Brazilian portugueseVerbs, Subjunctive Mood In Brazilian Portuguese, the present subjunctive is used to express uncertainties, doubts, wishes, assumptions, and possibilities about events related to the present or the future. For instance:
É possível que chova mais tarde.
It’s possible that it will rain later.
→ We are discussing an assumption / possibility about the future
The present subjunctive is mainly used in subordinate clausesNo definition set for subordinate clausesLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum., in which case the verbNo definition set for verbLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. in the main clauseNo definition set for main clauseLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. is in the simple present, future indicative, or the imperative. If you’d like to see more examples and uses, stay tuned and get to know more about this interesting verb tense in Brazilian Portuguese!
How to form the present subjunctive in Brazilian Portuguese?
To form the present subjunctive in Brazilian Portuguese, you must first discover whether the verb you are using is regular (i.e. follows fixed rules) or irregular (i.e. has at least some forms that must be memorized). Here’s how to form the present subjunctive for each type of verb.
Verbs with spelling changes
To form the present subjunctive of regular verbs in Brazilian Portuguese, we follow the steps below.
Start with the first personNo definition set for first personLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. singularNo definition set for singularLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum., present indicative form of the verb:
Delete the first-person ending, and keep only the stem of the verb:
Add the present subjunctive endings:
eu(I) | fale | coma | abra |
tu(you) | fales | comas | abras |
você(you, sg.)ele(he, it)ela(she, it) | fale | coma | abra |
nós(we) | falemos | comamos | abramos |
vós*(you, formal) | faleis | comais | abrais |
vocês(you, pl.)eles, elas(they) | falem | comam | abram |
* This is a very formal “you” in the plural form that is rarely used in everyday language.
It’s easy to memorize the endings in the present subjunctive, because they’re almost the same as the endings for the present indicative and present subjunctive. The only difference is the first vowel of the ending:
-ar verbs: change the indicative endings from -a to -e
-er / -ir verbs: change the indicative endings from -e / -i to -a
Because we start with the eu(I) form of the present indicative, any verb that has a stem-change in that form will have that same stem-change in all of its present subjunctive forms. Most verbs with such a stem change end in -er or -ir:
| | |
| | ele durma, nós durmamos... |
| | ela ponha, eles ponham... |
We consider these verbs to be regular in the present subjunctive, because they follow the standard pattern in this tense, but they are irregular in the simple present. Check out this chart of stem-changing irregular verbs in the simple present indicative to refresh your memory of which verbs belong to this group.
Which verbs have spelling changes in the present subjunctive?
You will need to make some slight spelling changes between the infinitiveNo definition set for infinitiveLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. and the present subjunctive forms of regular verbs that end in -cer, -car, -çar, -ger, -gir, -guer, or -guir, in order to preserve the original pronunciation of the stem.
For example:
agir[ah-jir](to act) → eu ajo[ah-jo](I act)
Where gi is pronounced [jee], go would be pronounced [go], so we change the spelling to jo to preserve the “soft g” sound.
Here are the spelling changes you’ll need to apply to each of the endings listed above:
| |
| |
| |
| proteger / fugir ⇒ proteja / fuja |
| erguer / prosseguir ⇒ erga / prossiga |
Have a look at this chart to see the complete conjugations of these spelling-change verbs in the present subjunctive!
How to form the present subjunctive: irregular verbs
In Brazilian Portuguese, there are seven irregular verbs in the present subjunctive form. As with all irregular verbs, we have to learn them by heart. These verbs are: dar(to give), estar(to be), haver(to be, there is/there are), ir(to go), querer(to want), saber(to know), and ser(to be). For example:
ser(to be) | | eu seja, tu sejas, ela seja, nós sejamos, vós sejais, elas sejam |
estar(to be) | | eu esteja, tu estejas, ele esteja, nós estejamos, vós estejais, eles estejam |
Curious to know the others? Take a look at the seven verbs that are irregular in the present subjunctive.
How to use the present subjunctive in Brazilian Portuguese?
