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C1 verb 11 min read

abster-se

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips abster-se in 30 Seconds

Explanation abster-se in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'abster-se' is too complex. You should focus on 'não' (no/not). Instead of saying 'Eu me abstenho de comer carne', you would say 'Eu não como carne'. The word 'abster-se' is formal and follows difficult grammar rules that you will learn much later. For now, just know that it means 'to not do something' in a very official way. If you see it on a sign, it probably means 'Don't do this'.

At A2, you might see 'abster-se' in public signs or simple health instructions. It is a reflexive verb, like 'chamar-se' or 'levantar-se'. It means 'to refrain'. You should learn that it always uses the word 'de'. For example: 'Abstenha-se de fumar' (Refrain from smoking). You don't need to use it in conversation yet, but recognize it as a formal version of 'não fazer' (to not do).

At B1, you should understand that 'abster-se' is related to the verb 'ter' (to have). This helps you with the conjugation. You can start using it in formal writing or when talking about health and politics. Remember to use the reflexive pronoun: 'Eu me abstenho', 'Ele se absteve'. It is a great word to use in a classroom debate to say you don't want to take a side. It makes you sound more educated than just saying 'Não quero votar'.

At B2, you should be comfortable with the irregular past tense: 'Eu me abstive', 'Eles se abstiveram'. You should know that it is the standard word for political abstention. You can use it to describe medical requirements or religious practices like fasting. You should also be able to use the noun form 'abstenção'. Start noticing the difference between 'abster-se' and 'evitar'—the former is a more complete and formal cessation of an activity.

At the C1 level, you are expected to use 'abster-se' correctly in all tenses, including the subjunctive ('espero que eles se abstenham'). You should understand its nuance in legal and formal Portuguese. You know that it requires the preposition 'de' and how to contract it with articles (do, da, dos, das). You can use it to discuss complex topics like ethics, conflict of interest, and political neutrality with precision. You also understand the difference between 'abster-se' and its synonyms like 'prescindir' or 'privar-se'.

At C2, you have total mastery. You can use 'abster-se' in highly formal contexts, including mesoclisis ('abster-me-ei') if writing in a traditional style. You understand the philosophical implications of 'abstenção' in literature and political theory. You can use the verb to express subtle differences in self-control and professional ethics. You are also aware of regional variations in pronoun placement and can adapt your usage to sound like a highly educated native speaker from any Lusophone country.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

abster-se in 30 Seconds

Abster-se is a formal Portuguese verb meaning 'to abstain' or 'to refrain' from an action or pleasure.
It is reflexive, requiring pronouns like 'me', 'se', or 'nos' to match the subject of the sentence.
The verb is irregular and follows the conjugation patterns of 'ter', such as 'abstenho' and 'abstive'.
It is strictly followed by the preposition 'de', which often contracts with articles (e.g., 'do', 'da').

The Portuguese verb abster-se is a sophisticated, reflexive verb that translates primarily to 'to abstain' or 'to refrain' in English. At its core, it describes the conscious decision to hold oneself back from an action, a pleasure, or a right. Because it is a C1-level word, you won't often hear it in casual playground chatter, but it is ubiquitous in legal, political, medical, and formal social contexts. It implies a degree of self-control or a formal neutrality. For example, in a parliamentary session, a member might abster-se from voting, meaning they choose not to cast a 'yes' or 'no' ballot. In a medical context, a doctor might advise a patient to abster-se from certain foods or habits to improve their health.

Political Context: In the sphere of governance, to abster-se is to remain neutral. It is the act of not taking a side during a formal decision-making process. This is not merely 'forgetting' to vote; it is a deliberate choice of non-participation.
Personal Discipline: In daily life, it refers to self-denial. Whether it is for religious reasons (Lent), health reasons (dieting), or moral reasons, it signifies the triumph of the will over immediate desires.
Legal and Ethical: Legally, a judge might abster-se from a case if there is a conflict of interest. Here, it denotes a professional withdrawal to maintain integrity.

O deputado decidiu abster-se de votar na nova lei, alegando falta de informação clara sobre as consequências econômicas.

