When learning Portuguese, understanding how to use the subjunctive mood is essential for expressing doubt, uncertainty, desires, and hypothetical situations. The subjunctive is a verb form that indicates subjectivity, doubt, or unreality, as opposed to the indicative mood, which expresses facts and certainty. In this guide, we will provide a brief and accurate introduction to Portuguese subjunctive sentences for total beginners.
What is the Subjunctive Mood?
The subjunctive mood is used to convey subjective actions, thoughts, doubts, and possibilities. It is commonly used in situations where the speaker is uncertain or expressing desires, wishes, or hypothetical scenarios. In Portuguese, the subjunctive is formed by using specific verb endings and is often triggered by certain conjunctions or expressions.
Present Subjunctive vs. Past Subjunctive
The Portuguese subjunctive mood has two main tenses: present subjunctive and past subjunctive. The present subjunctive is used to express present or future possibilities, while the past subjunctive is used to express unreal or hypothetical actions in the past.
Formation of the Present Subjunctive
To form the present subjunctive in Portuguese, start with the third person plural form of the verb in the present indicative and replace the final -am, -em, or -em with the appropriate subjunctive endings. Here are the endings for regular verbs in the present subjunctive:
-ar Verbs:
eu -e
tu -es
ele/ela -e
nós -emos
vós -eis
eles/elas -em
-er and -ir Verbs:
eu -a
tu -as
ele/ela -a
nós -amos
vós -ais
eles/elas -am
Example Sentence: Eu espero que você vá ao cinema hoje. (I hope that you go to the cinema today.)
Triggers for the Subjunctive Mood
In Portuguese, certain conjunctions and expressions often trigger the use of the subjunctive mood. Some common triggers include:
Espero que (I hope that)
É importante que (It’s important that)
É necessário que (It’s necessary that)
Desejo que (I wish that)
Talvez (Maybe)
A menos que (Unless)
Example Sentence: Talvez ele chegue mais cedo. (Maybe he will arrive earlier.)
Formation of the Past Subjunctive
Forming the past subjunctive in Portuguese can be a bit more complex, as it requires the use of irregular verb forms. The past subjunctive is formed by taking the third person plural form of the preterite tense, removing the -am, -em, or -em endings, and adding the appropriate subjunctive endings.
Example Sentence: Se eu tivesse mais tempo, viajaria pelo mundo. (If I had more time, I would travel the world.)
Triggers for the Past Subjunctive
Similar to the present subjunctive, certain conjunctions and expressions trigger the use of the past subjunctive. Here are some common triggers:
Se (If)
Quando (When)
Antes que (Before)
Ainda que (Even if)
Caso (In case)
Embora (Although)
Subjunctive with Impersonal Expressions
Impersonal expressions such as “é necessário” (it is necessary), “é importante” (it is important), and “é bom” (it is good) are often followed by the subjunctive mood in Portuguese. These expressions indicate a requirement or need for something to be done.
Example Sentence: É importante que todos cheguem no horário. (It’s important that everyone arrives on time.)
Subjunctive in Conditional Sentences
In conditional sentences (if-then clauses), the subjunctive mood is commonly used in the dependent clause (the “if” part) to express hypothetical or unreal situations.
Example Sentence: Se ele fosse rico, viajaria pelo mundo. (If he were rich, he would travel the world.)
Expressing Doubt and Uncertainty
The subjunctive mood is frequently used in Portuguese to express doubt, uncertainty, or disbelief. In these cases, verbs like “duvidar” (to doubt), “não acreditar” (to not believe), and “não estar certo” (to not be certain) are often followed by the subjunctive.
Example Sentence: Eu duvido que ele venha à festa. (I doubt that he will come to the party.)
In conclusion, the subjunctive mood is a crucial aspect of Portuguese grammar for expressing doubt, uncertainty, desires, and hypothetical situations. By understanding the formation of the present and past subjunctive, recognizing triggers for its usage, and practicing with example sentences, beginners can start incorporating the subjunctive mood into their Portuguese conversations and writing. Remember that regular practice and exposure to the language will help reinforce your understanding and usage of the subjunctive in Portuguese.
