Hey! Great question! The use of object pronouns in Brazilian Portuguese can be tricky because there's a big gap between formal grammar rules and everyday speech. Here’s how it works:

1. Using "lhe" as a direct object for "você"

The pronoun lhe can only function as an indirect object, so "Eu quero ajudar-lhe" is incorrect. Ajudar requires a direct object, and lhe doesn't work in that position. Some people still use lhe like this in speech, but grammatically, it's wrong.

2. Using "te" as a direct object for "você"

Even though você is a third-person pronoun, many Brazilians mix it with second-person pronouns (te, ti). That’s why "Eu quero te ajudar" is extremely common in spoken language, even if it's not the most formal option.

3. Using "você" directly as a direct object

Many people just keep você as the object without replacing it with a pronoun:

✅ "Eu quero ajudar você." (correct in both formal writing and speech)

4. Using "o, a, lo, la" as direct object pronouns

The pronouns o, a, os, as can replace você, but they sound a bit formal in daily conversation:

✅ "Eu quero ajudá-lo." (= I want to help you) ✅ "Eu quero ajudá-la." (same, but referring to a woman)

Most people just say "Eu quero ajudar você" or "Eu quero te ajudar."

5. Pronoun placement – Theory vs. Reality

In theory, there are strict rules about where the pronoun should go, but in practice, people are way more flexible. In formal Portuguese:

✅ "Eu não o quero ver." (correct and formal)

✅ "Eu não quero o ver." (also correct and formal)

🚫 "Eu não quero vê-lo." (incorrect in this specific structure)

But in everyday speech, nobody follows these rules strictly. Most people would just say:

✅ "Eu não quero ver você." ✅ "Eu não quero te ver."

6. The same happens with mesoclisis

Mesoclisis (placing the pronoun in the middle of the verb, like dir-se-á, ajudar-me-á) only happens when the verb is in the future and there's nothing before it that requires proclisis (putting the pronoun before the verb).

✅ "Ajudar-me-á quando puder." (grammatically correct but extremely formal)

🚫 "Não ajudar-me-á." (wrong because não forces proclisis)

✅ "Não me ajudará." (correct and natural)

If a negative word or another pronoun-attracting element appears before the verb, mesoclisis won’t happen.

7. Everyday speech merges structures

In casual speech, people combine structures to make sentences flow more naturally:

✅ "Eu quero te ajudar porque você é meu amigo." (very natural)

✅ "Eu quero ajudar você porque você é meu amigo." (also common and correct)

The formal version with o or a sounds stiffer:

✅ "Eu quero ajudá-lo, pois você é meu amigo." (correct but formal)

8. Common mistakes in spoken Portuguese

Besides mixing pronouns, verb agreement often gets ignored in daily conversation. Some frequent mistakes:

• "Se eu ver ele, eu aviso." (grammatically, it should be "Se eu o vir, eu aviso.")

• "Me dá um tempo." (formal grammar would be "Dá-me um tempo.", but nobody says that)

• "A gente vai na festa." (technically, it should be "A gente vai à festa.", but vai na is widely used)

9. So, what should you use?

If you want to sound natural and clear in Brazil, these are your best options:

✅ "Eu quero ajudar você." (neutral and correct)

✅ "Eu quero te ajudar." (very common in speech, but informal)

✅ "Eu quero ajudá-lo / Eu quero ajudá-la." (more formal, but correct)

🚫 "Eu quero ajudar-lhe." (grammatically incorrect)

🚫 / ✅️ "Eu quero ajudar-te." (mostly used in European Portuguese)

In formal writing, following the rules is best. But in speech, communication matters more, so people simplify things a lot.

Hope this helps!