/ be.PRES.3SG bem /bɐ̃j̃/ well mas /mɐʃ/ but se /sɨ/ if correr /kuˈʁeɾ/ run.FUT.SUBJ.3SG mal /mal/ badly eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG não /nɐ̃w̃/ NEG tenho /ˈtɐɲu/ have.PRES.1SG culpa /ˈkulpɐ/ blame.F.SG
8.22a Eu I confio I-trust em in ti you Queres you-want vir to-come mais more cedo early e and cozinhar to-cook comigo with-me
8.22b Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG confio /kõˈfiu/ trust.PRES.1SG em /ɐ̃j̃/ in ti /ti/ you.OBL.2SG Queres /ˈkɛɾɨʃ/ want.PRES.2SG vir /viɾ/ come.INF mais /majʃ/ more cedo /ˈsedu/ early e /i/ and cozinhar /kuziˈɲaɾ/ cook.INF comigo /kuˈmiɡu/ with-me.1SG
8.23a Boa good ideia idea Às at-the seis six estou I-am aí there Abres-me you-open-me a the porta door
8.23b Boa /ˈboɐ/ good.F.SG ideia /iˈdɐjɐ/ idea.F.SG Às /aʃ/ at-the.F.PL seis /sɐjʃ/ six estou /ɨʃˈto/ be.PRES.1SG aí /ɐˈi/ there Abres-me /ˈabɾɨʒmɨ/ open.PRES.2SG-me.DAT.1SG a /ɐ/ the.F.SG porta /ˈpɔɾtɐ/ door.F.SG
8.24a Claro of-course Ah ah a the Sofia Sofia perguntou-me asked-me se whether pode she-can trazer to-bring o the namorado boyfriend
8.24b Claro /ˈklaɾu/ clear.M.SG Ah /a/ ah a /ɐ/ the.F.SG Sofia /suˈfiɐ/ Sofia perguntou-me /pɨɾɡũˈtomɨ/ ask.PRET.3SG-me.DAT.1SG se /sɨ/ whether pode /ˈpɔdɨ/ can.PRES.3SG trazer /tɾɐˈzeɾ/ bring.INF o /u/ the.M.SG namorado /nɐmuˈɾadu/ boyfriend.M.SG
8.25a Por by mim me tudo all bem well Quanto how-much mais more melhor better
8.25b Por /puɾ/ by mim /mĩ/ me.OBL.1SG tudo /ˈtudu/ all bem /bɐ̃j̃/ well Quanto /ˈkwɐ̃tu/ how-much mais /majʃ/ more melhor /mɨˈʎɔɾ/ better
8.26a Então then somos we-are cinco five eu I tu you a the Sofia Sofia o the namorado boyfriend e and a the minha my irmã sister
8.26b Então /ẽˈtɐ̃w̃/ then somos /ˈsomuʃ/ be.PRES.1PL cinco /ˈsĩku/ five eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG tu /tu/ you.NOM.2SG a /ɐ/ the.F.SG Sofia /suˈfiɐ/ Sofia o /u/ the.M.SG namorado /nɐmuˈɾadu/ boyfriend.M.SG e /i/ and a /ɐ/ the.F.SG minha /ˈmiɲɐ/ my.F.SG irmã /iɾˈmɐ̃/ sister.F.SG
8.27a E and quem who lava washes a the loiça dishes Eu I não not
8.27b E /i/ and quem /kɐ̃j̃/ who lava /ˈlavɐ/ wash.PRES.3SG a /ɐ/ the.F.SG loiça /ˈlojsɐ/ crockery.F.SG Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG não /nɐ̃w̃/ NEG
8.28a Lavamos we-wash juntos together tu you e and eu I É it-is justo fair
8.28b Lavamos /lɐˈvɐmuʃ/ wash.PRES.1PL juntos /ˈʒũtuʃ/ together.M.PL tu /tu/ you.NOM.2SG e /i/ and eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG É /ɛ/ be.PRES.3SG justo /ˈʒuʃtu/ fair.M.SG
8.29a Combinado agreed Manda-me send-me a the receita recipe hoje today Eu I esqueço-me I-forget-myself de of tudo everything
