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O comboio leva-o ao centro.

O comboio leva-o ao centro.
The train takes him to the center.
From Lesson 67:Direct object pronouns (me, te, o, a, nos, os, as)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O comboio leva-o ao centro.

Why do we say leva-o instead of leva ele?
In English, we say "takes him". In Portuguese, the direct object pronoun for "him" is o (not the subject pronoun ele, which means "he"). We attach this pronoun directly to the verb.
Why is the pronoun -o attached to the end of the verb with a hyphen?
In European Portuguese, direct object pronouns usually attach to the end of the verb in simple, affirmative sentences. This is different from English, where the pronoun is a separate word. The hyphen shows they are structurally connected, giving us leva-o.
Could leva-o mean "takes it" instead of "takes him"?
Yes! The pronoun o replaces any masculine singular noun. It can mean "him", "it" (referring to a masculine object), or even formal "you" (when speaking to a male). You have to rely on the context of the conversation to know exactly who or what is being taken.
What makes up the word ao?
ao is a mandatory contraction of the preposition a (to) and the masculine definite article o (the). Because centro (center) is a masculine noun, we combine a + o to make ao (to the).

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