B1 · Intermédiaire
Chapitre 33
The Subjunctive Mood
6
Règles totales
62
exemples
9
min
Chapter in 30 Seconds
Master the art of expressing what you wish, doubt, and hope for in Portuguese.
- Identify triggers for the subjunctive mood.
- Conjugate regular verbs in the present and future subjunctive.
- Apply the subjunctive to express hypothetical future conditions.
Unlock the world of possibilities and dreams.
Ce que tu vas apprendre
Express wishes, doubts, and emotions using the present and future subjunctive in Portuguese.
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Le Subjonctif en Portugais : Doute et Incertitude (Talvez, Duvido que)Le subjonctif transforme tes verbes pour signaler que l'action est une simple possibilité, pas un fait certain. Utilise des mots-clés comme
talvez,duvido queoué possível. -
Futur du Subjonctif Portugais : si je suis... (se eu for)Pour dire 'Si je suis' ou 'Quand je serai' (pour un trait permanent), utilise
Se/Quando eu for
. -
Le Subjonctif Présent Portugais (Doutes et Désirs)Utilise le subjonctif pour exprimer tes
vontades, tesdúvidasou tessentimentosen inversant simplement la voyelle finale du verbe. -
Exprimer ses espoirs et ses doutes : Verbes réguliers en -ir (Subjuntivo)Utilise le Subjonctif Présent pour tes envies et tes incertitudes en remplaçant la terminaison -ir par un «-a».
-
Exprimer des désirs : Le Présent du Subjonctif (Quero que...)Utilise le subjonctif quand tu veux que quelqu'un d'autre agisse, juste après le pont magique
que. -
Si j'ai le temps : Le futur du subjonctif de 'Ter' (tiver)Utilise
tiverpour exprimer des conditions futures ou des moments incertains. Tes mots magiques sont :se,quandoetassim que.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
-
1
By the end you will be able to: Use 'talvez' and 'duvido que' to express uncertainty about current events.
Guide du chapitre
Overview
The subjunctive mood in Portuguese is a fascinating and crucial aspect of the language, allowing speakers to express a world beyond simple facts. Unlike the indicative mood, which states what is real or certain, the subjunctive steps into the realm of wishes, doubts, emotions, possibilities, and hypothetical situations. Mastering the present and future subjunctive is vital for B1 learners to articulate complex thoughts, engage in nuanced conversations, and truly sound like a native speaker.
This chapter will empower you to express desires with
Quero que..., articulate doubts with Talvez or Duvido que, convey emotions using the present subjunctive, and talk about future conditions with phrases like se eu for or quando você tiver.This guide will walk you through the mechanics of forming both present and future subjunctive tenses for regular and some key irregular verbs. You'll learn to identify the trigger phrases that demand the subjunctive mood, such as those related to hopes, uncertainties, and personal feelings. By the end, you'll be confident in constructing sentences that go beyond stating facts, allowing you to express a rich spectrum of human experience in Portuguese, making your communication much more authentic and expressive.
How This Grammar Works
The subjunctive mood is typically used in dependent clauses introduced by a conjunction like 'que' (that), or by adverbs like 'talvez' (maybe). It signals that the action or state described in the dependent clause is not a certainty, but rather a wish, doubt, emotion, or possibility.
The Present Subjunctive (Presente do Subjuntivo)
This tense is used to express wishes, doubts, emotions, desires, recommendations, and uncertainty about present or future actions.
Formation for Regular Verbs:
- 1Take the 'eu' form of the verb in the present indicative.
- 2Remove the '-o' ending.
- 3Add the appropriate subjunctive endings:
* For -AR verbs: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -eis, -em (e.g.,
falar -> eu falo -> fal- -> que eu fale, que você fale, que ele/ela fale, que nós falemos, que vocês falem, que eles/elas falem)* For -ER verbs: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -ais, -am (e.g.,
comer -> eu como -> com- -> que eu coma, que você coma, que ele/ela coma, que nós comamos, que vocês comam, que eles/elas comam)* For -IR verbs: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -ais, -am (e.g.,
partir -> eu parto -> part- -> que eu parta, que você parta, que ele/ela parta, que nós partamos, que vocês partam, que eles/elas partam)Key Triggers and Examples:
* Wishes/Desires: Verbs like
querer (to want), desejar (to wish), esperar (to hope).* Eu quero que você estude mais. (I want you to study more.)
* Espero que ele chegue a tempo. (I hope he arrives on time.)
