Subject pronouns usually precede the verb and indicate who performs the action described by the verb. For example, eu falo, tu comes, ela escreve. In general, a subject pronoun answers the question “who?” in relation to the verb (the agent of the verbal action). For example, we know that eu is a subject pronoun in the sentence Eu estudo História because it answers the question “Quem estuda História?”
Portuguese has the following subject pronouns, illustrated in the table with common verbs in the present tense. Note how the verbs agree in person and number with the subject pronouns:
eu: 1st person singular (the speaker). Verbs agree with eu. In the present tense, verbs typically end in -o, e.g.: Eu estudo e trabalho. Write eu with a lowercase letter unless it begins a sentence.
tu: 2nd person singular informal. Used with people you know well. Verbs end in:
-as for -ar verbs
-es for -er and -ir verbs e.g.: Tu falas inglês porque vives em Portugal.
você: 2nd person singular (more formal or neutral in EP). Takes 3rd person singular verb forms:
-a / -e endings e.g.: Você trabalha e vive na cidade.
ele / ela: 3rd person singular. Verb forms:
-a for -ar verbs
-e for -er / -ir verbs e.g.: Ela trabalha e estuda.
nós: 1st person plural (“we”). Verb endings:
-amos, -emos, -imos e.g.: Nós estudamos, lemos e escrevemos.
vocês: 2nd person plural. Used in both formal and informal contexts in EP. Takes 3rd person plural verb forms:
-am / -em e.g.: Vocês falam e vivem aqui.
eles / elas: 3rd person plural. Verb endings:
-am / -em e.g.: Eles trabalham e estudam.
Subject pronouns are often omitted in Portuguese because verb endings indicate the subject:
Estudo português.
They are used for:
emphasis → Eu é que sei.
contrast → Nós vamos, mas eles ficam.
clarity → Ele disse que vinha.
Do not use subject pronouns after prepositions:
para mim, para ti (not para eu, para tu)
Pronouns indicate the subject of the verb
Often omitted in EP (pro-drop language)
Verb endings carry most of the information
Used mainly for clarity, emphasis, or contrast
Here is your EP rewrite, preserving structure, examples, and adapting fully to European Portuguese:
Q: Why is it Eu como salada todos os dias and NOT Eu come salada todos os dias? Remember, subject pronouns trigger agreement on the verb. The verb ending must agree with the subject pronoun. In the present tense, verbs typically end in -o to agree with eu. The ending -e is used for 3rd person singular.
Q: Why is it Ele é meu amigo and NOT El é meu amigo? The 3rd person singular masculine subject pronoun ele must be written in full. The form el does not exist in Portuguese (this is Spanish).
Q: Why is it Tu vens amanhã and NOT Tú vens amanhã? Unlike Spanish, Portuguese does not use an accent to distinguish tu (subject pronoun) from the possessive teu. The difference is lexical, not accentual:
tu = subject pronoun
teu / tua = possessive determiner
Q: Why is it Tu vens amanhã and NOT Tu vem amanhã? All verbs must agree with the subject. Since the subject is tu, the verb must take the -s ending in the present tense.
Q: Why is it Nós entendemos a informação and NOT Nós entendem a informação? All verbs must agree with the subject. Since the subject is nós, the verb must end in -emos (for -er verbs) in the present tense.
Q: When do I use Vocês sabem a verdade versus Vós sabeis a verdade? In modern European Portuguese, vocês is used in most contexts (both formal and informal) and takes 3rd person plural verb forms. The pronoun vós exists but is rare and mainly used in formal, literary, or regional contexts.
Q: Why is it Elas podem cantar muito bem and NOT Elas pode cantar muito bem? All verbs must agree with the subject. Since the subject is elas, the verb must end in -em (3rd person plural) in the present tense.
Verb endings must agree with the subject pronoun
Portuguese is a pro-drop language → pronouns are often omitted
tu ≠ teu (lexical distinction, not accent)
vocês is standard in modern EP; vós is rare
Agreement errors are one of the most common learner mistakes
Conjugate the verb in italics with the subject. Use the present tense:
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Write the correct subject pronoun according to the form (ending) of the verb:
Choose between the subject pronoun tu and the possessive determiner teu:
Choose between the masculine singular subject pronoun ele and the masculine singular definite article o:
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