Question 1

Why do we need um ao outro if the pronoun -se already makes it reciprocal?

Accepted Answer

The pronoun -se can mean "themselves" (reflexive) OR "each other" (reciprocal). Without um ao outro, the sentence O arquiteto e o engenheiro defendiam-se could mean they each defended themselves. Adding um ao outro makes it 100% clear that they were defending each other.

Question 2

Since there are two people involved, why isn't it plural (uns aos outros)?

Accepted Answer

Because there are exactly two people, the phrase literally means "one to the other." You use the singular um ao outro when exactly two subjects are interacting. If there were three or more people, you would use the plural uns aos outros ("some to the others").

Question 3

Why is the verb in the Imperfect tense (defendiam) instead of the simple past (defenderam)?

Accepted Answer

The Imperfect (defendiam) is used to describe an ongoing or habitual action in the past. It suggests they "used to defend each other" or "were defending each other" over a period of time. If they defended each other in one specific, completed instance (like during a single meeting), you would use the simple past: defenderam-se.

Question 4

Why is the pronoun -se attached to the end of the verb instead of coming before it?

Accepted Answer

In standard European Portuguese, the default position for object pronouns is immediately after the verb, joined by a hyphen. They only move in front of the verb if there is a "magnet" word earlier in the clause—like a negative word (não), a question word, or certain conjunctions—which isn't the case in this sentence.

O arquiteto e o engenheiro defendiam-se um ao outro.

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