Questions & Answers about Para mim, este livro é único.
In European Portuguese, after the preposition para, you must use the prepositional pronoun, not the subject pronoun.
- mim = object form (used after prepositions like para, de, por, sem)
- eu = subject form (used as the doer of the verb)
So:
- ✅ para mim (for me / to me)
- ❌ para eu (ungrammatical here)
You only use para eu if it’s followed by an infinitive verb where eu is the subject of that verb:
- ✅ Isto é para eu ler. = This is for me to read.
(literally: this is for I to read → eu is the subject of ler)
In your sentence, para mim is just introducing an opinion, so it has to be mim.
Yes, you can say simply:
- Este livro é único. = This book is unique.
Adding para mim makes it clear you’re expressing a personal opinion or perspective:
- Para mim, este livro é único.
= For me / In my opinion, this book is unique.
So:
- Without para mim: a more objective statement.
- With para mim: clearly subjective, like saying “In my view…”
Both are correct and mean almost the same thing, but the focus changes slightly.
Para mim, este livro é único.
→ Fronted para mim highlights you and your opinion.
Feels like: “As far as I’m concerned, this book is unique.”Este livro é único para mim.
→ Starts with este livro, emphasising the book first.
More like: “This book is unique to me.”
In many everyday situations, they’re interchangeable, but native speakers often front Para mim when they really want to stress “in my opinion” at the start.
para mim and por mim are not equivalent.
para mim = for me / to me / in my opinion
Used to express viewpoint or personal benefit:- Para mim, este livro é único. (In my opinion)
por mim = as far as I’m concerned / from my side / I don’t mind
Often used when giving permission or showing indifference:- Por mim, podemos ir embora. = As far as I’m concerned, we can leave.
- Por mim, tudo bem. = It’s fine by me / I’m OK with it.
In your sentence, you’re expressing an opinion, so it must be para mim.
These are demonstrative adjectives and they show distance:
- este livro = this book (near the speaker)
- esse livro = that book (near the listener, or already mentioned)
- aquele livro = that book over there (far from both)
In real-life European Portuguese, the distance rules are not always followed strictly, but:
- este livro is natural when you’re holding the book, pointing at it, or just introducing it.
- esse livro is more “that book (you know, the one we mentioned).”
- aquele livro feels more distant, physically or mentally: “that book (over there, or from long ago, etc.).”
So este livro is a natural default if you’re presenting the book as the topic.
Adjectives and determiners agree in gender and number with the noun.
- livro is masculine singular, so:
- este livro (this book)
- único (unique – masculine singular)
Other forms:
- Feminine singular: esta casa é única (this house is unique)
- Masculine plural: estes livros são únicos (these books are unique)
- Feminine plural: estas casas são únicas (these houses are unique)
So este livro é único is all masculine singular and fully consistent.
Portuguese distinguishes ser and estar:
ser (here: é) → more permanent, defining qualities:
- Este livro é único. = This book is unique (by nature, as a defining trait).
estar (here: está) → temporary states, conditions, locations:
- O livro está na mesa. = The book is on the table.
- O livro está muito sujo. = The book is very dirty (right now).
Saying Este livro está único would sound strange or wrong in European Portuguese. You want to say the book is unique as an inherent quality, so you must use é (from ser).
Único is an adjective meaning “only / single / unique”, and it agrees with the noun:
- Masculine singular: único
- Feminine singular: única
- Masculine plural: únicos
- Feminine plural: únicas
In your sentence it’s in the predicate after the verb é:
- Este livro é único. = This book is unique.
If you move único before the noun, you can change the nuance:
Este é um livro único.
→ This is a unique book (emphasising that this particular book is unique).Este é o único livro.
→ This is the only book (there is no other).Este único livro é importante.
→ This single/only book is important.
So position + article changes whether you mean “unique” or “only / single”.
The comma marks a pause because Para mim is a fronted phrase (a detached introductory element).
- Para mim, este livro é único.
You could technically omit the comma in some casual writing, but standard punctuation in European Portuguese prefers:
- comma after introductory phrases like Para mim, Na minha opinião, Em geral, etc.
It mirrors the natural spoken pause: Para mim / este livro é único.
Yes.
- Este livro é único. is perfectly natural and grammatically correct.
The difference:
- Este livro é único. → plain statement of fact.
- Para mim, este livro é único. → explicitly marks it as your personal perspective.
In conversation, Portuguese speakers often add Para mim, Na minha opinião, Eu acho que… when they want to soften a statement or emphasise that it’s subjective.
Approximate European Portuguese pronunciation (using English-like hints):
Para → often reduced to something like “prah” or “prə”
The final -a is usually very weak: /ˈpɾɐ/ or /ˈpɾə/.mim → “meeng”, with a nasal vowel at the end: /mĩ/
este → “esh-t(ɨ)”
The e is like “esh”, last e is very reduced: /ˈeʃtɨ/ or /ˈeʃt(ɨ)/.livro → “LEE-vru”
Tap the r once: /ˈlivɾu/ or /ˈlivɾo/ (depending on accent).é → open “eh”: /ɛ/
único → “OO-nee-koo” with stress on Ú: /ˈuniku/
Spoken fairly quickly, it may sound like:
“Prah mim, esh-t livru eh OO-niku.”
Natural translations include:
- For me, this book is unique.
- To me, this book is unique.
- In my opinion, this book is unique.
All capture the nuance of Para mim as an expression of personal viewpoint, not just physical “for me” in the sense of a gift.