Portuguese makes extensive use of the subjunctive, which is a special verb form used after certain verbs and expressions. To master the subjunctive, you need to know:
How to form the subjunctive of a verb
Which verbs and expressions trigger its use
English uses the subjunctive only rarely, but Portuguese uses it much more frequently to express uncertainty, desire, emotion, or doubt.
For most verbs, the subjunctive stem is based on the present indicative “eu” form:
eu tenho → tenh-
eu falo → fal-
Change -a → -e:
Change -e / -i → -a:
Some verbs have spelling changes to preserve pronunciation:
ficar → fique
pagar → pague
começar → comece
Some high-frequency verbs are irregular:
ir → vá, vamos, vão
ser → seja, sejamos
fazer → faça, façamos
estar → esteja, estejamos
dar → dê, demos
saber → saiba, saibamos
haver → haja, hajamos
The subjunctive is triggered by verbs and expressions that express:
desire → querer que
doubt → duvidar que
emotion → lamentar que
necessity → é necessário que
possibility → é possível que
Examples:
Quero que venhas.
É importante que estudes.
Ela duvida que ele saiba a verdade.
After these triggers, the following verb must be in the subjunctive
The subjunctive reflects the speaker’s attitude or uncertainty
Acho que ele vem. (indicative → certainty)
Não acho que ele venha. (subjunctive → doubt)
Some verbs trigger the subjunctive in negative or interrogative forms (acho que vs não acho que)
Time expressions like:
antes de que → subjunctive
depois que → indicative
Words like quando, embora, enquanto can take either mood:
subjunctive → future or hypothetical
indicative → real or habitual
Using the subjunctive correctly requires:
recognizing the trigger
forming the correct verb form
Q: Why is it Quero que tu saias and NOT Quero que tu sais? The subjunctive stem is based on the present “eu” form. Since the present of sair is eu saio, the subjunctive stem is sai- → saias.
Q: Why is it … depois que o faço and NOT … depois que o faça? The expression depois que is followed by the indicative, while antes que is followed by the *subjunctive. This reflects certainty: events after they happen (depois) are real, while events before they happen (antes) are uncertain.
Q: Why is it Acho que ele vem and NOT Acho que ele venha? The verb achar (like crer) is followed by the indicative in affirmative sentences, but by the subjunctive in negative ones:
Acho que ele vem.
Não acho que ele venha.
Q: Why is it Não penso que ele saiba and NOT Não penso que ele sabe? The verb pensar is followed by the subjunctive in negative sentences and by the indicative in affirmative ones:
Penso que ele sabe.
Não penso que ele saiba.
Choose the correct form of the verb in each sentence (indicative or subjunctive):
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