Persuaderlo

Persuaderlo is a Romance-language verb form built from the verb meaning “to persuade” combined with a direct object pronoun, typically lo, meaning “him” or “it.” The construction functions as the infinitive with a attached pronoun in several languages, conveying the sense “to persuade him/it.” It is most commonly discussed in the contexts of Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, where pronoun attachment to the infinitive is a regular feature.

In Italian, the form appears as persuaderlo (or persuader-la for a feminine object). It is used in phrases such as Devo persuaderlo (I must persuade him) or Non è facile persuaderlo (It is not easy to persuade him). The pronoun typically attaches to the infinitive and remains as part of the verb phrase, e.g., voglio persuaderlo.

In Spanish, the equivalent is persuadirlo, as in Quiero persuadirlo (I want to persuade him) or Voy a persuadirlo. Spanish also allows pronoun placement before the conjugated verb, as in Lo quiero persuadir.

In Portuguese, the form is persuasion with a hyphen: persuadi-lo (I want to persuade him). It is used similarly in constructions like Quero persuadi-lo or Vou persuadi-lo.

Etymology and morphology: the term derives from the Latin persuadere, combined with a clitic object pronoun (lo, la, lhes, etc.). The construction illustrates how Romance languages fuse verb meaning with a pronoun to designate the recipient of the action.

See also: direct object pronouns, clitic pronouns, infinitive constructions, Romance languages.