* Doubts/Uncertainty: Phrases like
duvidar que (to doubt that), é possível que (it's possible that), talvez (maybe).* Duvido que você saiba a verdade. (I doubt you know the truth.)
* Talvez chova amanhã. (Maybe it will rain tomorrow.)
* É possível que ele venha à festa. (It's possible he comes to the party.)
* Emotions: Verbs/expressions conveying feelings, like
ficar feliz que (to be happy that), sentir que (to feel that, in an emotional sense), é uma pena que (it's a pity that).* Fico feliz que você esteja aqui. (I'm happy that you are here.)
* É uma pena que ele não possa vir. (It's a pity he can't come.)
* Impersonal Expressions: Phrases like
é importante que (it's important that), é necessário que (it's necessary that).* É importante que você leia o livro. (It's important that you read the book.)
Irregular Verbs in the Present Subjunctive:
Some common verbs are irregular. It's often helpful to memorize their forms.
* Ser (to be): que eu seja, que você seja, que ele/ela seja, que nós sejamos, que vocês sejam, que eles/elas sejam
* Estar (to be): que eu esteja, que você esteja, que ele/ela esteja, que nós estejamos, que vocês estejam, que eles/elas estejam
* Ter (to have): que eu tenha, que você tenha, que ele/ela tenha, que nós tenhamos, que vocês tenham, que eles/elas tenham
* Ir (to go): que eu vá, que você vá, que ele/ela vá, que nós vamos, que vocês vão, que eles/elas vão
The Future Subjunctive (Futuro do Subjuntivo)
This tense is used for hypothetical or conditional situations that refer to the future. It's often found in 'if' clauses (
se) or temporal clauses (quando, assim que).Formation:
- 1Take the infinitive form of the verb.
- 2For most regular verbs, the future subjunctive forms are similar to the personal infinitive, but for irregular verbs, they derive from the past participle or a specific irregular stem.
*
eu: same as infinitive (or irregular stem + -Ø)*
você/ele/ela: same as infinitive (or irregular stem + -Ø)*
nós: infinitive + -mos (or irregular stem + -mos)*
vocês/eles/elas: infinitive + -em (or irregular stem + -em)Key Triggers and Examples:
* Conditional Clauses (
Se):* Se você for ao mercado, compre pão. (If you go to the market, buy bread.) (from
ir)* Se eu tiver tempo, eu te ajudo. (If I have time, I'll help you.) (from
ter)* Se ele fizer o trabalho, ele passará. (If he does the work, he will pass.) (from
fazer)* Temporal Clauses (
Quando, Assim que, Enquanto):* Quando você voltar, me ligue. (When you return, call me.)
* Assim que eles chegarem, começamos a reunião. (As soon as they arrive, we start the meeting.)
Common Mistakes
✗ Eu quero que você estuda mais.
✓ Eu quero que você estude mais.
Why:
Querer que (to want that) is a common trigger for the present subjunctive, indicating a desire rather than a fact.✗ Talvez ele está em casa.
✓ Talvez ele esteja em casa.
Why:
Talvez (maybe) when expressing doubt or possibility typically requires the present subjunctive.✗ Se eu tenho tempo, eu te aviso.
✓ Se eu tiver tempo, eu te aviso.
Why: When
se introduces a future hypothetical condition, the future subjunctive is required for the verb in the se clause.✗ É importante que vocês fala português.
✓ É importante que vocês falem português.
Why:
É importante que is an impersonal expression demanding the present subjunctive. The ending for vocês for an -AR verb is -em.✗ Fico feliz que você é aqui.
✓ Fico feliz que você esteja aqui.
Why: Expressions of emotion (like
ficar feliz que) require the present subjunctive for the dependent clause. Estar is irregular in the subjunctive.
Real Conversations
A
A
Eu duvido que ele saiba a resposta para essa pergunta.
B
B
É verdade, talvez seja um mistério para ele também.
A
A
Espero que ele não desista.
Translation:
A
A
I doubt he knows the answer to that question.
B
B
It's true, maybe it's a mystery for him too.
A
A
I hope he doesn't give up.
A
A
Se você tiver um tempo livre amanhã, podemos sair?
B
B
Ah, claro! Quando você for me buscar, me avisa, por favor.
A
A
Combinado. Assim que eu chegar perto, eu te ligo.
Translation:
A
A
If you have some free time tomorrow, can we go out?
B
B
Oh, sure! When you come to pick me up, please let me know.