Translation: The deputy decided to abstain from voting on the new law, claiming a lack of clear information regarding the economic consequences.

To use this word correctly, one must remember that it is almost always followed by the preposition de. You don't just 'abster-se algo'; you 'abster-se de algo'. This grammatical requirement is non-negotiable and marks the difference between a fluent speaker and a beginner. Furthermore, because it is derived from the verb ter (to have/hold), its conjugation follows the same irregular patterns. If you know how to conjugate 'eu tenho' or 'eu tive', you are halfway to mastering 'eu me abstenho' or 'eu me abstive'.

Durante a quaresma, muitos fiéis optam por abster-se de carne vermelha como forma de sacrifício espiritual.

Se você quer emagrecer, deve abster-se de doces e refrigerantes por pelo menos um mês.

O juiz deve abster-se de emitir opiniões pessoais antes de ouvir todas as testemunhas do caso.

É difícil abster-se de comentar quando vemos uma injustiça tão flagrante acontecendo na nossa frente.

Register: Highly formal. In a casual bar, you'd say 'não vou beber' (I won't drink). In a doctor's office, they'd say 'abstenha-se de álcool'.
Etymology Link: Latin 'abstinere', where 'abs-' means away and 'tenere' means to hold. Literally 'to hold oneself away'.

Mastering the usage of abster-se involves understanding three main components: the reflexive pronoun placement, the irregular conjugation (following 'ter'), and the mandatory preposition 'de'. Because Portuguese is a pro-drop language, the pronoun often changes position depending on the sentence structure (proclisis vs. enclisis).

The Preposition 'De': Whenever you specify what you are abstaining from, you must use 'de'. If the following word has an article, they contract: de + o = do, de + a = da. Example: 'Abstenho-me do álcool'.
Reflexive Pronouns: The pronoun must match the subject. Eu me abstenho, Tu te absténs, Ele se abstém, Nós nos abstemos, Eles se abstêm. Note the accentuation on 'abstém' (singular) and 'abstêm' (plural), a classic Portuguese spelling rule for verbs ending in -ter and -vir.

Se eles não concordarem com os termos, provavelmente vão abster-se de participar da reunião amanhã.

In formal writing, especially in Portugal, enclisis (pronoun after the verb) is common: 'Abstenho-me'. In Brazil, proclisis (pronoun before the verb) is the standard in speech and increasingly in writing: 'Eu me abstenho'. However, in negative sentences or after certain adverbs, the pronoun always moves to the front: 'Não me abstenho'.

Eu nunca me absteria de ajudar um amigo em uma situação de tamanha necessidade.

When using the infinitive with an auxiliary verb, you have flexibility. You can say 'Quero me abster' or 'Quero abster-se' (though the latter is less common in Brazil). The most important thing is to maintain the reflexive nature. If you say 'Eu abstenho de fumar', it sounds like a broken machine to a native ear. It must be 'Eu me abstenho'.

Para manter a imparcialidade, o comitê solicitou que todos os membros com interesses diretos se abstivessem de votar.

Nós nos abstivemos de comentar sobre o escândalo para não piorar a imagem da empresa.

The Imperative: Used in clinical or legal instructions: 'Abstenha-se de fumar nas dependências deste hospital' (Refrain from smoking on these hospital premises).

In the future tense, it becomes even more complex due to mesoclisis in very formal European Portuguese: 'Abster-me-ei'. While you likely won't say this, you might read it in a 19th-century novel or a very formal legal document. In modern speech, 'Vou me abster' is the standard way to express a future intention to refrain.

If you are watching the evening news in Lisbon, Maputo, or Brasília, abster-se will inevitably appear during the political segment. It is the technical term for when a politician does not vote. Reporters will say, 'Três deputados votaram a favor, dois contra e dez abstiveram-se'. This specific context makes up about 60% of the word's usage in media.

Na assembleia geral de acionistas, o grupo minoritário decidiu abster-se da votação sobre a fusão das empresas.

Another common 'habitat' for this word is the doctor's office or medical literature. When a patient is preparing for surgery, the instructions will explicitly state: 'O paciente deve abster-se de ingerir qualquer alimento ou líquido nas oito horas que antecedem o procedimento'. Here, 'abster-se' sounds much more professional and authoritative than simply 'não comer' (don't eat).

