Introduction
Learning how to use lembrar-se de will help you express memory, recall, and reminders in Portuguese naturally. This article explains grammar, pronouns, verb placement, negation, common mistakes, and real Brazilian Portuguese examples so you can start using lembrar-se de correctly in conversation and writing.
- What lembrar-se de means
- Reflexive pronouns and placement
- Conjugation patterns
- Usage: lembrar-se de vs lembrar
- Objects after de: nouns, infinitives, and clauses
- Negation, questions, and emphasis
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Cultural and usage notes
- Examples in real Brazilian Portuguese sentences
- Quick reference summary
- Conclusion
What lembrar-se de means
Lembrar-se de is a pronominal verb used to say that someone remembers something or someone, or to remind oneself. In English it corresponds to phrases like to remember, to remind oneself of, or to recall. The core elements are the verb lembrar and the reflexive pronoun se plus the preposition de when introducing the remembered object or action.
Basic structure
The simple structure is:
subject + lembrar-se (conjugated) + de + object
Examples:
Eu me lembro de / Eu lembro-me de do compromisso.
Ela se lembra de / Ela lembra-se de do nome da pessoa.
Note about do: Português often contracts de + o into do and de + a into da when the object is a definite article. De + isto/isso/aquele/essa usually stays separate: lembrar-se de isso, lembrar-se de aquilo.
Reflexive pronouns and placement
Because lembrar-se de is pronominal, you must include a reflexive pronoun that matches the subject. In Brazilian Portuguese the most common pattern is to place the pronoun before the conjugated verb in normal statements. There is also clitic placement after infinitives or gerunds, but in everyday Brazilian usage preverbal placement is predominant.
Pronouns list and examples
Eu + me: Eu me lembro de das regras.
Tu + te: Tu te lembras de daquela música. (less common in Brazil; often replaced by você)
Você/Ele/Ela + se: Você se lembra de onde deixou as chaves? / Ele se lembra de do filme.
Nós + nos: Nós nos lembramos de do almoço de ontem.
Vocês/Eles/Elas + se: Vocês se lembram de do combinado? / Elas se lembram de da história.
Important: In European Portuguese there is more flexibility with enclitic placement (after the verb). In Brazilian Portuguese, placing the pronoun before the verb (me lembro) is standard in speech and informal writing.
Conjugation patterns
Here are common conjugations of lembrar-se in the present, past, and future to show how the reflexive pronoun moves with the verb.
Present tense (presente do indicativo)
Eu me lembro de
Você/Ele/Ela se lembra de
Nós nos lembramos de
Vocês/Eles/Elas se lembram de
Preterite (pretérito perfeito)
Eu me lembrei de
Você/Ele/Ela se lembrou de
Nós nos lembramos de
Vocês/Eles/Elas se lembraram de
Future (futuro do presente)
Eu me lembrarei de
Você/Ele/Ela se lembrará de
Nós nos lembraremos de
Vocês/Eles/Elas se lembrarão de
Note: With compound tenses the reflexive pronoun normally remains before the auxiliary or between auxiliary and past participle depending on style; however in Brazilian Portuguese, keep it simple and place the pronoun before the main verb most of the time.
Usage: lembrar-se de vs lembrar
Portuguese allows both pronominal and non-pronominal forms: lembrar-se de and lembrar (without se). They are not always interchangeable. Understanding the distinction improves accuracy.
When to use lembrar-se de
Use lembrar-se de when the subject remembers something about itself or when speaking about recalling facts, memories, or events. The preposition de is required before the object being remembered.
Ela se lembra de da infância. (She remembers her childhood.)
When to use lembrar
Lembrar without se often means to help someone remember or to make something remind you of something, and it may take a direct object without de.
Alguém lembrou o compromisso ao chefe. (Someone reminded the boss about the appointment.)
Isso me lembra minha casa. (This reminds me of my home.)
Compare:
Eu me lembro de da palavra. (I remember the word.)
Ela lembrou o cliente do encontro. (She reminded the client of the meeting.)
Objects after de: nouns, infinitives, and clauses
After lembrar-se de you can have nouns, pronouns, infinitive verbs, or entire clauses introduced by que. Pay attention to prepositions and contractions.
Noun object
Eu me lembro de daquela rua.
Pronoun object
Você se lembra de dele? (mas often in spoken Portuguese people say se lembra dele)
Infinitive after de
Ela se lembra de tirar fotos naquela viagem. (She remembers taking photos on that trip.)
Clause with que
Nós nos lembramos de que temos uma reunião amanhã. (We remember that we have a meeting tomorrow.)
Negation, questions, and emphasis
Negation: Place não before the conjugated verb in Brazilian Portuguese.
Eu não me lembro de disso.
Questions: Use the same word order as statements, often with a rising tone in speech or with question marks in writing.
Você se lembra de do filme?
Por que você não se lembra de do nome?
Emphasis: To emphasize the subject or object, you can add pronouns, adverbs, or stress in speech, but keep the standard pronoun placement.
Eu realmente me lembro de daquela festa.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Beginner learners often make predictable errors. Here are frequent mistakes and corrections.
Omitting de
Incorrect: Eu me lembro esse lugar.
Correct: Eu me lembro de esse lugar.
Using the wrong pronoun placement (formal vs spoken)
Incorrect in Brazilian Portuguese: lembro-me de sempre in casual speech may sound formal. Prefer Eu me lembro de in conversation.
Mixing lembrar and lembrar-se
Incorrect: Eu lembrei de você. (This sounds like I reminded you.)
Correct: Eu me lembrei de você. to say I remembered you.
Forgetting contractions
De + o becomes do. Be natural with articles: Eu me lembro do livro, Eu me lembro da música.
Cultural and usage notes
In Brazil, everyday speech tends to be informal. Using Eu me lembro de is normal in both conversation and informal writing. In formal Portuguese or literary contexts you may still find the enclitic form lembrar-me de, but that sounds old-fashioned in Brazil.
When asking about memories, Brazilians often use lembrar de with diminutives or casual phrases: Você se lembra daquela festinha? The diminutive ending -inha makes the question friendlier and more colloquial.
Regional variations: In some regions people commonly use Você instead of Tu and prefer você se lembra de in everyday talk. In very informal speech, pronouns and prepositions may be slightly reduced or elided, but for learners, stick to full forms.
Examples in real Brazilian Portuguese sentences
Eu me lembro de quando éramos crianças.
Ela se lembra de do nome do restaurante.
Nós nos lembramos de de pagar a conta antes das férias. (note the double de is avoided in careful speech: nós nos lembramos de pagar a conta)
Você se lembra de onde estacionou o carro?
Eles se lembraram de avisar o professor sobre a mudança de horário.
Isso me lembra minha avó. (use lembrar without se to express something reminds you)
Quick reference summary
Use lembrar-se de to express remembering. Always include the reflexive pronoun and the preposition de before the object. Place the pronoun before the verb in Brazilian Portuguese. Use lembrar without se to say that something reminds you or to remind someone. Contract de + o / a into do / da when applicable.
Conclusion
Mastering lembrar-se de lets you talk about memories and reminders with clarity. Remember to use the reflexive pronoun, include de before objects, and place the pronoun before the verb in Brazilian Portuguese. With the conjugation patterns, example sentences, and usage notes here, you can start using lembrar-se de naturally in conversation and writing.
