Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Ambos me reconhecem na rua.

Ambos me reconhecem na rua.

Both recognize me on the street.

Breakdown of Ambos me reconhecem na rua.

in the / on the / at the (f.sg)

Questions & Answers about Ambos me reconhecem na rua.

Why is the pronoun placed before the verb (Ambos me reconhecem) instead of after (Ambos reconhecem-me)?

Because of the word ambos (both). It is an indefinite pronoun, and in Portuguese, indefinite pronouns act as magnets that pull the object pronoun (me) to go before the verb. This is a rule you will see with other indefinite words like alguém (someone) or todos (everyone).

Does ambos change if the two people recognizing me are women?

Yes! Ambos is the masculine form, used for two men or a mixed group. If 'both' refers exclusively to two women, you must use the feminine form ambas. Just like the masculine form, ambas also pulls the pronoun before the verb.

Which verb form do we use with words like ambos?

Even though ambos means 'both', it is treated grammatically just like 'they' (eles or elas). That is why we use the third-person plural verb form, reconhecem.

Why does the sentence use na rua instead of just em rua for 'on the street'?

In Portuguese, we almost always include the definite article (the) when talking about streets and places in town. Na is the mandatory contraction of the preposition em (in/on) and the feminine article a (the).