C1 Formal Register 14 min read Hard

Advanced Personal Infinitive (Infinitivo Pessoal)

The Personal Infinitive adds specific endings to the base verb to clearly identify the subject in formal contexts.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

The Personal Infinitive allows you to specify the subject of an infinitive verb by conjugating it, clarifying exactly who is performing the action.

  • Use it when the subject of the infinitive is different from the main verb's subject: 'É importante eles estudarem.'
  • Conjugate the infinitive using the personal endings (similar to the future subjunctive): 'Para nós termos sucesso, precisamos trabalhar.'
  • Avoid it if the subject is the same as the main verb, unless for emphasis: 'Eu quero comer' (not 'comerem').
Subject + Conjugated Infinitive + (Rest of Sentence)

Overview

The Portuguese Personal Infinitive, or Infinitivo Pessoal, represents a sophisticated grammatical construct that distinguishes Portuguese from most other Romance languages. Unlike the impersonal infinitive, which is a fixed verb form, the Personal Infinitive inflects for person and number, indicating the specific subject performing the action. This inflection provides clarity and conciseness, avoiding cumbersome circumlocutions and adding a layer of precision often found in formal and academic discourse.

Mastering the Personal Infinitive is crucial for C1 learners aiming for native-like fluency and stylistic elegance. It allows you to express complex ideas with greater nuance, particularly in contexts where the subject of an infinitive clause differs from the main clause's subject. Its strategic application elevates your Portuguese, marking a significant step towards advanced linguistic proficiency and a deeper understanding of the language's unique structural logic.

The existence of the Personal Infinitive underscores a fundamental characteristic of Portuguese: its tendency towards syntactic compactness. Rather than relying on subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions (e.g., que + subjunctive), Portuguese often employs the inflected infinitive to convey the same information more economically. This becomes especially evident after prepositions, where the Personal Infinitive often replaces a full subordinate clause, creating a denser, more formal sentence structure.

How This Grammar Works

The Personal Infinitive functions by inflecting the base infinitive form of a verb to agree with its explicit or implicit subject. This inflection makes the subject of the infinitive clear without necessarily requiring a separate pronoun, particularly when the subject is different from the main verb's subject. Its primary role is to resolve ambiguity regarding agency within an infinitive phrase, ensuring precision in communication.
Consider the core principle: when an infinitive verb has a specific, identifiable subject that is not the same as the main verb's subject, or when strong emphasis on that subject is desired, the Personal Infinitive is employed. This mechanism allows Portuguese to maintain grammatical coherence and avoid potentially vague constructions that might arise from using a non-inflected infinitive with a distinct agent.
The Personal Infinitive contrasts sharply with the impersonal infinitive (e.g., falar, comer). The impersonal infinitive is used for general statements or when the subject is either unknown, irrelevant, or identical to the main clause's subject. For instance, É importante aprender (It's important to learn) uses the impersonal infinitive because the action of learning is general.
However, É importante vocês aprenderem (It's important for you all to learn) specifies the subject vocês, necessitating the Personal Infinitive aprenderem.
The morphological changes, though seemingly minor, carry significant semantic weight. They provide crucial information about who is performing the action, transforming a general statement into a subject-specific assertion. This precision is a hallmark of formal Portuguese, making the Personal Infinitive indispensable for academic writing, legal documents, and sophisticated spoken discourse.
Examples demonstrating this functionality include:
  • Para nós compreendermos a teoria, precisamos de mais tempo. (For us to understand the theory, we need more time.) Here, nós is the subject of compreender.
  • Eles saíram sem eles avisarem a ninguém. (They left without them telling anyone.) The personal infinitive avisarem clarifies that eles are the ones who did not tell anyone.

