devolvêla

Devolvêla is a Portuguese verb phrase formed by combining the verb devolver (to return) with a clitic pronoun, here representing a feminine direct object. The literal meaning is “to return it to her,” with the pronoun la standing for a feminine object that has been previously mentioned or is clear from context. The form is commonly used in both European and Brazilian Portuguese to express returning a feminine item to someone.

Grammatical construction and usage

Devolvêla attaches to the infinitive form of devolver with a hyphen: devolvê-la. This construction is used when the speaker refers to a specific feminine object, such as a book or item previously identified. Example: Vou devolvê-la amanhã. (“I will return it to her tomorrow.”) The pronoun can also appear with other verb tenses in combinations like vou devolvê-la, estou devolvê-la, or devolvê-la-? depending on regional preference and syntactic context. When the object is masculine, a corresponding form like devolvê-lo would be used.

Orthography and variants

The spelling devolvêla uses the circumflex on the stressed e (ê) and a hyphen to separate the verb from the clitic pronoun, a pattern common in Portuguese orthography for inflected verbs with attached pronouns. Some regional varieties may prefer slightly different pronoun placement or alternatives such as devolvê-la in writing, but the hyphenated infinitive form is widely accepted in formal and informal writing.

See also

Devolver (to return), Portuguese clitic pronouns, o/a (masculine/feminine direct object pronouns), lhe (indirect object pronoun).