Reflexive Verbs in Portuguese: Se, Me, and Te in Everyday Routines — Practice

Recognize the pronoun that goes with a reflexive verb

A Portuguese infinitive may end in -se to show that a pronoun is part of the verb: chamar-se (to be called), levantar-se (to get up), and sentir-se (to feel). In a sentence, the pronoun changes with the subject: eu me chamo, você se chama, and a gente se chama.

The pronoun is not always a literal “oneself.” Some verbs commonly appear with a reflexive pronoun because of how Portuguese expresses an action or state. Learn the verb together with its pronoun and a complete example.

Use reflexive verbs to describe a daily routine

Common routine verbs with a reflexive pronoun include levantar-se (to get up), vestir-se (to get dressed), preparar-se (to get ready), sentar-se (to sit down), and deitar-se (to lie down). Acordar (to wake up) is often used without a pronoun. In Brazilian conversation, speakers may also leave off a pronoun with verbs such as levantar when the meaning is clear, so learn the usage you hear in context.

The pronoun usually appears before the conjugated verb in everyday Brazilian speech: eu me levanto, ela se veste, nós nos preparamos. The form agrees with the subject, while the verb changes for tense and person.

Match me, te, se, nos, and se to the subject

The common pronouns are me for eu, te for você in familiar Brazilian speech, se for ele/ela/você/a gente, nos for nós, and se for vocês/eles/elas. Regional patterns and formality affect pronoun choices; these are useful standard examples for learners. With a gente, use se: a gente se chama and a gente se sente.

If you use você in a formal or neutral learner sentence, se is a dependable reflexive pronoun: você se prepara. For tu, pronoun and verb patterns vary by region, so notice the form used by the people around you.

Practice with a morning and evening routine

Describe three steps in your morning using a reflexive verb where it fits. Then say one sentence about how you feel and one about a plan to meet someone. Keep the pronoun beside the verb in each example so you can hear the complete phrase.

Connect this guide with Real Life Portuguese lessons on daily routines and subject pronouns. I Speak Portuguese teacher practice can help you check whether a verb commonly uses a reflexive pronoun in your sentence. Do not add se automatically; learn it as part of the verb when it is standard.

Remember: Learn the pronoun with the verb: eu me levanto, você se prepara, nós nos encontramos. Some verbs vary in everyday use, so follow real examples.

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. My name is Ana. (literally: I call myself Ana.)

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Eu me chamo Ana.

2. He feels better today.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ele se sente melhor hoje.

3. We get ready for class.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A gente se prepara para a aula.

4. I get up at six thirty.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Eu me levanto às seis e meia.

5. She gets dressed before breakfast.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela se veste antes do café da manhã.

6. We get ready to go out.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Nós nos preparamos para sair.

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.

Learn the pronoun with the verb: eu me levanto, você se prepara, nós nos encontramos. Some verbs vary in everyday use, so follow real examples.

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 Reflexive Verbs in Portuguese: Se, Me, and Te in Everyday Routines 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.