In religious settings, particularly during Lent (Quaresma), priests will talk about abster-se from sins or worldly pleasures. It carries a weight of sanctity and discipline. Similarly, in the world of sports, an athlete might be required to abster-se from certain substances to comply with anti-doping regulations.

Para passar no teste de doping, os atletas precisam abster-se de qualquer medicamento que contenha substâncias proibidas.

You will also find it in legal contracts. Phrases like 'As partes devem abster-se de divulgar informações confidenciais a terceiros' (The parties must refrain from disclosing confidential information to third parties) are standard boilerplate language. In this context, 'abster-se' is a legal obligation, and failure to do so results in a breach of contract.

News Headlines: 'Brasil abstem-se em votação da ONU sobre conflito no Oriente Médio'—this is a very common type of headline you'll see in Folha de S.Paulo or Público.
Academic Papers: Researchers use it to describe control groups: 'O grupo de controle deve abster-se de praticar exercícios físicos durante o período do estudo'.

Finally, in high-end literature or philosophical essays, 'abster-se' is used to discuss the human condition—the ability to choose not to act. It is portrayed as a sign of intellectual maturity or stoic virtue. If you are reading Saramago or Machado de Assis, look out for this verb; it often signals a character's internal struggle or moral stance.

The most frequent mistake learners make with abster-se is forgetting its reflexive nature. Many English speakers try to translate 'I abstain' directly as 'Eu abstenho'. In Portuguese, this sounds incomplete, as if you are leaving a sentence hanging. You must say 'Eu me abstenho'.

The 'Ter' Trap: Because it is a derivative of 'ter', it is irregular. A common error is regularizing it: saying 'ele se absteu' instead of the correct 'ele se absteve'. Always think: 'How would I conjugate 'ter' here?' If it's 'ele teve', then it's 'ele absteve'.
Preposition Confusion: Some learners use 'em' or 'a' after the verb. Remember: it is always 'de'. 'Abster-se de algo'. Using the wrong preposition is a dead giveaway of a non-native speaker.

Errado: Eu vou abster de falar.
Correto: Eu vou me abster de falar.

Another subtle mistake involves the nasal sounds and accents. The difference between 'ele se abstém' (singular) and 'eles se abstêm' (plural) is purely orthographic in most dialects (they sound the same), but in writing, missing the circumflex accent in the plural is a common error even for native speakers. As a C1 learner, getting this right will make your writing look highly polished.

Confusing the Pretérito Imperfeito with the Pretérito Perfeito is also common. If you say 'eu me abstinha', you mean you used to abstain regularly in the past. If you say 'eu me abstive', you mean you abstained on one specific occasion. In political reports, 'abstive' (or 'absteve-se') is almost always the intended tense.

Errado: Eles se absteram da votação.
Correto: Eles se abstiveram da votação.

Lastly, be careful with word order in negative sentences. 'Eu não abstenho-me' is grammatically incorrect in Brazil and very rare in Portugal. The negative particle 'não' attracts the pronoun: 'Eu não me abstenho'. This 'attraction' rule applies to all reflexive verbs, but since 'abster-se' is formal, learners often overthink it and try to use formal enclisis where it doesn't belong.

While abster-se is the most precise word for formal non-participation or self-denial, several other verbs cover similar ground depending on the context and the desired level of formality.

Privar-se vs. Abster-se: Privar-se implies a sense of loss or lack. 'Eu me privei de sono' (I deprived myself of sleep). Abster-se is more about a conscious, often moral or formal, choice. You 'abster-se' from a vote, but you 'privar-se' of a luxury.
Evitar vs. Abster-se: Evitar (to avoid) is much more common and less formal. You 'evita' a hole in the road or a person you don't like. 'Abster-se' is a total cessation or a formal 'pass'.
Renunciar vs. Abster-se: Renunciar means to give up something you already have (like a title or a right). 'Abster-se' is choosing not to exercise a right in a specific moment.

