apresentarse

Apresentarse is a term found in discussions of Portuguese and is often discussed as a nonstandard or mistaken form. In standard Portuguese, the reflexive infinitive is apresentar-se, meaning to introduce oneself, or to present oneself. In Spanish, the equivalent verb is presentarse (to introduce oneself). The form apresentarse is not correct in either language as a standard spelling, and it is generally better treated as a misspelling or a mixing of languages.

In Portuguese, apresentar-se uses the reflexive pronoun to indicate that the subject performs the action on himself. Common constructions include vou apresentar-me (I will introduce myself) or vou me apresentar (Brazilian usage). Other forms follow regular verb conjugation with the reflexive pronoun: eu apresento-me, tu apresentas-te, ele apresenta-se, nós apresentamo-nos, eles apresentam-se; past tenses use apresentei-me, apresentaste-te, etc. The nonreflexive form apresentar-se can also mean to present someone else, as in apresentar alguém.

In Spanish, the correct form is presentarse, with reflexive pronouns integrated into the verb. Typical forms include me presento (I introduce myself), te presentas, se presenta, nos presentamos, os presentáis, se presentan; preterite forms are me presenté, te presentaste, se presentó, etc. The expression is common in introductions, interviews, or meetings.

Etymology and related forms: both verbs trace to Latin praesentare, meaning to present. In Portuguese, the form with the affixed reflexive -se is the standard way to express the self-directed action; the analogous Spanish verb uses the -se suffix as well, but with Spanish orthography.