Dropping "It" (The Null Object)
In English, when we talk about a thing we have already mentioned, we use "it" or "them" (for example, "I read the manual and put it in the drawer"). In European Portuguese, speakers frequently drop the direct object pronoun entirely when referring to inanimate objects that are already understood from context.
This natural conversational shortcut is known as the Inanimate Null Object. Instead of worrying about placing object pronouns like o or a, you can simply leave the object out.
| I read the manual and put it in the drawer. | Li o manual e guardei na gaveta. |
| My father looked for the manual, but he didn't find it. | O meu pai procurou o manual, mas não encontrou. |
Masculine and Feminine Objects
This shortcut applies to any inanimate object, regardless of whether the noun is masculine (like o esquema) or feminine (like a chave de fendas). As long as the listener knows what is being discussed, the verb can stand alone without a pronoun.
| The girl looked at the diagram and said that she understood it. | A rapariga olhou para o esquema e disse que percebeu. |
| The screwdriver was on the floor and I picked it up. | A chave de fendas estava no chão e eu apanhei. |
Using Null Objects with Infinitives
You will hear this structure used constantly with infinitive verbs. This is especially handy when assembling furniture! Verbs like aparafusar (to screw in), desapertar (to loosen), or fixar (to secure) can just end the phrase without needing an attached pronoun.
| You must place the screw here and then you can screw it in. | Deves colocar o parafuso aqui e depois podes aparafusar. |
| The screw is very tight, so I cannot loosen it. | O parafuso está muito apertado, por isso não posso desapertar. |
| Since the shelf was loose, my father sat down and decided to secure it. | Como a prateleira estava solta, o meu pai sentou-se e decidiu fixar. |
Even when the sentence has multiple clauses or a change of subject, if the inanimate object is clear, you can confidently drop "it" in everyday conversation.
| I didn't see the nut. I think that the dog ate it. | Não vi a porca. Acho que o cão comeu. |