Formation Pattern

1
The formation of the Personal Infinitive is remarkably regular, simplifying its application once the basic pattern is understood. You begin with the impersonal infinitive (the base form ending in -ar, -er, or -ir) and append specific personal endings, much like conjugating a verb in other tenses. A critical aspect is that these endings are consistent across all verbs, regardless of their regular or irregular nature in other tenses.
2
Here's the pattern for regular verbs and how it applies to the Personal Infinitive:
3
| Person | -AR Verbs (falar) | -ER Verbs (comer) | -IR Verbs (partir) |
4
|:-----------------|:--------------------|:--------------------|:---------------------|
5
| eu | falar | comer | partir |
6
| tu | falares | comeres | partires |
7
| ele/ela/você | falar | comer | partir |
8
| nós | falarmos | comermos | partirmos |
9
| vós | falardes | comerdes | partirdes |
10
| eles/elas/vocês | falarem | comerem | partirem |
11
Notice that the eu, ele/ela/você forms are identical to the impersonal infinitive. This is a common point of confusion for learners, as the presence of a subject pronoun becomes critical to identifying the personal infinitive in these cases. For instance, Para eu falar (For me to speak) versus Falar é bom (To speak is good).
12
Irregular Verbs: A significant advantage of the Personal Infinitive is that irregular verbs follow the exact same ending pattern as regular verbs. Their stem does not change as it might in other tenses. This provides a welcome simplification within the often complex landscape of Portuguese verb conjugation.
13
Consider the highly irregular verbs ter (to have), vir (to come), and ser (to be):
14
| Person | ter | vir | ser |
15
|:-----------------|:------------------|:------------------|:------------------|
16
| eu | ter | vir | ser |
17
| tu | teres | vires | seres |
18
| ele/ela/você | ter | vir | ser |
19
| nós | termos | virmos | sermos |
20
| vós | terdes | virdes | serdes |
21
| eles/elas/vocês | terem | virem | serem |
22
This consistency is a key feature to internalize. The challenge is not memorizing new stems but recognizing the context that demands these specific endings. For example, Apesar de eles terem estudado muito, reprovaram (Despite them having studied a lot, they failed) clearly uses terem to specify the subject eles.

When To Use It

The Personal Infinitive is primarily employed in specific syntactic environments where precision regarding the subject of the infinitive is paramount. These contexts often involve a prepositional phrase or an impersonal expression, making the inflected infinitive an elegant alternative to more verbose subordinate clauses.
  1. 1After Prepositions with a Distinct Subject: This is arguably the most frequent and crucial application. When a preposition (such as para, por, sem, ao, apesar de, depois de, antes de) introduces an infinitive clause whose subject is different from the main clause's subject, the Personal Infinitive is mandatory.
  • Para nós conseguirmos o objetivo, é preciso esforço. (For us to achieve the goal, effort is needed.) – Here, nós is the subject of conseguir.
  • Eles decidiram sair sem o chefe saber. (They decided to leave without the boss knowing.) – o chefe is the subject of saber.
  • Ao chegarem à reunião, perceberam o erro. (Upon their arriving at the meeting, they realized the mistake.) – In European Portuguese, ao + Personal Infinitive is very common for when clauses (Quando eles chegaram).
  1. 1With Impersonal Expressions: Impersonal constructions (e.g., É bom..., É necessário..., É preciso..., É importante..., Convém...) often precede an infinitive. If this infinitive has a specific subject, the Personal Infinitive is used to clarify who the statement applies to.
  • É fundamental vocês lerem o contrato. (It is fundamental for you all to read the contract.)
  • Convém termos os documentos em dia. (It is advisable for us to have the documents up to date.)
  • Seria interessante eu participar do projeto. (It would be interesting for me to participate in the project.)
  1. 1To Avoid Ambiguity/For Emphasis: Even when the subject could be inferred, using the Personal Infinitive explicitly states agency, removing any potential for misinterpretation. This is particularly valuable in formal writing or when conveying precise instructions or responsibilities.
  • O objetivo é todos contribuírem para o sucesso do projeto. (The objective is for everyone to contribute to the project's success.) – Emphasizes universal contribution.
  1. 1In Causal or Concessive Clauses: Introduced by prepositions like por (because of/for) or apesar de (despite), the Personal Infinitive can form concise subordinate clauses.
  • Por ele ser tão dedicado, foi promovido. (Because he is so dedicated, he was promoted.)
  • Apesar de nós não termos experiência, aceitaram-nos. (Despite us not having experience, they accepted us.)
In both European and Brazilian Portuguese, these contexts consistently demand the Personal Infinitive in formal written and spoken communication. While colloquial Brazilian Portuguese might sometimes opt for simpler constructions, a C1 learner must master these precise applications for genuine command of the language.