A
A
Agreed. As soon as I get close, I'll call you.
A
A
É essencial que você preste atenção na aula.
B
B
Eu sei, mas é uma pena que o professor fale tão rápido.
A
A
Fico feliz que você esteja tentando, isso é o mais importante.
Translation:
A
A
It's essential that you pay attention in class.
B
B
I know, but it's a pity that the teacher speaks so fast.
A
A
I'm happy that you are trying, that's the most important thing.
Quick FAQ
Q
When do I use the present subjunctive?
You use the present subjunctive when the main clause expresses a desire, doubt, emotion, hope, command, or an impersonal opinion about the action in the dependent clause. It's about expressing non-factuality or subjective states. Common triggers include quero que, espero que, duvido que, talvez, and é importante que.
Q
When do I use the future subjunctive?
The future subjunctive is used in conditional (se) and temporal (quando, assim que, enquanto) clauses when referring to a hypothetical or uncertain action in the future. It sets up a condition that needs to be met for something else to happen. For example, Se eu tiver tempo... (If I have time...).
Q
Is the future subjunctive really used in everyday Brazilian Portuguese?
Yes, absolutely! While some of its forms might seem complex, the future subjunctive is very common, especially with frequent verbs like ser (seja), ter (tiver), ir (for), and fazer (fizer). You'll hear it constantly in conditional sentences and clauses starting with quando in casual conversation.
Q
How do I know if a verb is irregular in the subjunctive?
For the present subjunctive, many verbs that are irregular in the 'eu' form of the present indicative will also have irregular stems in the present subjunctive. For example, fazer (eu faço) becomes que eu faça. For the future subjunctive, key irregulars like ser, ter, ir, fazer, dizer often have unique stems that you'll encounter frequently and are best memorized through exposure and practice.
Cultural Context
The subjunctive mood is deeply woven into the fabric of Portuguese communication, reflecting a cultural tendency towards nuance, politeness, and the expression of subjective experience. Unlike some languages where the subjunctive might be less frequently used or have simpler forms, Portuguese embraces it as a fundamental tool for expressing a wide range of human perspectives. It allows speakers to convey empathy, uncertainty, or a softer demand, rather than a direct, declarative statement, which can be perceived as more abrupt.
Understanding and correctly using the subjunctive is not just about grammar; it's about appreciating a layer of cultural communication. It enables you to participate in conversations that are rich with wishes, hopes, and subtle indications of doubt or possibility, which are often valued in Portuguese-speaking cultures. Whether expressing a heartfelt desire for someone's well-being or cautiously discussing a future plan, the subjunctive empowers you to navigate social interactions with greater sensitivity and authenticity, bridging the gap between simply understanding words and truly grasping the underlying sentiments.
Exemples clés (4)
1
Se eu for rico um dia, viajo o mundo.
Si je suis riche un jour, je voyagerai dans le monde entier.
Futur du Subjonctif Portugais : si je suis... (se eu for)
2
Me avise quando for a hora certa.
Préviens-moi quand ce sera le bon moment.
Futur du Subjonctif Portugais : si je suis... (se eu for)
3
Eu quero que você me mande o link do vídeo.
Je veux que tu m'envoies le lien de la vidéo.
Exprimer des désirs : Le Présent du Subjonctif (Quero que...)
4
Espero que o Uber não demore para chegar.
J'espère que l'Uber ne tardera pas à arriver.
Exprimer des désirs : Le Présent du Subjonctif (Quero que...)Conseils et astuces (4)
🎯
L'astuce de l'inversion des voyelles
Retiens bien : les verbes en -AR prennent un -E, et les -ER/-IR prennent un -A. C'est le monde à l'envers ! Par exemple :
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le Subjonctif en Portugais : Doute et Incertitude (Talvez, Duvido que)
fale au lieu de fala.
💡
L'astuce du 'Foram'
Prends toujours la forme 'eles' du passé. 'Eles foram' (ils étaient) -> on enlève le '-am' -> et paf, t'as ta base :
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Futur du Subjonctif Portugais : si je suis... (se eu for)
for.
🎯
La règle du 'Talvez'
Le mot
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le Subjonctif Présent Portugais (Doutes et Désirs)
Talvez (peut-être) attire le subjonctif comme un aimant. Même sans le mot 'que', si tu commences ta phrase par ça, tu dois basculer le verbe : Talvez ele vá.
