Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Ela mesma levanta a barra e o haltere pesado. - She herself lifts the barbell and the heavy dumbbell.

Ela mesma levanta a barra e o haltere pesado.

She herself lifts the barbell and the heavy dumbbell.

Breakdown of Ela mesma levanta a barra e o haltere pesado.

Questions & Answers about Ela mesma levanta a barra e o haltere pesado.

Why do we use mesma here instead of mesmo?

Because it emphasizes the feminine pronoun Ela (she). When mesmo is used to mean "oneself" (herself, himself, myself, etc.), it must agree in gender and number with the person or thing it emphasizes.

Could I say Ela própria instead of Ela mesma?

Yes! In this context, mesma and própria are completely interchangeable. Both emphasize that she is the one doing the lifting herself, without anyone else's help.

Doesn't mesmo usually mean "same" or "really"?

It does! You have probably seen it in phrases like a mesma coisa (the same thing) or used as an adverb meaning "really" (like é mesmo pesado). However, when placed immediately after a noun or subject pronoun like Ela, it acts as an emphatic word meaning "-self" (in this case, "herself").

Does pesado (heavy) describe both the barbell and the dumbbell here?

No, it only describes the dumbbell (o haltere). Because pesado is singular, it only applies to the noun right next to it. If the sentence meant the barbell was also heavy, the adjective would need to be masculine plural (pesados) to cover the mixed-gender pair of a barra and o haltere.