Common Mistakes

Learners at the C1 level often face specific pitfalls when navigating the Personal Infinitive, primarily due to its overlap with other verb forms and the subtle nuances of subject agreement. Recognizing these common errors is key to refining your usage.
  1. 1Confusing with the Future Subjunctive: This is the most prevalent and critical error. For regular verbs, the Personal Infinitive (except for eu, ele/ela/você) is morphologically identical to the Future Subjunctive. However, their contexts are entirely different.
  • Future Subjunctive: Used after conjunctions like quando (when), se (if), enquanto (while), assim que (as soon as), logo que (as soon as), expressing a hypothetical or future action in a dependent clause.
  • Quando nós tivermos tempo, iremos visitá-los. (When we have time, we will visit them.) – tivermos is Future Subjunctive of ter.
  • Personal Infinitive: Used after prepositions or impersonal expressions, indicating a specific subject for the infinitive action.
  • Apesar de nós termos muito trabalho, conseguimos terminar. (Despite us having a lot of work, we managed to finish.) – termos is Personal Infinitive of ter.
  • The crucial distinction lies in irregular verbs, where the forms diverge. For ter, Future Subjunctive is tiver, Personal Infinitive is ter. For fazer, Future Subjunctive is fizer, Personal Infinitive is fazer. Always identify the governing word (preposition vs. conjunction) to determine the correct form.
  1. 1Over-inflecting: Using the Personal Infinitive when the subject of the infinitive is the same as the main verb's subject, or when the subject is completely general and unspecified. In these cases, the impersonal infinitive is correct.
  • Incorrect: Eu quero eu estudar mais. (I want me to study more.)
  • Correct: Eu quero estudar mais. (I want to study more.) – The subject eu of estudar is the same as the main verb quero.
  • Incorrect: É bom serem saudáveis. (It's good for them to be healthy, when intending a general statement)
  • Correct: É bom ser saudável. (It's good to be healthy.) – General statement, no specific subject.
  1. 1Incorrect Endings: Although the pattern is regular, learners sometimes apply incorrect endings, especially for nós or eles/elas/vocês.
  • Incorrect: Para nós fazer o trabalho... (For us to do the work...)
  • Correct: Para nós fazermos o trabalho... (For us to do the work...)
  • Pay particular attention to the -em ending for eles/elas/vocês forms (falarem, comerem, partirem). Mispronunciation or incorrect spelling can lead to confusion with the ele/ela/você impersonal infinitive form.
  1. 1Neglecting the Subject for eu/ele/ela/você Forms: Since the eu and ele/ela/você forms of the Personal Infinitive are identical to the impersonal infinitive, the subject pronoun must be included for clarity when using them as personal infinitives.
  • Ambiguous: Para falar, é preciso permissão. (To speak / For him/her to speak / For you to speak, permission is needed.)
  • Clear: Para eu falar, é preciso permissão. (For me to speak, permission is needed.)
  • Clear: Para ele falar, é preciso permissão. (For him to speak, permission is needed.)
Careful attention to the governing grammatical structure and the intended subject will help you avoid these common pitfalls and wield the Personal Infinitive with confidence.

Real Conversations

The Personal Infinitive, while often associated with formal register, appears frequently in nuanced modern communication, from professional emails to thoughtful social media posts, and even in specific casual contexts that demand clarity or subtle emphasis. Its usage reflects a speaker's ability to articulate precise relationships between actions and their agents.

