consigo

Consigo Ambiguity

Level 4

Consigo is a fusion of com + si. It is primarily a reflexive pronoun ('with oneself'), but in Portugal, it is also the standard way to say 'with you' in formal situations.

How It Works

The pronoun consigo presents a unique challenge due to its dual function and regional differences:

1. The Reflexive Function (Universal):
In both Brazil and Portugal, consigo is the reflexive form for the third person. It means 'with himself,' 'with herself,' or 'with themselves.' It must refer back to the subject of the sentence. For example: Ele trouxe o livro consigo (He brought the book with him/on his person).

2. The Second-Person Function (European Portuguese):
In Portugal, consigo is the standard way to say 'with you' when using formal address (o senhor/a senhora or você). In this context, it is not reflexive. In Brazil, this usage is rare and often considered a hypercorrection; Brazilians prefer com você.

3. Ambiguity:
In European Portuguese, a sentence like Ele quer falar consigo can be ambiguous. It could mean 'He wants to talk to himself' (reflexive) or 'He wants to talk to you' (formal you). To clarify the reflexive meaning, speakers often add próprio or mesmo (e.g., consigo próprio).

4. Morphology:
It is an ancient fusion. You should never say *com si; the form consigo is mandatory when using the tonic pronoun si.

Examples (5)

  1. O João sempre leva o guarda-chuva consigo.

    João always carries the umbrella with him.

    Word by Word: The João always carries the umbrella with-himself.

    Reflexive use: 'consigo' refers back to the subject (João).

  2. Senhor Diretor, eu gostava de falar consigo amanhã.

    Mr. Director, I would like to speak with you tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Mr. Director, I liked to speak with-you tomorrow.

    European Portuguese formal use: 'consigo' refers to the person being addressed (you).

  3. Ela está muito zangada consigo mesma.

    She is very angry with herself.

    Word by Word: She is very angry with-herself same.

    Using 'mesma' clarifies that the meaning is strictly reflexive (with herself).

  4. Eles levaram os documentos consigo para a reunião.

    They took the documents with them to the meeting.

    Word by Word: They took the documents with-themselves to the meeting.

    Reflexive use in the plural; 'consigo' is invariant for number.

  5. Posso ir consigo ao banco, senhora Dona Maria?

    Can I go with you to the bank, Mrs. Maria?

    Word by Word: Can-I go with-you to-the bank, lady Dona Maria?

    Standard polite address in Portugal.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'consigo' to refer to 'myself' (eu).

    Eu falo consigo no espelho.
    Eu falo comigo mesmo no espelho.

    Consigo is strictly third-person (reflexive) or second-person (formal). For 'with me', you must use 'comigo'.

  • Using 'consigo' for 'with you' in a casual Brazilian context.

    Oi cara, posso ir consigo?
    Oi cara, posso ir com você?

    In Brazil, 'consigo' is almost exclusively reflexive. Using it to mean 'with you' sounds unnatural or overly stiff in Brazilian Portuguese.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

consigoLevel 4Consigo Ambiguity

Learn This First

To understand the ambiguity of 'consigo', a learner needs to be familiar with how the preposition 'com' fuses with pronouns, the role of reflexive prepositional pronouns like 'si', and the distinction between informal and formal address systems (Tu vs. Você) which drives the different interpretations of the word.

Words in This Pattern

consigo