The present subjunctive is mostly used in the subordinate clause (or “dependent clause”) of a complex sentence, but it can also be used in simple sentences. In both cases, the present subjunctive is used to describe a situation that may or may not occur in the present or in the future.
Complex sentence:
main clausesubordinate clause
Eu espero que vocês conversem.
→ A subordinate clause cannot stand alone. It is introduced by the conjunction que(that), and it completes the meaning of the main clause.
Simple sentence:
Talvez eu almoce em casa hoje.
Maybe I will have lunch at home today.
→ A simple sentence stands alone, with a subject and a verb.
You can read more about the general differences between the subjunctive mood and the indicative moodNo definition set for indicative moodLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. from our post on the subjunctive vs. the indicative in Brazilian Portuguese!
In everyday language, we most often use the present subjunctive in a simple sentence after the adverb talvez(maybe), which indicates possibility or doubt. There are also some imperative expressions that trigger the present subjunctive in simple sentences.
In complex sentences, whether or not you’ll use the subjunctive depends on the structure of the main clause. You can follow the criteria below to better know when to use the present subjunctive:
Does the main clause contain a trigger (see below) for the subjunctive?
If so, then we must use the present subjunctive in the subordinate clause. Now let’s get to know which expressions trigger the present subjunctive!
W.E.I.R.D. expressions that trigger the present subjunctive
The present subjunctive appears after certain expressions that we call “W.E.I.R.D.” expressions, which stands for: Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal Expressions, Requests, Doubts/denials.
We use the subjunctive for an action or situation that you are wishing for, having emotions about, are requesting, or are doubting/denying is taking place now or in the future. We also use the subjunctive or for an action that you are describing with an impersonal expression (an expression without a specific subject) in the present or future tense.
See some examples in the chart below:
Wishes | Eu desejo que você venha ao Brasil. I wish you would come to Brazil. |
|---|
Emotions | Que pena que você não queira sair hoje! It’s a shame you don't want to go out today! |
|---|
Impersonal Expressions | É importante que eles ganhem o jogo. It’s important that they win the game. |
|---|
Requests | Eu sugiro que você procure o gerente. I suggest you look for the manager. |
|---|
Doubt or Denial | Eu duvido que ele chegue cedo. I doubt he will arrive early. Não acho que ele saiba o caminho. I don’t think he knows the way. |
|---|
W.E.I.R.D. expressions that trigger the present subjunctive are usually in the simple present indicative (as in the examples above), however they can also be in the future indicative or the imperative. Usually, the subordinate clause containing the present subjunctive verb is introduced by the conjunction que(that).
For example:
futurepresent subjunctive
Será importante que ele faça amigos na escola nova.
It will be important that he makes friends in the new school.
imperativepresent subjunctive
Peça que ele procure o gerente para falar sobre isso!
Ask that he looks for the manager to talk about it!
I recommend you to take a look in the chart with more expressions commonly used with the present subjunctive, for more examples.
Conjunctions that trigger the present subjunctive
There are several Brazilian Portuguese conjunctions that trigger the present subjunctive, when the verb expresses a possible event in the present or in future. As we saw above, the verb in the main clause also has to be in the present tense, future tense, or in the imperative.
present tenseconjunctionpresent subjunctive
Quero uma pizza embora eu não coma queijo.
I want a pizza even though I don’t eat cheese.
future tenseconjunctionpresent subjunctive
Irei ao parque mesmo que chova.
I will go to the park even if it rains.
imperativeconjunctionpresent subjunctive
Compre os ingressos antes que os preços aumentem.
Buy the tickets before the prices go up.
Conjunctions that trigger the subjunctive are those that tend to belong to certain groups, in terms of their meaning. For example:
conjunctions of conditionNo definition set for conjunctions of conditionLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. → mesmo que(even if), caso(in case), a não ser que(unless), desde que(as long as)...
conjunctions of timeNo definition set for conjunctions of timeLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. → antes que(before), até que(until)...
conjunctions of concessionNo definition set for conjunctions of concessionLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. → embora(even though), ainda que(even if/even though), mesmo que(even though)...
conjunctions of purposeNo definition set for conjunctions of purposeLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. → a fim de que(in order to), para que(in order to / to)...