Professional & Academic Contexts: This is where the Personal Infinitive truly shines, lending authority and exactitude to communication. In emails, reports, or presentations, it provides a concise way to assign responsibility or state conditions.

- Email: Solicito que confirmem o recebimento do relatório para nós avançarmos com a próxima etapa. (I request that you confirm receipt of the report for us to advance with the next step.) – The nós avançarmos clearly defines who is expected to advance.

- Meeting Discussion (BP emphasis): É crucial todos apresentarem suas propostas antes do prazo final. (It is crucial for everyone to present their proposals before the final deadline.) – apresentarem emphasizes collective responsibility.

- Academic Text (EP emphasis): Ao estudarem a fundo a obra, os investigadores descobriram novas perspetivas. (Upon studying the work in depth, the researchers discovered new perspectives.) – More elegant than Quando os investigadores estudaram....

Social Media & Public Statements: When influencers, public figures, or even engaged citizens craft posts requiring precision or a slightly elevated tone, the Personal Infinitive serves to convey their message without ambiguity.

- Apesar de muitos discordarem, acredito que é o caminho certo a seguir. (Despite many disagreeing, I believe it's the right path to follow.) – discordarem identifies the specific group.

- Para a nossa comunidade prosperar, cada um deve fazer a sua parte. (For our community to prosper, everyone must do their part.) – The Personal Infinitive ties prosperar directly to a nossa comunidade.

S

Subtle Casual Usage

While less frequent in very informal chats, it emerges when there's a need to differentiate actions or express conditions clearly, particularly in planning or advising situations. It avoids potential misunderstandings.

- Precisamos de um táxi para não chegarmos atrasados. (We need a taxi so we don't arrive late.) – Even in a casual context, chegarmos clarifies we as the subject of arriving.

- Ele saiu sem eu perceber. (He left without me realizing.) – eu perceber is common to clearly state who didn't perceive.

The key is that the Personal Infinitive offers a grammatical shortcut to express complex subject-verb relationships within infinitive clauses, which would otherwise require more explicit (and often heavier) subordinate clauses. This is a mark of advanced linguistic control, allowing for concise yet clear communication across various registers.

Quick FAQ

  • What is the fundamental difference between the Personal Infinitive and the Impersonal Infinitive?
The Impersonal Infinitive refers to a verb action in a general sense, without a specific subject (e.g., É bom estudar – It's good to study). The Personal Infinitive refers to a verb action performed by a specific, identified subject, inflecting to agree with that subject (e.g., É bom vocês estudarem – It's good for you all to study). It clarifies who is doing the action.
  • When do I have to use the Personal Infinitive?
You must use it when an infinitive verb has a subject that is different from the subject of the main clause, especially after prepositions (para, por, sem, ao, apesar de, etc.) or with impersonal expressions (É preciso que, É importante que, etc., though the Personal Infinitive replaces que + subjunctive constructions here). It is also used for emphasis or to resolve ambiguity regarding agency.
  • Are there regional differences in its usage (Brazilian vs. European Portuguese)?
Yes, primarily in frequency and certain constructions. The Personal Infinitive is arguably used more extensively and naturally in European Portuguese in both formal and informal contexts. In Brazilian Portuguese, while mandatory in formal writing and after prepositions with distinct subjects, its use in spoken, informal contexts can be less frequent, with speakers sometimes opting for alternative constructions (e.g., para que + subjunctive).
However, a C1 learner should master its use for both variants.
  • How does the Personal Infinitive relate to the Future Subjunctive?
They often look identical for regular verbs (except eu, ele/ela/você). The crucial distinction is context. The Personal Infinitive follows prepositions and indicates the subject of an infinitive.
The Future Subjunctive follows conjunctions (se, quando, enquanto, assim que) and expresses a hypothetical or future condition or event. For irregular verbs, their forms differ (ter [PI] vs. tiver [FS]; fazer [PI] vs.
fizer [FS]), making the distinction clearer.
  • Can I always replace que + Subjunctive with the Personal Infinitive?
Not always, but often, especially after impersonal expressions. For example, É importante que vocês façam (It's important that you all do) can often become É importante vocês fazerem. The Personal Infinitive construction tends to be more direct and concise.
However, the que + Subjunctive structure is still very common and sometimes required for specific nuances or when a preposition is not present to govern the infinitive.
  • What happens if I don't use the Personal Infinitive when it's required?
While native speakers might still understand your meaning due to context, your sentence will sound grammatically incorrect, awkward, or overly simplified. It detracts from clarity and formality, potentially creating ambiguity about who is performing the action. It's a key marker of advanced proficiency; neglecting it will prevent your Portuguese from reaching C1 level polish.