Quick quiz
Exercise 1:
Choose the correct form of the verb in the present subjunctive to complete the sentence:
Eu espero que ele __ (vir/vá) à reunião amanhã.
a) vir
b) vá
Answer: b) vá
Explanation: The correct form is “vá” because “espero que” triggers the subjunctive mood. It expresses the speaker’s hope or desire, which requires the use of the subjunctive. Example sentence: Eu espero que ele vá à reunião amanhã. (I hope he goes to the meeting tomorrow.)
Exercise 2:
Select the appropriate verb form in the present subjunctive:
É importante que você __ (estudar/estude) para o exame.
a) estudar
b) estude
Answer: b) estude
Explanation: The correct form is “estude” because “é importante que” triggers the subjunctive mood. It indicates the importance of studying for the exam. Example sentence: É importante que você estude para o exame. (It’s important that you study for the exam.)
Exercise 3:
Complete the sentence with the correct past subjunctive form of the verb:
Se eu _ (ter/tivesse) dinheiro, viajaria pelo mundo.
a) ter
b) tivesse
Answer: b) tivesse
Explanation: The correct form is “tivesse” because “Se” introduces a hypothetical situation in the past, which requires the past subjunctive. Example sentence: Se eu tivesse dinheiro, viajaria pelo mundo. (If I had money, I would travel the world.)
Exercise 4:
Choose the appropriate verb form in the past subjunctive:
Ainda que ele _ (chegar/chegasse) cedo, não poderá entrar.
a) chegar
b) chegasse
Answer: b) chegasse
Explanation: The correct form is “chegasse” because “ainda que” triggers the past subjunctive mood. It expresses a hypothetical condition. Example sentence: Ainda que ele chegasse cedo, não poderia entrar. (Even if he arrived early, he couldn’t enter.)
Exercise 5:
Select the correct verb form in the present subjunctive:
Eu duvido que eles __ (saber/saibam) a resposta.
a) saber
b) saibam
Answer: b) saibam
Explanation: The correct form is “saibam” because “duvido que” triggers the subjunctive mood. It expresses doubt or uncertainty. Example sentence: Eu duvido que eles saibam a resposta. (I doubt that they know the answer.)
Exercise 6:
Complete the sentence with the appropriate verb form in the present subjunctive:
Ela espera que nós __ (falar/falemos) com o professor.
a) falar
b) falemos
Answer: b) falemos
Explanation: The correct form is “falemos” because “ela espera que” triggers the subjunctive mood. It expresses the speaker’s expectation or desire. Example sentence: Ela espera que nós falemos com o professor. (She hopes that we speak with the teacher.)
Exercise 7:
Choose the correct verb form in the present subjunctive:
A menos que você _ (estudar/estude) agora, não passará no teste.
a) estudar
b) estude
Answer: b) estude
Explanation: The correct form is “estude” because “a menos que” triggers the subjunctive mood. It indicates a condition that needs to be met. Example sentence: A menos que você estude agora, não passará no teste. (Unless you study now, you won’t pass the test.)
Exercise 8:
Select the appropriate verb form in the present subjunctive:
Talvez ela __ (vir/venha) ao cinema comigo.
a) vir
b) venha
Answer: b) venha
Explanation: The correct form is “venha” because “talvez” triggers the subjunctive mood. It expresses uncertainty or possibility. Example sentence: Talvez ela venha ao cinema comigo. (Maybe she will come to the cinema with me.)
Exercise 9:
Complete the sentence with the correct past subjunctive form of the verb:
Caso eles __ (chegar/chegassem) atrasados, perderão o voo.
a) chegar
b) chegassem
Answer: b) chegassem
Explanation: The correct form is “chegassem” because “caso” triggers the past subjunctive mood. It introduces a hypothetical condition. Example sentence: Caso eles chegassem atrasados, perderiam o voo. (In case they arrived late, they would miss the flight.)
Exercise 10:
Choose the appropriate verb form in the present subjunctive:
É bom que você __ (fazer/faça) exercícios físicos regularmente.
a) fazer
b) faça
Answer: b) faça
Explanation: The correct form is “faça” because “é bom que” triggers the subjunctive mood. It indicates the importance or recommendation of doing regular physical exercises. Example sentence: É bom que você faça exercícios físicos regularmente. (It’s good that you do physical exercises regularly.)
Originally posted 2023-07-19 03:47:35.