Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Vou lá agora, mas se o Pedro me ligar, atendo-o rapidamente. - I’m going there now, but if Pedro calls me, I’ll answer him quickly.

“Vou lá agora” translates to “I’m going there now.” In this phrase, “vou” is the first-person singular form of “ir” (to go), and “lá” acts as an adverb meaning “there,” referring to a location different from the speaker’s current one. It’s a common way in Portuguese (Portugal) to indicate movement toward a known or previously mentioned place.

Why is the definite article “o” used before the name “Pedro” in “se o Pedro me ligar”?

In European Portuguese, it is very common to include the definite article with first names, especially for males. So “o Pedro” is a conventional way to refer to Pedro in a familiar or colloquial tone. While English typically omits the article before a name, in Portuguese (Portugal) this usage underlines a personal and informal connection.

How does the sentence use verb tenses to express a future possibility?

The clause “se o Pedro me ligar” uses the present tense form “ligar” to express a condition that implies a future possibility. In Portuguese, it is typical to use the present tense in conditional (“if”) clauses even when referring to a future event. The main clause “atendo-o rapidamente” also uses the present indicative, which in this context signals the speaker’s intended immediate reaction if the condition is met.

What is the role of the pronouns “me” and “o” in the sentence?

The pronoun “me” in “se o Pedro me ligar” represents the speaker as the indirect object (or, in this context, the recipient of the action of being called). In the main clause, “atendo-o” combines “atendo” (I answer/attend) with the pronoun “o,” which stands in for “o Pedro.” This indicates that if Pedro calls, the speaker will answer him. The position of “me” (before the infinitive) and “o” (attached to the verb) follows the clitic placement rules in Portuguese.

Why is “atendo-o” written with a hyphen, and what does it signify?

In Portuguese, when an object pronoun is attached to a conjugated verb in an affirmative sentence (a configuration known as enclisis), it is joined to the verb with a hyphen. Thus, “atendo-o” is the correct form to express “I answer him” or “I attend to him.” The hyphen clearly indicates that the pronoun “o” functions as the direct object of the verb “atender” and should be read as a single unit with it.

Why do the pronoun placements differ between “me ligar” and “atendo-o”?

The difference is due to the placement rules for clitic pronouns in Portuguese. In subordinate clauses or clauses introduced by conjunctions like “se” (as in “se o Pedro me ligar”), pronouns are generally placed before the verb (proclisis). In contrast, in affirmative main clauses – such as “atendo-o rapidamente” – the pronoun is attached to the verb (enclisis). This shift in position is governed by syntactic rules in Portuguese (Portugal), reflecting the clause’s structure and tone.

What is the function of the conjunction “mas” in this sentence?

“Mas” means “but” in English, and it serves to contrast or qualify the speaker’s intended action. The first part of the sentence (“Vou lá agora”) expresses the immediate plan to go somewhere, while the second part (“se o Pedro me ligar, atendo-o rapidamente”) introduces a condition that might alter that plan. The use of “mas” signals that although the immediate action is to go, the speaker is also prepared to respond quickly if another event (Pedro calling) occurs.