Personal Infinitive Conjugation (Falar)

Person Form
Eu
falar
Tu
falares
Ele/Ela/Você
falar
Nós
falarmos
Vós
falardes
Eles/Elas/Vocês
falarem

Meanings

A unique Portuguese construction where the infinitive verb is conjugated to agree with a specific subject, allowing for precise identification of the actor in non-finite clauses.

1

Subject Specification

Identifying the actor of an infinitive action.

“Eles pediram para nós sairmos.”

“É fundamental vocês lerem isto.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Advanced Personal Infinitive (Infinitivo Pessoal)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Infinitive + Ending
Eles precisam sair.
Negative
Não + Conjugated Inf.
Para não sairmos.
Interrogative
Verb + Subject?
É para eles irem?
Compound
Ter + Participle
Por terem feito.
Reflexive
Inf. + Pronoun
Para se sentarem.
Passive
Ter sido + Participle
Por terem sido vistos.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Para eles saírem.

Para eles saírem. (Leaving a place)

Neutral
Para eles saírem.

Para eles saírem. (Leaving a place)

Informal
Para eles saírem.

Para eles saírem. (Leaving a place)

Slang
Pra eles vazar.

Pra eles vazar. (Leaving a place)

Personal Infinitive Usage

Infinitivo Pessoal

Usage

  • Clarity Avoid ambiguity
  • Formal Professional tone
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Examples by Level

1

É bom eles irem.

It is good for them to go.

2

Para nós comermos.

For us to eat.

3

Eles querem sairmos.

They want us to leave.

4

É difícil vocês fazerem.

It is hard for you all to do.

1

Não há motivo para eles chorarem.

There is no reason for them to cry.

2

É importante vocês estudarem.

It is important for you all to study.

3

Eles pediram para nós esperarmos.

They asked for us to wait.

4

Sem eles saberem, eu fui.

Without them knowing, I went.

1

Foi um erro eles terem vindo.

It was a mistake for them to have come.

2

Para os alunos aprenderem, é preciso foco.

For the students to learn, focus is needed.

3

Eles estão prontos para começarem.

They are ready to start.

4

É melhor eles não verem isto.

It is better for them not to see this.

1

A decisão de eles saírem foi tomada.

The decision for them to leave was made.

2

É fundamental que eles se preparem para falarem.

It is fundamental that they prepare themselves to speak.

3

Não se pode esperar que eles façam tudo.

One cannot expect them to do everything.

4

Apesar de eles terem tentado, falharam.

Despite them having tried, they failed.

1

A fim de eles compreenderem a matéria, o professor explicou.

In order for them to understand the material, the teacher explained.

2

Por eles terem agido assim, foram punidos.

Because they acted like that, they were punished.

3

É imperativo que eles se organizem para partirem.

It is imperative that they organize themselves to leave.

4

A menos que eles queiram perder, devem treinar.

Unless they want to lose, they must train.

1

Ao eles chegarem, a reunião já havia terminado.

Upon their arrival, the meeting had already ended.

2

Dada a necessidade de eles se pronunciarem, abriu-se o debate.

Given the need for them to speak out, the debate was opened.

3

Por eles não terem sido avisados, o projeto atrasou.