Take a look at this full list of conjunctions that trigger the present subjunctive to see some examples!
Present subjunctive in adjective clauses
The present subjunctive can be used in adjective clauses, also called relative clausesNo definition set for relative clausesLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.. These are subordinate clauses, usually introduced by the relative pronounNo definition set for relative pronounLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. que(that), that provide descriptive information about a noun, much like an adjective. If the present subjunctive is used in the relative clause, the verb in the main clause is normally conjugated in the simple present indicative, future indicative, or in the imperative.
present tensepresent subjunctive
Quero comprar um bolo que tenha caramelo.
I want to buy a cake that has caramel in it.
imperativepresent subjunctive
Estude em uma sala que seja mais silenciosa.
Study in a room that is quieter.
Other expressions that trigger the present subjunctive in Brazilian Portuguese
There are also some additional expressions that can be followed by the present subjunctive in Brazilian Portuguese and require a bit more discussion. These are:
quem quer que / o que quer que(whoever/whatever)
We’ll examine each of them below.
Using the present subjunctive after ‘há quem’
We use the present subjunctive in the main clause after the expression há quem(there are those). Há quem means há pessoas que(there are people who), and, when it’s followed by the present subjunctive, expresses a general opinion or statement.
present subjunctive
Há quem faça exercícios físicos todos os dias.
There are those who do physical exercises every day.
Há quem diga que não é bom tomar muito café.
There are those who say it’s not good to drink a lot of coffee.
When we say há pessoas que instead of há quem, we conjugate the verb in the simple present indicative instead of the present subjunctive.
simple present indicative
Há pessoas que fazem exercícios físicos todos os dias.
There are people who do physical exercises every day.
Há pessoas que dizem que não é bom tomar muito café.
There are people who say it’s not good to drink a lot of coffee.
Using the present subjunctive with ‘quem quer que,’ ‘o que quer que’
We use the present subjunctive after expressions like quem quer que or o que quer que, which are equivalent to the English expressions “whoever” or “whatever.” They are used to introduce subordinate clauses that stand in for a nonspecific or otherwise unknown noun (which is why the verb in the clause is considered uncertain).
present subjunctive
Quem quer que venha a minha casa, será bem recebido.
Whoever comes to my house will be welcomed.
O que quer que eu assista, assisto com legendas.
Whatever I watch, I watch it with subtitles.
Notice, also, that the verbs in the main clause are conjugated in the simple future or in the present indicative.
Using the present subjunctive with ‘quer … quer’
The Brazilian Portuguese expression quer… quer(whether… or) shows a choice between two alternative possibilities, and each part of this expression is followed by the present subjunctive. This expression can be used following the two structures below.
Quer esteja de férias, quer esteja trabalhando, ele sempre acorda cedo.
Whether he’s on vacation or working, he always wakes up early.
Quer queira, quer não, você terá que esperar.
Whether you like it or not, you will have to wait.
The phrase independente de(independent of, regardless of) has a similar meaning, but it uses a different structure:
Independente de estar de férias, ou trabalhar, ele sempre acorda cedo.
Regardless of whether he's on vacation or working, he always wakes up early.
Independente de querer ou não (querer), você terá que esperar.
Regardless of whether you want it or not, you will have to wait.
In summary
In this post, we described how to form the present subjunctive in Brazilian Portuguese:
The present subjunctive uses its own endings.
Regular verbs use the verb stem of the first-person, simple present indicative (though sometimes there is a spelling change!)
The present subjunctive is often used in subordinate or dependent clauses, and it can express wishes, emotions, requests, doubt, or denial. It's also used with impersonal expressions, and after certain conjunctions. There are also some particular expressions that are used with the present subjunctive.
Now practice what you learned about the present subjunctive with our activity!
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