Questions & Answers about Eles chamam-me cedo.
Why is there a hyphen in chamam-me? Why isn't it Eles me chamam?
In European Portuguese, direct object pronouns like me typically attach to the end of the verb with a hyphen in standard, affirmative sentences. Putting the pronoun before the verb (Eles me chamam) is very common in Brazilian Portuguese, but in Portugal, you will usually see and hear Eles chamam-me.
Would the spelling change if they were calling him or her, instead of me?
Yes! This is a special rule for direct object pronouns. Because the verb chamam ends in a nasal sound (the letter M), if you used the pronouns o (him/it) or a (her/it), they would transform into -no and -na to make pronunciation easier. You would write chamam-no or chamam-na. However, the pronoun me doesn't change, so it simply attaches as chamam-me.
Does chamar mean calling someone on the phone, or calling out their name?
It can be used for both! Chamar broadly means to call out to someone, to summon them, or to wake them up (which fits perfectly with cedo, meaning early). If you want to be very specific about ringing someone on the telephone, it is more common to use the verb ligar.
Can I drop the word Eles and just say Chamam-me cedo?
Yes, you can drop Eles (they) if the context already makes it clear who is doing the calling. The verb ending in -am tells us it is a "they" doing the action. Also, in European Portuguese, a sentence cannot start with an object pronoun, so even if you drop Eles, the pronoun must stay at the end: Chamam-me cedo.
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