🎯
La règle de la voyelle opposée
C'est simple : les verbes en -ir et -er volent le 'a' des verbes en -ar au subjonctif.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Exprimer ses espoirs et ses doutes : Verbes réguliers en -ir (Subjuntivo)
Que eu abra.Vocabulaire clé (5)
Duvidar
to doubt
Talvez
maybe
Querer
to want
Se
if
Ter
to have
Real-World Preview
map
Planning a Trip
Review Summary
- Duvido que + Subjunctive
- Se + Future Subjunctive
Erreurs courantes
After 'quero que', you must use the subjunctive. 'Vá' is the subjunctive form of 'ir'.
Wrong:
Eu quero que você vai.
Correct:
Eu quero que você vá.
When talking about a hypothetical future, use the future subjunctive, not the indicative.
Wrong:
Se eu tenho tempo...
Correct:
Se eu tiver tempo...
Doubt triggers the subjunctive. For -ar verbs, change the 'a' to 'e'.
Wrong:
Duvido que ele fala.
Correct:
Duvido que ele fale.
Règles dans ce chapitre (6)
Next Steps
You have conquered one of the most challenging aspects of Portuguese grammar! Keep practicing, and it will become second nature.
Write 5 sentences about your future goals using 'se eu tiver'.
Pratique rapide (6)
Quelle phrase est grammaticalement correcte ?
Choisis la bonne façon d'exprimer un espoir :
✓ Correct!
✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Espero que você tenha um bom dia.
'Tenha' est la forme correcte du subjonctif pour le verbe irrégulier 'ter'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Exprimer des désirs : Le Présent du Subjonctif (Quero que...)
Choisis la phrase correcte.
Laquelle de ces phrases exprime correctement un doute ?
✓ Correct!
✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Duvido que ele cante bem.
'Duvido' exprime un doute, donc on utilise le subjonctif 'cante' (le A de cantar devient E).
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le Subjonctif Présent Portugais (Doutes et Désirs)
Trouve et corrige l'erreur.
Find and fix the mistake:
Tomara que eles chegam a tempo.
✓ Correct!
✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tomara que eles cheguem a tempo.
'Tomara que' demande le subjonctif. Pour 'chegar' (-AR), la terminaison pour 'eles' devient -em -> 'cheguem'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le Subjonctif Présent Portugais (Doutes et Désirs)
Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans cette phrase.
Find and fix the mistake:
Tomara que o ônibus chega logo.
✓ Correct!
✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tomara que o ônibus chegue logo.
'Tomara que' demande toujours le subjonctif. 'Chegar' devient 'chegue' (avec un 'u' pour garder le son dur du 'g').
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Exprimer des désirs : Le Présent du Subjonctif (Quero que...)
Complète la phrase avec la forme correcte de 'falar'.
Eu quero que você ___ a verdade.
✓ Correct!
✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fale
Comme c'est un désir ('quero que') avec un changement de sujet, on utilise le subjonctif. 'Falar' finit en -AR, donc il prend un -E : 'fale'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Exprimer des désirs : Le Présent du Subjonctif (Quero que...)
Complète avec la bonne forme du verbe.
É importante que você ___ (beber) muita água.
✓ Correct!
✗ Not quite. Correct answer: beba
Pour 'você' avec un verbe en -ER comme 'beber', on remplace le 'e' par un 'a' -> 'beba'.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le Subjonctif Présent Portugais (Doutes et Désirs)
Score: /6
Questions fréquentes (6)
Même si l'oral est flexible, le subjonctif est essentiel pour bien écrire et être précis. Ça donne un côté sophistiqué à ton portugais :
Duvido que ele venha.
Ils ne suivent pas parfaitement la règle de l'inversion. Pour 'ser', la base est 'sej-'. Ça donne :
seja, sejas, seja, sejamos, sejam.
Il sert à décrire une action hypothétique dans le futur. On l'utilise pour poser une condition, souvent après 'si' ou 'quand' :
Se eu for rico.
Le futur normal 'serei' sert à affirmer quelque chose de sûr. Le subjonctif 'for' est pour l'incertain :
Se eu for feliz(Si je suis heureux).
C'est le mode de l'irréel. On l'utilise pour les choses qui ne sont pas encore arrivées, ce qu'on veut, ou les incertitudes comme :
Espero que você venha.
Non ! C'est un mythe. Tu l'utilises seulement si le début de la phrase exprime un doute ou une émotion, pas pour un fait comme :
Eu sei que ele vai.
