compõemse

Compõem-se is a form of the Portuguese pronominal verb compor-se. It is the third-person plural present indicative: they compose themselves. The verb also has a non-reflexive sense when used with the preposition de to express composition: compõem-se de means they are composed of; they consist of.

Etymology and meaning: compor-se comes from the verb compor (to compose, to put together) with the reflexive pronoun se, indicating a state or action of the subject toward itself. The reflexive use can indicate self-possession, steadiness, or self-organization, depending on context.

Usage: With de to indicate composition, the construction compõe-se de is common: O grupo compõe-se de dez membros. O relatório compõe-se de várias seções. For the reflexive sense, compor-se can mean to steady oneself or to regain composure: Ao ouvir a notícia, o público compõe-se rapidamente. Both senses occur in formal and semi-formal Portuguese, and compõe-se de is often preferred in written prose to express what something consists of.

Orthography: The standard modern spelling uses a hyphen between the verb and the reflexive pronoun: compõem-se. The form compõemse (without the hyphen) is not considered correct in contemporary Portuguese and may be viewed as a nonstandard or archaic variant in most contexts.

See also: compor-se, composição, composição de.