8.29b Combinado /kõbiˈnadu/ agree.PTCP.M.SG Manda-me /ˈmɐ̃dɐmɨ/ send.IMP.2SG-me.DAT.1SG a /ɐ/ the.F.SG receita /ʁɨˈsɐjtɐ/ recipe.F.SG hoje /ˈoʒɨ/ today Eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG esqueço-me /ɨʃˈkɛsumɨ/ forget.PRES.1SG-REFL.1SG de /dɨ/ of tudo /ˈtudu/ everything
8.30a Já already mandei I-sent E and lembra-te remember-yourself no on-the sábado Saturday quem who manda commands na in-the cozinha kitchen sou am eu I
8.30b Já /ʒa/ already mandei /mɐ̃ˈdɐj/ send.PRET.1SG E /i/ and lembra-te /ˈlẽbɾɐtɨ/ remember.IMP.2SG-REFL.2SG no /nu/ in-the.M.SG sábado /ˈsabɐdu/ Saturday.M.SG quem /kɐ̃j̃/ who manda /ˈmɐ̃dɐ/ command.PRES.3SG na /nɐ/ in-the.F.SG cozinha /kuˈziɲɐ/ kitchen.F.SG sou /so/ be.PRES.1SG eu /ew/ I.NOM.1SG
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Part B: Natural Messages with Idiomatic Translation
8.16 Marta: Duarte, no sábado eu faço o bacalhau. → “Duarte, I’m doing the bacalhau on Saturday.”
8.17 Duarte: Ótimo! E eu levo o vinho. → “Great! And I’ll bring the wine.”
8.18 Marta: E a sobremesa? Eu não tenho tempo para tudo. → “And dessert? I haven’t got time for everything.”
8.19 Duarte: Eu? Nunca fiz uma sobremesa na vida. → “Me? I’ve never made a dessert in my life.”
8.20 Marta: Não faz mal. Eu mando-te a receita do arroz-doce da minha avó. → “Never mind. I’ll send you my grandmother’s rice pudding recipe.”
8.21 Duarte: Está bem, mas se correr mal, eu não tenho culpa! → “All right, but if it goes wrong, it’s not my fault!”
8.22 Marta: Eu confio em ti. Queres vir mais cedo e cozinhar comigo? → “I trust you. Do you want to come early and cook with me?”
8.23 Duarte: Boa ideia. Às seis estou aí. Abres-me a porta? → “Good idea. I’ll be there at six. Will you let me in?”
8.24 Marta: Claro. Ah, a Sofia perguntou-me se pode trazer o namorado. → “Of course. Oh, Sofia asked me if she can bring her boyfriend.”
8.25 Duarte: Por mim, tudo bem. Quanto mais, melhor! → “Fine by me. The more the merrier!”
8.26 Marta: Então somos cinco: eu, tu, a Sofia, o namorado e a minha irmã. → “So there are five of us: me, you, Sofia, her boyfriend and my sister.”
8.27 Duarte: E quem lava a loiça? Eu não! → “And who’s doing the washing-up? Not me!”
8.28 Marta: Lavamos juntos, tu e eu. É justo. → “We’ll wash up together, you and me. That’s fair.”
8.29 Duarte: Combinado. Manda-me a receita hoje. Eu esqueço-me de tudo! → “Deal. Send me the recipe today. I forget everything!”
8.30 Marta: Já mandei! E lembra-te: no sábado, quem manda na cozinha sou eu. → “Sent! And remember: on Saturday, I’m the boss in the kitchen.”
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Part C: Messages in Portuguese Only
Marta: Duarte, no sábado eu faço o bacalhau.
Duarte: Ótimo! E eu levo o vinho.
Marta: E a sobremesa? Eu não tenho tempo para tudo.
Duarte: Eu? Nunca fiz uma sobremesa na vida.
Marta: Não faz mal. Eu mando-te a receita do arroz-doce da minha avó.
