Learn Portuguese (Portugal): A distância é grande, portanto não nos vemos. - The distance is great, therefore we don't see each other.

A distância é grande, portanto não nos vemos.

The distance is great, therefore we don't see each other.

Breakdown of A distância é grande, portanto não nos vemos.

Questions & Answers about A distância é grande, portanto não nos vemos.

How does nos mean 'each other' here? I thought it meant 'us' or 'ourselves'.

You are right that nos is the reflexive pronoun for 'us' or 'ourselves'. However, when used with a plural verb like vemos (we see), it frequently acts as a reciprocal pronoun. Instead of meaning 'we see ourselves' (like looking in a mirror), the context of this sentence tells us the action is happening back and forth between two or more people, meaning 'we see each other'.

Why is the pronoun placed before the verb (não nos vemos) instead of attached to the end (não vemo-nos)?

In European Portuguese, pronouns normally attach to the end of the verb. However, the negative word não acts as a 'magnet', pulling the pronoun nos immediately in front of the verb instead.

If I wanted to say 'they don't see each other', how would the end of this sentence change?

You would change the verb to the 'they' form (veem) and use the third-person reciprocal pronoun se. The second half of the sentence would become: portanto não se veem.

Could I use por isso instead of portanto to say 'therefore' or 'so'?

Yes, absolutely! por isso (that is why / for that reason) and portanto (therefore / so) are highly interchangeable in conversational Portuguese. You could naturally say: A distância é grande, por isso não nos vemos.