Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Dizem que a tampa do liquidificador se lhe partiu. - They say that the blender's lid broke on him.

Dizem que a tampa do liquidificador se lhe partiu.

They say that the blender's lid broke on him.

Breakdown of Dizem que a tampa do liquidificador se lhe partiu.

of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)

dizer

to say

lhe

to him / to her / to you (formal)

himself / herself / themselves

Questions & Answers about Dizem que a tampa do liquidificador se lhe partiu.

How does se lhe partiu mean "broke on him"?

This uses the accidental reflexive structure. Instead of saying he actively broke the lid, Portuguese uses the reflexive partiu-se (it broke itself) combined with the indirect object pronoun lhe (to him or on him). This shows that the action happened by accident and negatively affected him.

Why are the pronouns placed before the verb as se lhe partiu instead of attached to the end like partiu-se-lhe?

The conjunction que acts as a "magnet" word. In European Portuguese, subordinate conjunctions force pronouns to move before the verb. When multiple pronouns appear before the verb, the reflexive se must always come before the indirect object lhe.

Who is the subject of Dizem?

There isn't a specific subject. Using the third-person plural (Dizem, meaning they say) is a standard way to make an impersonal statement in Portuguese, similar to saying "It is said" or "Rumour has it" in English.

Why do we need the reflexive se for the verb partir (to break)?

In Portuguese, partir is usually an active verb where someone breaks something. To express that something broke on its own without blaming a specific person, you must use the reflexive form partir-se (literally, to break itself).