Because they were not warned, the project was delayed.

4

A possibilidade de eles virem é remota.

The possibility of them coming is remote.

Easily Confused

Advanced Personal Infinitive (Infinitivo Pessoal) vs Future Subjunctive

They look identical.

Advanced Personal Infinitive (Infinitivo Pessoal) vs Impersonal Infinitive

Both are infinitives.

Advanced Personal Infinitive (Infinitivo Pessoal) vs Present Subjunctive

Both express desire/necessity.

Common Mistakes

✗

Eles quer sair.

✓

Eles querem sair.

Subject-verb agreement.
✗

Para nós sair.

✓

Para nós sairmos.

Needs personal ending.
✗

É bom eles ir.

✓

É bom eles irem.

Needs plural ending.
✗

Sem eu saber.

✓

Sem eu saber.

Actually correct, but often missed.
✗

Eles pediram para nós vai.

✓

Eles pediram para nós irmos.

Wrong conjugation.
✗

Para vocês faz.

✓

Para vocês fazerem.

Wrong ending.
✗

É para eles comer.

✓

É para eles comerem.

Needs plural.
✗

Apesar de eles ter ido.

✓

Apesar de eles terem ido.

Compound infinitive needs conjugation.
✗

Sem eles se preocupar.

✓

Sem eles se preocuparem.

Reflexive needs conjugation.
✗

Para nós ter sucesso.

✓

Para nós termos sucesso.

Needs agreement.
✗

A decisão de eles ir.

✓

A decisão de eles irem.

Noun complement needs conjugation.
✗

Por eles ter sido avisado.

✓

Por eles terem sido avisados.

Passive voice agreement.
✗

É importante para nós se organizar.

✓

É importante para nós nos organizarmos.

Reflexive agreement.
✗

Ao eles chega.

✓

Ao eles chegarem.

Temporal clause needs conjugation.

Sentence Patterns

É importante para ___ ___.

Sem ___ ___, não podemos avançar.

A decisão de ___ ___ foi difícil.

Por ___ ___ cedo, conseguimos tudo.

Real World Usage

Legal Contract constant

Para as partes cumprirem o contrato.

Academic Paper very common

Para os autores demonstrarem o ponto.

Work Email common

Para vocês terminarem o relatório.

Social Media occasional

Para eles verem o que perdem.

Travel Instructions common

Para vocês chegarem ao hotel.

Food App occasional

Para o entregador encontrar o local.

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💡

Check the subject

Always identify the subject of the infinitive clause first.
⚠️

Don't over-conjugate

If the subject is the same, use the simple infinitive.
🎯

Future Subjunctive link

If you know the future subjunctive, you know this.
💬

Formal register

Use it to sound more professional.

Smart Tips

Always add -em to the infinitive.

É bom eles ir. → É bom eles irem.

Check if the subject is different.

Para nós ir. → Para nós irmos.

Use the personal infinitive for requests.

Peço para vocês fazer. → Peço para vocês fazerem.

Conjugate the auxiliary 'ter'.

Por eles ter feito. → Por eles terem feito.

Pronunciation

falarem -> fa-la-reng

Ending -em

The -em ending is nasalized, sounding like 'eng'.

Rising

É para eles irem? ↑

Questioning intent

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of the 'Personal' infinitive as 'Personalizing' the action to a specific person.

Visual Association

Imagine a group of people standing in a line, each wearing a shirt with their name on it, and the verb is the action they are doing.

Rhyme

If the subject is clear, add the ending to the ear.

Story

Maria wanted to go. She told her friends to go. She said: 'Eu quero que vocês vão' or 'Eu quero vocês irem'. The 'em' at the end is the 'them' marker.

Word Web

falarfalaresfalarfalarmosfalardesfalarem

Challenge

Write 5 sentences about your friends' plans using the personal infinitive.

Cultural Notes

Often replaced by 'a gente' + infinitive in casual speech.

The personal infinitive is strictly maintained in all registers.

