Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O meu colega faz-me um favor porque estou ocupado. - My colleague does me a favor because I am busy.

In European Portuguese, the default rule for affirmative main sentences is to attach the object pronoun to the end of the verb. Since O meu colega faz is a simple affirmative statement, the indirect object pronoun me hooks onto the end to make faz-me.

How would the pronoun placement change if he didn't do me a favor?

If the sentence were negative, a negative word like não acts as a magnet and pulls the pronoun in front of the verb. The phrase would become não me faz instead of faz-me.

Why does this sentence use estou instead of sou for 'I am'?

We use estou, from the verb estar, for temporary states or conditions. Since being busy (ocupado) is a temporary state, estar is the right choice here.

Does ocupado change if the speaker is a woman?

Yes! Adjectives must agree with the gender of the person they describe. If the person saying they are busy is female, she would say estou ocupada.

Is the O at the beginning of the sentence necessary?