Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Eles partilharam o segredo sem se comprometer. - They shared the secret without compromising themselves.

Eles partilharam o segredo sem se comprometer.

They shared the secret without compromising themselves.

Breakdown of Eles partilharam o segredo sem se comprometer.

himself / herself / themselves

sem

without

Questions & Answers about Eles partilharam o segredo sem se comprometer.

Why is the pronoun se placed before the infinitive comprometer instead of attached to the end?

Infinitives usually take the pronoun at the end, as in comprometer-se. However, the preposition sem acts as a magnet that pulls the pronoun before the verb (proclisis). This happens specifically with the prepositions para, por, sem, and até when they come right before an infinitive.

Since the subject is Eles, shouldn't the verb be in the plural personal infinitive form, comprometerem?

Because the subject of the infinitive is the exact same as the subject of the main verb (Eles), you can safely use the uninflected, basic infinitive (comprometer). That said, using the personal infinitive here is also completely correct, meaning sem se comprometerem is an excellent and common alternative.

If I decided to use the personal infinitive comprometerem, would the position of se change?

No, it would stay exactly where it is: sem se comprometerem. The preposition sem still triggers proclisis (pulling the pronoun forward) whether the infinitive is uninflected or conjugated.

What exactly does se comprometer mean in this context? Does it mean compromising their values?

In this context, comprometer-se means to put oneself in a difficult, risky, or compromising position (such as getting into trouble for revealing the secret). While the verb can also mean to commit to something (like a project or a relationship), here it is all about avoiding negative consequences.