Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Hoje vou apanhá‑lo no aeroporto, porque ele precisa de ajuda. - Today I will pick him up at the airport, because he needs help.

Apanhá‑lo combines the verb apanhar (meaning “to pick up” or “to fetch”) with the clitic pronoun ‑lo (referring to “him”). In this construction, because the verb is in the infinitive form following vou (“I am going to”), the object pronoun is attached at the end with a hyphen, following the rules of enclisis in Portuguese.

Why is the pronoun attached with a hyphen in apanhá‑lo instead of appearing before the verb?

In Portuguese, when using infinitives, gerunds, or affirmative commands, the object pronoun attaches to the end of the verb with a hyphen. This hyphenation indicates that the pronoun is an inseparable part of the verb phrase. In our sentence, it shows clearly that the action of picking up is directed toward “him.”

Why is the contracted form no aeroporto used, and what does it signify?

No aeroporto is a contraction of em (“at/in”) and o (“the”), which together form no. This contracted form is standard in Portuguese when the preposition em precedes a masculine noun. So, no aeroporto succinctly means “at the airport.”

What is the function of porque in this sentence, and why is it written that way?

Porque in this sentence means “because” and it introduces the subordinate clause explaining the reason for the action. Unlike the interrogative por quê (used at the end of a question) or the noun porquê (“reason”), porque is the correct form for a causal statement.

Why is the periphrastic future structure vou apanhá‑lo used instead of a simple future form like apanharei‑lo?

Portuguese commonly expresses future actions using the structure ir + infinitive—in this case, vou (from ir) plus apanhá‑lo—to convey “I am going to pick him up.” Although the simple future form apanharei‑lo is grammatically correct, vou apanhá‑lo is more prevalent in everyday spoken language, making the statement sound more natural.

What is the grammatical structure of ele precisa de ajuda, and why is the preposition de necessary?

In ele precisa de ajuda, precisa is the third-person singular form of precisar (to need). In Portuguese, when expressing a need for something, the verb precisar is almost always followed by the preposition de before the noun. This structure, precisar de ajuda, literally translates as “to need help,” confirming that the preposition is required by the verb.

Why is hoje placed at the beginning of the sentence, and how common is this placement in Portuguese?

Placing hoje (“today”) at the beginning of the sentence sets the time frame and provides context immediately. This positioning is typical in Portuguese, much like in English, where time expressions often appear at the start to emphasize when the action is taking place.