Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Preciso do envelope. Podes dar-mo agora? - I need the envelope. Can you give it to me now?

It is a contraction of two pronouns: me (to me) and o (it). Instead of saying dar-me-o, which is hard to pronounce, Portuguese combines them into -mo. The o part is used here because it refers back to the masculine noun envelope.

Why does -mo attach to dar with a hyphen instead of going before the verb?

In European Portuguese, object pronouns typically attach to the end of the verb in affirmative sentences and questions. When you have a helper verb like Podes followed by an unconjugated verb like dar, the pronoun normally attaches to the end of that second verb.

Why does the first sentence say do envelope instead of just o envelope?

The verb precisar (to need) must always be followed by the preposition de. When de meets the masculine word for the (o), they contract into do. Because of this, you are essentially saying 'I need of the envelope'.

How do we know who is needing and who is giving if there are no words for 'I' or 'you'?