movêlo

Movêlo is a Portuguese linguistic term that describes the combination of the verb mover in its infinitive form with the enclitic pronoun lo, meaning “it.” The construction is used to express “to move it” and appears in both European and Brazilian Portuguese in written and spoken language.

Etymology and form: The word is formed from mover (to move) plus the masculine direct-object pronoun lo (it). A hyphen links the verb in the infinitive to the clitic pronoun, yielding movê-lo. The circumflex on the first syllable of mover is carried over in many conjugations when a pronoun attaches, producing forms such as movê-lo, fazê-lo, vê-lo, and dizê-lo. Analogous constructions exist with other pronouns and with feminine or plural objects (movê-la, movê-los, movê-las).

Usage: Movê-lo is common in formal and informal contexts whenever the speaker wants to attach a direct object pronoun to an infinitive. Examples include: Vou movê-lo amanhã. Ela percebeu que precisa movê-lo para outra sala. When used with other tenses or moods, the same attachment pattern applies: quero movê-lo, vou movê-lo, etc.

Variations and related forms: The pattern extends to other verbs and pronouns, such as fazê-lo (to do it), vê-lo (to see it), lê-lo (to read it), and dizê-lo (to say it). The choice of pronoun (lo, la, os, as, lhe), its gender and number, determines the appropriate form of movê-lo or its counterparts.

See also: Clitic pronouns in Portuguese; Portuguese orthography; Infinitive with attached pronouns.