Lhe and Lhes in Portuguese: Indirect Object Pronouns — Practice

Use lhe when the person receives or benefits from an action

An indirect object identifies who receives or is affected by an action. In a formal or carefully edited sentence, lhe can stand for a singular person introduced by a: enviei o documento a ela becomes enviei-lhe o documento (I sent her the document). Lhes is the plural form.

In Brazilian Portuguese, choices vary by region, relationship, and register. Many speakers prefer a clear para ele, para ela, or para vocês in conversation. You may see lhe in formal writing and institutional messages, so recognition is useful even if you do not use it often.

Choose clarity when the pronoun could be ambiguous

Lhe does not show whether the person is masculine or feminine, so context must supply the reference. Para ele and para ela make the person explicit. Para vocês is often a natural way to address more than one listener in Brazilian conversation.

Do not confuse an indirect object with a direct object. In Dei o livro a Ana (I gave Ana the book), o livro is the thing given and a Ana is the recipient. Rewrite the recipient as para ela if that makes the sentence easier to understand.

Remember: Recognize lhe and lhes as indirect object pronouns. In Brazilian conversation, para ele, para ela, and para vocês can make the recipient clearer; usage depends on region and register.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. I sent the address to her.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Enviei o endereço para ela.

2. The teacher explained the activity to him or her.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A professora lhe explicou a atividade.

3. They offered them help.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Eles lhes ofereceram ajuda.

4. Could you give this form to him?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Pode entregar este formulário para ele?

5. The team sent them the instructions.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A equipe lhes enviou as instruções.

6. I’ll explain the rule to you all.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vou explicar a regra para vocês.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Recognize lhe and lhes as indirect object pronouns. In Brazilian conversation, para ele, para ela, and para vocês can make the recipient clearer; usage depends on region and register.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Lhe and Lhes in Portuguese: Indirect Object Pronouns lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.