Prendêla

Prendêla is a grammatical form in Portuguese formed by attaching the clitic pronoun ela (her) to the infinitive of the verb prender (to arrest or to imprison). The resulting form prendê-la (often written with a hyphen) means “to arrest her” or “to imprison her.” This construction is commonly found in Brazilian Portuguese and other varieties that allow clitic attachment to the infinitive.

Orthography and structure: When a clitic pronoun is attached to an infinitive, the orthography typically uses a hyphen to connect the verb and the pronoun, as in prendê-la. The accent on ê marks the characteristic stress of the infinitive form. The donne form can appear after prepositions or auxiliary verbs, for example: para prendê-la, quero prendê-la, preciso prendê-la.

Usage and nuances: Prendêla expresses the action of arresting or capturing a feminine referent and is used in both formal and colloquial contexts. It is preferred in constructions where the infinitive is the main verb or is governed by another verb or preposition, such as in "É necessário prendê-la" or "Vou prendê-la hoje." In informal speech, speakers may use alternative word orders or separate the pronoun from the infinitive in some contexts, but prender with a clitic remains common in written and formal spoken Portuguese.

See also: Prender; clitic pronouns in Portuguese; infinitivo (infinitive) and infinitivo pessoal.