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O médico ajuda-a.

O médico ajuda-a.
The doctor helps her.
From Lesson 67:Direct object pronouns (me, te, o, a, nos, os, as)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of O médico ajuda-a.

o médico
the doctor (m)
ajudar
to help

Questions & Answers about O médico ajuda-a.

Why is there a hyphen in "ajuda-a"?
In European Portuguese, direct object pronouns like a (her) usually attach to the end of the verb with a hyphen in simple, affirmative sentences. This is different from English, where the pronoun sits on its own as a completely separate word.
Why do we use "a" instead of "ela" here?
Ela is a subject pronoun, meaning it is used for the person doing the action (like "She helps"). Because the woman in this sentence is receiving the help, she is the direct object of the verb. The Portuguese direct object pronoun for "her" is a.
Could "ajuda-a" mean anything else besides "helps her"?
Yes! The pronoun a replaces any feminine singular object. Depending on the context, ajuda-a could mean "helps her", "helps it" (if the object is a feminine noun like a machine), or "helps you" (when speaking formally to a woman, treating her as você).
How would I change this sentence to say "The doctor helps him"?
You would swap the feminine direct object pronoun a for the masculine version, o. The sentence would become O médico ajuda-o.

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