Verb tenses · Brazilian Portuguese
The Portuguese subjunctive (o subjuntivo)
The subjunctive is the mood for things that aren't simply facts: what you want, hope, doubt or feel about something, and what might happen. Espero que você venha (I hope you come) uses it; eu sei que você vem (I know you're coming) doesn't. Brazilians use it all the time in speech, in three tenses.
The three subjunctive tenses
Present subjunctive
Presente do subjuntivo
Wishes, doubts and feelings about now or later, after que.
Espero que você goste.
I hope you like it.
Imperfect subjunctive
Imperfeito do subjuntivo
What isn't real (se eu fosse…), and wishes in the past.
Se eu tivesse tempo, eu viajava mais.
If I had time, I'd travel more.
Future subjunctive
Futuro do subjuntivo
After se, quando and assim que, for what may happen.
Quando você chegar, me liga.
When you get here, call me.
When to use the subjunctive
Wishes and wants
When you want, hope or ask for someone else to do something, the verb after que goes into the subjunctive. Tomara que is the everyday “I really hope”.
Quero que você conheça a minha família.
I want you to meet my family.
Tomara que não chova amanhã.
I really hope it doesn't rain tomorrow.
Doubt and possibility
Talvez, duvido que and não acho que put what follows into the subjunctive, because it might not be true. Acho que, on its own, takes the ordinary indicative.
Talvez a gente saia mais cedo.
Maybe we'll leave earlier.
Duvido que ele saiba a resposta.
I doubt he knows the answer.
Feelings about something
Being glad, sorry, surprised or afraid about something puts it in the subjunctive: que bom que…, que pena que…, tenho medo que….
Que bom que você veio!
I'm so glad you came!
Tenho medo que o voo atrase.
I'm afraid the flight will be delayed.
After some conjunctions
Para que (so that), embora (although), antes que (before) and caso (in case) always take the subjunctive, whatever the sentence is about.
Vou explicar de novo para que todo mundo entenda.
I'll explain again so everyone understands.
Embora esteja cansada, ela vai à festa.
Although she's tired, she's going to the party.
Se and quando with the future
For something that may happen, Portuguese uses the future subjunctive after se, quando, assim que and enquanto, where English uses the present: se eu for, quando você puder. It's the one most learners miss.
Se você precisar de ajuda, me avisa.
If you need help, let me know.
Assim que eu souber, te conto.
As soon as I know, I'll tell you.
Subjunctive trigger words
| Trigger | Tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| espero que | present subjunctive | Espero que dê tudo certo. I hope it all works out. |
| tomara que | present subjunctive | Tomara que ela ligue hoje. I really hope she calls today. |
| quero que | present subjunctive | Quero que você fique. I want you to stay. |
| talvez | present subjunctive | Talvez eu chegue atrasado. I might be late. |
| para que | present subjunctive | Fala mais alto para que eles ouçam. Speak up so they can hear. |
| embora | present subjunctive | Embora seja caro, vale a pena. Although it's expensive, it's worth it. |
| se (what isn't real) | imperfect subjunctive | Se eu fosse você, eu aceitava. If I were you, I'd accept. |
| como se | imperfect subjunctive | Ele fala como se soubesse tudo. He talks as if he knew everything. |
| queria que | imperfect subjunctive | Queria que você estivesse aqui. I wish you were here. |
| se (what may happen) | future subjunctive | Se chover, a gente fica em casa. If it rains, we'll stay home. |
| quando | future subjunctive | Quando você puder, me manda a foto. When you can, send me the photo. |
| assim que | future subjunctive | Assim que terminar, eu saio. As soon as I finish, I'll leave. |
How to learn the subjunctive
Learn the phrases before the rules
Tomara que, espero que, se eu fosse você, quando você puder: a dozen set phrases cover most of what you'll say. Learn them as wholes and the pattern follows.
Get the forms from the eu present
The present subjunctive is built on the eu form of the present: faço → faça, tenho → tenha, digo → diga. The other two come from the preterite's eles form: fizeram → fizesse, fizer.
Listen for que, se and quando
When you read or listen, notice the verb after these words. In a week of reading you'll meet each trigger dozens of times, and it starts to sound wrong without the subjunctive.
Practise the three tenses together
Short daily drills of the three tenses side by side, with the most common verbs, fix the forms faster than long sessions.
Questions
What is the subjunctive in Portuguese?
A set of verb forms for what isn't stated as fact: wishes, doubts, feelings and possibilities. Espero que você venha (I hope you come) uses the subjunctive venha; eu sei que você vem (I know you're coming) uses the ordinary vem.
When do you use the subjunctive in Portuguese?
After expressions of wanting, hoping, doubting and feeling followed by que (quero que, espero que, duvido que), after talvez, after conjunctions like para que and embora, and after se and quando when talking about what may happen.
Do Brazilians really use the subjunctive?
Yes, constantly, in everyday speech: tomara que, se você quiser, quando puder, espero que dê certo. Brazilians simplify other things in speech, but not the subjunctive.
How many subjunctive tenses are there in Portuguese?
Three simple ones: the present (que eu faça), the imperfect (se eu fizesse) and the future (quando eu fizer). There are compound forms too (que eu tenha feito), but the three simple ones do most of the work.
See the subjunctive in real books
The subjunctive sticks when you meet it in stories. Read Brazilian books at your level, tap any verb for its meaning in that sentence, and hear the page read in a Brazilian voice.
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