How to Use Se with Portuguese Verbs: Names, Feelings, and Actions — Practice

Recognize an action or state connected back to the subject

Some Portuguese verbs use a pronoun that refers back to the subject. In ela se chama Ana, se is part of the verb chamar-se (to be called). In ele se sente melhor, se belongs with sentir-se (to feel). The forms change with the subject: me chamo, se chama, nos sentimos.

This is not always a literal action someone performs on themselves. Some verbs are pronominal in a particular meaning, so learn the whole phrase and its context rather than translating se as ‘oneself’ every time.

Match the pronoun to the person and notice Brazilian placement

The common subject-pronoun set includes me, te, se, nos, and se for vocês/eles/elas in many everyday Brazilian patterns. In speech, unstressed pronouns often appear before the verb: me chamo, te aviso, se lembra. Formal writing can use different placement, and regional choices vary.

Not every Portuguese verb takes se just because its English translation uses ‘myself’ or ‘each other.’ For a practical start, memorize frequent combinations such as chamar-se, sentir-se, and encontrar-se, then learn new verbs with example sentences.

Remember: Some verbs use a pronoun connected to the subject, as in me chamo or se sente. Learn the verb-plus-pronoun pattern and notice common pre-verbal placement in Brazilian speech.

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 Lucas.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Eu me chamo Lucas.

2. She feels more confident today.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela se sente mais confiante hoje.

3. We met at the station.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A gente se encontrou na estação.

4. Do you remember her name?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você se lembra do nome dela?

5. We meet each other after work.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Nós nos encontramos depois do trabalho.

6. You can sit here if you’d like.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Pode se sentar aqui, se quiser.

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.

Some verbs use a pronoun connected to the subject, as in me chamo or se sente. Learn the verb-plus-pronoun pattern and notice common pre-verbal placement in Brazilian speech.

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 How to Use Se with Portuguese Verbs: Names, Feelings, and Actions 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.