Entre Si vs. Em Si: Among Themselves or the Thing Itself?

Entre si connects members of the subject group

Caldas Aulete’s si entry records the reflexive reference of si, reciprocal uses with entre, and em si for something considered in itself. The reference was checked on October 21, 2026.

• Os colegas combinaram o horário entre si. — “The classmates arranged the time among themselves.”
• Esses três assuntos estão relacionados entre si. — “These three subjects are related to one another.”
• As peças se encaixam entre si. — “The pieces fit together.”

In the first, the subject is the group of classmates. Entre si locates the arrangement within that group. In the second, the subjects have connections with one another. This does not mean every person acted alone: among themselves and each person separately describe different relationships.

Em si isolates what you are evaluating

• O exercício em si é simples; o vocabulário é novo. — “The exercise itself is simple; the vocabulary is new.”
• A viagem em si foi tranquila, mas a preparação deu trabalho. — “The trip itself was smooth, but the preparation took work.”
• O problema em si não é o horário. — “The problem itself is not the time.”

The expression focuses on the thing itself rather than every surrounding circumstance. The trip can go smoothly even if preparing it was difficult. Do not erase the contrast when summarizing: “everything was easy” would overstate the second sentence.

Em si does not change to match a feminine or plural noun. You can say As perguntas em si são simples — “The questions themselves are simple.” The noun and verb change as needed, while the preposition-and-pronoun expression stays the same.

Original dialogue: a simple task with a separate coordination problem

B separates task difficulty from coordination. A’s question concerns discussion within the student group; the final answer identifies a different person who still needs to be involved. These original lines show how a clear reference prevents “they agreed among themselves” from being mistaken for everyone’s final approval.

Do not turn among themselves into on my own

• Eles resolveram isso entre si. — “They sorted that out among themselves.”
• Resolvi isso por conta própria. — “I sorted that out on my own.”
• Eu falei comigo mesmo antes da apresentação. — “I talked to myself before the presentation. (Male speaker.)”

The first can describe coordination between people. The second describes acting independently. The third is self-directed speech. Si is not the form to insert automatically whenever English has self or selves: identify the subject and the relationship first.

For independently doing a task, use sozinho and por conta própria. For this lesson, keep the two main readings separate: connections within a group, and the thing itself apart from surrounding factors.

Practice: who is related to whom?

1. Translate Os colegas combinaram entre si.
2. Does entre si necessarily mean each person worked alone?
3. Complete O exercício ___ é simples, mas o vocabulário é novo.
4. Make “the questions themselves are simple” plural in Portuguese.
5. A group agreed among themselves. Does that prove a teacher approved?

Continue with real conversation practice

For longer listening about daily habits, use the Brazilian habits episode guide. These dialogues and exercises are original written practice. Choose one pattern, change a detail and use it to describe your own experience.

Continue with Real Life Portuguese for native Brazilian audio and everyday expressions. Choose a short exchange available in the app. Listen for the speaker’s intention, then use a pattern from this activity to prepare a reply that fits your own situation. Bruno Lopes is a co-founder of the app.