Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Este livro pertence à Ana, mas ela disse que posso lê-lo. - This book belongs to Ana, but she said I can read it.

It’s because the preposition a (meaning “to”) combines with the feminine singular definite article a (meaning “the”) to form the contraction à. In Portuguese, when these two words merge—as in expressions of possession or belonging—you must use the grave accent on à.

What does “lê-lo” mean, and why is it hyphenated?

“Lê-lo” fuses the infinitive ler (“to read”) with the direct object pronoun o (“it,” referring to “livro”). In Portuguese, clitic pronouns like o are typically attached to the end of a verb (especially with infinitives in affirmative statements), and the hyphen signals that the two elements form a single word unit.

Why does the verb form change from “ler” to “lê” in “lê-lo”?

The acute accent in lê is added to preserve the verb’s original stress pattern once the pronoun is attached. By marking the correct syllable stress, the accent ensures proper pronunciation after the fusion of the verb and the pronoun.

Why isn’t the subject “I” (eu) explicitly stated before “posso lê-lo”?

In Portuguese, subject pronouns are often omitted because the verb conjugation already indicates the subject. In this sentence, posso clearly shows the first person singular form (“I can”), making the pronoun eu unnecessary.

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

The word mas means “but” in English, and it functions as a coordinating conjunction. It links two contrasting parts of the sentence: first, the fact that the book belongs to Ana, and second, Ana’s statement granting permission to read it.

Why is the reported speech introduced by “que” after “disse”?

In Portuguese, que is commonly used as a subordinating conjunction to introduce reported speech or indirect statements. In this example, it links what Ana said (disse) to the subordinate clause posso lê-lo (“I can read it”).

Are there alternative ways to position the direct object pronoun in this context?

Yes, Portuguese allows some flexibility with pronoun placement. In affirmative sentences featuring an infinitive, it is standard to attach the clitic pronoun to the end of the verb (forming lê-lo). In negative sentences or other contexts, the pronoun might instead appear before the conjugated verb. However, for this sentence, the enclitic position (attached to the infinitive) is both correct and typical.