eu vi ele/eu vi ela

Colloquial Subject Pronoun as Object

Level 3

In casual Brazilian Portuguese, speakers often say vi ele (I saw him) instead of the formal o vi. This is the standard way to speak in informal situations.

How It Works

In Brazilian Portuguese (BP), there is a significant difference between the written 'standard' and the spoken 'colloquial' language.

1. Function and Usage
In formal Portuguese, 'I saw him' is Eu o vi. However, in Brazil, the clitic o is rarely used in speech. Instead, Brazilians use the subject pronouns ele, ela, eles, elas, você, and vocês after the verb. This is the default spoken form for animate objects (people and pets), not just for emphasis.

2. The Case of 'Você'
Unlike ele or ela, which are considered informal when used as objects, using você as a direct object (e.g., Eu vi você) is widely accepted across almost all registers in Brazil and is not stigmatized.

3. Clarity and Register

  • Ambiguity: Using subject pronouns helps avoid confusion, as the formal clitic o can sometimes be ambiguous between 'him' and 'you'.
  • Register: Use ele/ela as objects in daily conversation and text messages. In formal writing, prefer the standard clitics.

4. The 'Null Object' Alternative
For inanimate objects (things), Brazilians often prefer to drop the object entirely (null object) rather than using ele. Example: Você viu o meu livro? Vi [ø] (Did you see my book? I saw [it]).

Examples (4)

  1. Eu vi ele no shopping ontem.

    I saw him at the mall yesterday.

    Word by Word: I saw he in the mall yesterday.

    A very common way to identify a specific person as the object of the verb 'ver' (to see).

  2. Você conhece a Maria? Eu amo ela!

    Do you know Maria? I love her!

    Word by Word: You know the Maria? I love she!

    Using 'ela' here is natural and adds emotional emphasis to the person being discussed.

  3. Deixa eles entrarem.

    Let them come in.

    Word by Word: Let they enter.

    This is the standard way to use causative verbs like 'deixar' (to let) in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.

  4. Eu procurei elas por toda a casa.

    I looked for them (fem.) all over the house.

    Word by Word: I looked for they through all the house.

    Used here to refer to a group of women or girls in a casual context.

Common Mistakes

  • Using subject pronouns for 'me' or 'us' as objects.

    Ele viu eu na rua.
    Ele me viu na rua.

    While 'vi ele' is accepted in speech, using 'vi eu' or 'vi nós' is considered highly uneducated and is not part of the standard colloquial register.

  • Using this pattern in formal writing.

    O autor descreve ele como um herói.
    O autor descreve-o como um herói.

    In formal literature or professional reports, you must use the standard clitic pronouns (o, a, os, as).

How It Connects

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eu vi ele/eu vi elaLevel 3Colloquial Subject Pronoun as Object

Learn This First

To understand the use of subject pronouns as objects, you first need to be familiar with the pronouns themselves (ele, ela) and the standard way of expressing direct objects (o, a). Additionally, since this pattern is frequently used with past actions, knowing basic past tense conjugations is essential.

Words in This Pattern

eleela