Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Deitar-se cedo é um hábito saudável, mas eu raramente consigo fazê-lo. - Going to bed early is a healthy habit, but I rarely manage to do it.

It literally translates to “to lie down early,” but in context it means “to go to bed early.” The reflexive pronoun “se” indicates that the subject performs the action on themselves.

Why is the reflexive pronoun attached to deitar forming “deitar-se” rather than being placed separately?

In Portuguese, when using reflexive verbs in the infinitive, the pronoun is attached to the verb with a hyphen. This structure clearly marks the verb as reflexive, indicating that the subject acts upon itself.

What is the role of “raramente” in the sentence?

“Raramente” is an adverb meaning “rarely.” It modifies “consigo” (the conjugated form of “conseguir” meaning “I manage” or “I am able to”) to express that the speaker seldom succeeds in doing the action.

What does “consigo” mean and how is it functioning here?

“Consigo” is the first-person singular form of “conseguir.” It means “I manage” or “I am able to,” indicating that the speaker has difficulty turning the healthy habit (going to bed early) into a regular practice.

Why is the pronoun “lo” attached to “fazer” to form “fazer-lo”, and what does it refer to?

The pronoun “lo” (a shortened form of “o”) replaces the action mentioned earlier—“deitar-se cedo.” Attaching it to “fazer” with a hyphen is a standard way in Portuguese to avoid repetition, effectively meaning “to do it.”

Why doesn’t the sentence repeat “deitar-se cedo” in the second clause?

Portuguese often uses pronouns to prevent redundancy. Instead of repeating “deitar-se cedo,” the sentence utilizes “fazer-lo” where “lo” serves as a substitute, making the sentence more concise and fluent.