Questions & Answers about Ele ajuda-me hoje.
Why is there a hyphen between "ajuda" and "me"?
In European Portuguese, direct object pronouns like me normally attach to the end of the verb with a hyphen. This is the standard rule in Portugal, unlike in English where we just write it as a completely separate word after the verb.
Does the pronoun "me" change if the person speaking is female?
No, me is always used for "me" regardless of your gender. In this lesson, the only direct object pronouns that change based on gender are the third-person ones: o (him/it), a (her/it), os (them, masculine), and as (them, feminine).
Why is the verb form "ajuda" and not "ajudar" or "ajudo"?
Is the "h" in "hoje" pronounced like it is in "he helps"?
No, in Portuguese, an "h" at the very beginning of a word is always completely silent. You pronounce hoje by starting straight with the "o" sound.