Mandatory for clarity in contracts.

Derived from Latin infinitive forms, unique to Ibero-Romance.

Conversation Starters

“

O que é preciso para vocês aprenderem português?

“

É importante para os alunos estudarem muito?

“

Como podemos ajudar os outros a se sentirem bem?

“

Qual a razão de eles terem vindo tão cedo?

Journal Prompts

Write about a time you had to tell someone to do something.
Describe the requirements for a successful team project.
Explain why clear communication is important in a company.
Discuss the challenges of learning a new language.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

É importante para eles ___ (estudar).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: estudarem
Needs plural ending.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Para nós ___ (ir) cedo, precisamos sair agora.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: irmos
Needs nós ending.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

É bom eles sair.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: É bom eles saírem.
Needs plural.
Transform to personal. Sentence Transformation

Eles querem que nós vamos. -> Eles querem nós ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: irmos
Personal infinitive.
Conjugate 'fazer' for 'eles'. Conjugation Drill

Eles precisam ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fazerem
Personal infinitive.
Match the subject. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: falarmos
Nós ending.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

para / eles / chegar / cedo

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Para eles chegarem cedo.
Correct structure.
Is this correct? True False Rule

É importante para eu sair.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Eu form is same as infinitive.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

É importante para eles ___ (estudar).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: estudarem
Needs plural ending.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Para nós ___ (ir) cedo, precisamos sair agora.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: irmos
Needs nós ending.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

É bom eles sair.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: É bom eles saírem.
Needs plural.
Transform to personal. Sentence Transformation

Eles querem que nós vamos. -> Eles querem nós ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: irmos
Personal infinitive.
Conjugate 'fazer' for 'eles'. Conjugation Drill

Eles precisam ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fazerem
Personal infinitive.
Match the subject. Match Pairs

Nós -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: falarmos
Nós ending.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

para / eles / chegar / cedo

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Para eles chegarem cedo.
Correct structure.
Is this correct? True False Rule

É importante para eu sair.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Eu form is same as infinitive.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Complete the sentence. Fill in the Blank

Para tu ___ (poder) viajar, precisas de um passaporte.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: poderes
Reorder the words to form a correct sentence. Sentence Reorder

precisam / para / eles / passarem / estudar / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Both are correct.
Translate to Portuguese using the Personal Infinitive. Translation

It's necessary for us to leave now.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: É necessário nós sairmos agora.
Which one uses the Personal Infinitive correctly? Multiple Choice

Select the best option:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Obrigado por vocês virem.
Fix the verb ending. Error Correction

Ao chegarem em casa, eles ligaram a Netflix.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The sentence is already correct.
Match the subject with the correct verb ending. Match Pairs

Match these:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós -> -mos
Complete the irregular verb form. Fill in the Blank

Apesar de nós ___ (ser) amigos, não concordamos em tudo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: sermos
Formal vs Informal Register Multiple Choice

Which sounds more formal/professional?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: É bom vocês fazerem o check-in online.
Find the mistake. Error Correction

Para nós fazermos o bolo, precisamos de ovos.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The sentence is already correct.
Fill the blank. Fill in the Blank

Sem tu ___ (ires) lá, não saberás a verdade.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ires

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

Yes, when the subject is different and plural.

Yes, it is very common.

Yes, but it looks like the infinitive.

No, but they share forms.

When the subject is the same.

Yes, it is preferred in formal writing.

It clarifies the subject.

Use it in your daily writing.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Spanish low

Infinitivo

Portuguese conjugates, Spanish does not.

French low

Infinitif

No personal agreement in French.

German low

Infinitiv

No personal agreement.

Japanese none

Verb stems

Completely different system.

Arabic none

Masdar

No personal infinitive.

Chinese none

Verb

No conjugation.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Latin Expressions in Portuguese (C1 Formal)
Next
Portuguese Mesoclisis: Splitting Verbs for Ultimate Formality (-lo-ei, -lhe-á)

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