Question 1

Why do we use consigo here instead of com ele?

Accepted Answer

consigo is the reflexive form of com for the 3rd person. If you used com ele, it would mean the hermit is talking to an entirely different man, not himself. Whenever a 3rd-person subject performs an action 'with' or 'to' themselves, you must use consigo.

Question 2

Doesn't consigo usually mean 'with you' in European Portuguese?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In everyday speech, consigo is heavily used as a formal 'with you' (aligning with the você form). However, its original and strict grammatical role is the 3rd-person reflexive pronoun. Because the subject of this sentence is O ermitão, consigo reflects back to him, meaning 'with himself'.

Question 3

Why add the word próprio after consigo? Is it required?

Accepted Answer

It is not strictly required, but it is highly recommended for emphasis and clarity, especially since consigo is so often used to mean 'with you'. Adding próprio heavily reinforces the reflexive meaning ('to himself'). Since it acts as an adjective, it must agree with the subject; if the subject were feminine, you would use consigo própria.

Question 4

The English translation says 'talks TO himself'. Why does Portuguese use a form of 'with' (consigo)?

Accepted Answer

In Portuguese, the verb falar (to talk/speak) usually pairs with the preposition com to indicate the person you are communicating with. While English speakers typically say 'talk to', Portuguese speakers say falar com. Therefore, the preposition com merges with the reflexive pronoun si to create consigo.

O ermitão fala consigo próprio na gruta.

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