Duarte: Está bem, mas se correr mal, eu não tenho culpa!
Marta: Eu confio em ti. Queres vir mais cedo e cozinhar comigo?
Duarte: Boa ideia. Às seis estou aí. Abres-me a porta?
Marta: Claro. Ah, a Sofia perguntou-me se pode trazer o namorado.
Duarte: Por mim, tudo bem. Quanto mais, melhor!
Marta: Então somos cinco: eu, tu, a Sofia, o namorado e a minha irmã.
Duarte: E quem lava a loiça? Eu não!
Marta: Lavamos juntos, tu e eu. É justo.
Duarte: Combinado. Manda-me a receita hoje. Eu esqueço-me de tudo!
Marta: Já mandei! E lembra-te: no sábado, quem manda na cozinha sou eu.
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Part D: Grammar Notes for the Genre Section
Every form of the first person in one conversation: eu throughout; me attached to the verb in abres-me (8.23), perguntou-me (8.24), manda-me and esqueço-me (8.29); mim after a preposition in por mim (8.25); comigo in 8.22.
Eu faço, eu levo (8.16, 8.17): eu marks who takes which job, so it is there for contrast: “I’ll do the cod, and I’ll bring the wine.” Without the division of tasks, faço o bacalhau would be enough. The present tense is used for a plan: faço, levo, “I’m doing, I’ll bring”.
Eu? (8.19): eu alone, as in Quem, eu? (8.5). English says “Me?”.
Eu não! (8.27): the short answer keeps eu: “Not me!”.
Por mim, tudo bem (8.25): por mim, “as far as I’m concerned”, with mim after the preposition por.
Eu, tu, a Sofia… (8.26) and tu e eu (8.28): eu in a list. Somos and lavamos are first person plural, because the group includes the speaker (Section D, rule 8). Lavamos is the present; the preterite, “we washed”, is written lavámos in Portugal.
Eu mando-te, eu esqueço-me (8.20, 8.29): in European Portuguese the pronoun follows the verb even after eu. Eu não tenho culpa (8.21) has no object pronoun, but with one, não would pull it forward: eu não me esqueço.
Se correr mal (8.21): correr is here the future subjunctive, which Portuguese uses after se for a possible future event. For regular verbs it looks like the infinitive.
Quem manda na cozinha sou eu (8.30): the verb ser agrees with eu, not with quem: sou eu, as in Sou eu (8.2). Aqui quem manda sou eu, “I’m the boss here”, is a common phrase.
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Eu has no accent mark, and neither do meu, teu, seu. The acute accent is written on the open diphthong éu only in stressed final syllables: céu, chapéu, véu. Eu and céu do not rhyme in Portugal: /ew/ against /ɛw/.
Eu takes a small letter except at the start of a sentence: Ela e eu, never Ela e Eu.
Comigo is one word. So are contigo (“with you”), connosco (“with us”; Brazil conosco) and consigo.
The object pronoun is joined to the verb with a hyphen: chamo-me, deu-me, abres-me, esqueço-me, manda-me.
Mim has no accent: it is a single stressed syllable, and words ending in -im are stressed on that syllable by rule (mim, sim, jardim).
Ótimo is the spelling of the 1990 Spelling Agreement; before it, Portugal wrote óptimo. Loiça and louça are both correct in Portugal.
Unstressed vowels in Portugal: final -o is /u/ (Pedro /ˈpedɾu/), final -e is /ɨ/ or nearly silent (saúde /sɐˈudɨ/), unstressed a is /ɐ/ (receita /ʁɨˈsɐjtɐ/).
S at the end of a word or before a consonant is /ʃ/ in Portugal (somos /ˈsomuʃ/); before a voiced consonant it is /ʒ/ (abres-me /ˈabɾɨʒmɨ/, arroz-doce /ɐʁoʒˈdosɨ/).
The IPA in this lesson gives the standard of Lisbon, with each word said on its own, as the course does throughout.
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✓ Lesson 8 Portuguese complete — eu (I)
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