Breakdown of Se te esqueceres do cachecol, empresto‑te o meu.
de
of
se
if
esquecer-se
to forget
te
you
emprestar
to lend
o cachecol
the scarf
o meu
mine
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Questions & Answers about Se te esqueceres do cachecol, empresto‑te o meu.
Why is TE used twice? Are both TE’s the same thing?
Yes, it’s the same clitic form, but doing two different jobs:
- In se te esqueceres, te is the reflexive pronoun required by esquecer‑se (de).
- In empresto‑te, te is the indirect object pronoun meaning “to you” with emprestar (“to lend [something] to someone”).
Why is the verb form ESQUECERES used here?
Esqueceres is the future subjunctive (2nd person singular, “tu”). In European Portuguese, after se (“if”) you use the future subjunctive to talk about a possible future condition: Se (tu) esqueceres… = “If you (should) forget…”.
Could I say SE TE ESQUECES DO CACHECOL instead?
That uses the present indicative and sounds habitual or generic: “Whenever you forget your scarf…”. For a specific future possibility, use the future subjunctive: Se te esqueceres….
Can I drop the reflexive and say SE ESQUECERES O CACHECOL?
Yes. Portuguese allows both:
- Pronominal: esquecer‑se de [algo] → Se te esqueceres do cachecol…
- Non‑pronominal (transitive): esquecer [algo] → Se esqueceres o cachecol… Both are correct in Portugal; the pronominal version with de is more common in everyday speech. Don’t mix them (e.g., avoid “Se te esqueceres o cachecol” or “Se esqueceres do cachecol”).
Why is it DO CACHECOL and not DO TEU CACHECOL?
Portuguese often uses the definite article with body parts and clothing when the possessor is clear from context. Because te already tells us it’s “your” scarf, do cachecol naturally means “your scarf.” You can say do teu cachecol for emphasis or clarity, but it’s not required. Note do = de + o.
Why is TE before ESQUECERES but after EMPRESTO (EMPRESTO‑TE)?
- In the subordinate clause, se attracts the pronoun to come before the verb (proclisis): se te esqueceres.
- In a main affirmative clause with no attractor, European Portuguese prefers the pronoun after the verb (enclisis): empresto‑te. Note: Brazilian Portuguese tends to put the pronoun before the verb more often: eu te empresto.
Do I need the hyphen in EMPRESTO‑TE? Could I write EMPRESTO TE?
The hyphen is obligatory with enclisis: empresto‑te. Without it is incorrect. With the simple future, the formal written norm uses mesoclisis: emprestar‑te‑ei. In everyday speech people avoid that and say vou emprestar‑te or hei de te emprestar.
Why O MEU and not just MEU?
In Portuguese, possessives are usually preceded by the definite article: o meu, a tua, os meus, etc. You can make it explicit (o meu cachecol) or leave the noun understood (o meu = “mine”). The article is often dropped after the verb ser: É meu (“It’s mine.”).
What exactly is DO?
A contraction: de + o = do. Other common ones:
- de + a = da
- de + os = dos
- de + as = das
Here, esquecer‑se de
- o cachecol → do cachecol.
Is EMPRESTO‑TE present or future? Why use present for a future situation?
Empresto‑te is present indicative. In real conditionals about the future, European Portuguese often uses future subjunctive in the if‑clause and present indicative (or future) in the main clause. Using the present here makes the offer sound immediate and natural. A more formal future would be emprestar‑te‑ei or, more colloquially, vou emprestar‑te.
How would I say this formally to someone I address as VOCÊ / O SENHOR / A SENHORA?
Use 3rd‑person clitics:
- Se se esquecer do cachecol, empresto‑lhe o meu. The first se is “if”; the second se is the reflexive pronoun. Lhe means “to you” (formal, 3rd person).
Can I move the if‑clause to the end? What happens to the comma and pronouns?
Yes: Empresto‑te o meu se te esqueceres do cachecol.
- No comma when the if‑clause comes second.
- Pronoun placement stays the same: empresto‑te (enclisis in the main clause), te esqueceres (proclisis in the se‑clause).
Could I use DAR instead of EMPRESTAR? And how do I say “to borrow”?
- Emprestar = to lend: Empresto‑te o meu (“I’ll lend you mine.”).
- Dar = to give (you don’t expect it back): Dou‑te o meu (“I’ll give you mine.”), which changes the meaning.
- “To borrow” is pedir emprestado: Posso pedir‑te emprestado o teu? (“Can I borrow yours?”).
Any quick pronunciation tips for tricky bits?
- ch in cachecol sounds like English “sh”: ca‑she‑COL (stress on the last syllable).
- In esquecer(es), the qu before e is a “k” sound and the u is silent: es‑ke‑SE‑resh (tu‑form ends in a soft “sh” sound in many EP accents).
- Clitics like te are very short and often reduced in EP, roughly like a quick “tuh”.