Comparação:
1. Vou evitar doces. (Casual intention)
2. Vou me abster de doces. (Formal/Strict discipline)

In political contexts, you might hear não votar or votar em branco. While 'votar em branco' is a specific action (submitting a blank ballot), 'abster-se' is the general term for the status of not having voted. In everyday speech, if someone offers you a drink and you are on a detox, you might say 'Estou sem beber' (I'm not drinking) rather than 'Estou me abstendo de álcool', which sounds a bit dramatic for a party.

Another synonym is prescindir. However, 'prescindir' means to do without something because you don't need it ('Eu prescindo da sua ajuda'), whereas 'abster-se' is often about doing without something you might actually want or have a right to. Finally, conter-se (to contain oneself) is used when you are struggling with an emotion or an impulse: 'Eu tive que me conter para não gritar'. 'Abster-se' is more planned and less about immediate emotional control.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

It shares the same root as 'tenacious' and 'contain'. All these words are about how something is 'held'.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ɐbʃ.ˈteɾ.sɨ/

US /ab.sˈteɾ.si/

The stress is on the last syllable of the verb: ab-ster.

Rhymes With

conter-se deter-se manter-se obter-se reter-se ver-se crer-se ler-se

Common Errors

Pronouncing it like the English 'abstain' with an 'ain' sound.
Forgetting to pronounce the 'r' at the end of the infinitive.
Merging 'abster' and 'se' into a single word without the 'r' sound.
Stress on the first syllable (AB-ster).
Confusing the nasal 'em' sound in 'abstém' (singular) and 'abstêm' (plural).

Difficulty Rating

Reading 4/5

Common in news and books, but requires knowing the root 'ter'.

Writing 5/5

Conjugation of 'ter' derivatives is tricky for learners.

Speaking 4/5

Reflexive pronoun placement can be confusing in speech.

Listening 3/5

Usually clearly pronounced in formal contexts.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

ter de se votar comer

Learn Next

prescindir conter manter obter

Advanced

abnegação ascetismo imparcialidade

Grammar to Know

Reflexive Verbs

Eu me abstenho (Reflexive pronoun matches subject).

Irregular Verbs (Ter-based)

Ele absteve-se (Follows 'teve').

Prepositional Government

Abster-se DE algo (Requires 'de').

Pronoun Placement (Proclisis)

Não me abstenho (Negative 'não' attracts pronoun).

Accentuation of 'Ter' derivatives

Ele abstém (singular) vs Eles abstêm (plural).

Examples by Level

Eu não como doces.

I don't eat sweets.

A1 alternative for abster-se.

Ele não vota.

He doesn't vote.

A1 alternative for abster-se.

Não fume aqui.

Don't smoke here.

A1 alternative for abster-se.

Eu não bebo álcool.

I don't drink alcohol.

A1 alternative for abster-se.

Ela não fala muito.

She doesn't talk much.

A1 alternative for abster-se.

Não use o celular.

Don't use the phone.

A1 alternative for abster-se.

Eu não quero participar.

I don't want to participate.

A1 alternative for abster-se.

Eles não comem carne.

They don't eat meat.

A1 alternative for abster-se.

É importante abster-se de açúcar.

It's important to refrain from sugar.

Simple infinitive use.

Por favor, abstenha-se de fazer barulho.

Please refrain from making noise.

Imperative form.

Eu tento me abster de café à noite.

I try to refrain from coffee at night.

Reflexive pronoun 'me'.

O aviso diz: 'Abstenha-se de tocar'.

The sign says: 'Refrain from touching'.

Formal instruction.

Ela decidiu se abster de chocolate.

She decided to abstain from chocolate.

Infinitive with reflexive.

Nós precisamos nos abster de gastar dinheiro.

We need to refrain from spending money.

First person plural reflexive 'nos'.

Você deve se abster de falar alto na biblioteca.

You should refrain from speaking loudly in the library.

Modal verb 'deve' + abster-se.

Eles vão se abster de votar hoje.

They are going to abstain from voting today.

Future with 'ir'.

Muitos políticos se abstêm de comentar o caso.

Many politicians abstain from commenting on the case.

Present tense plural 'abstêm'.

Eu me abstive de dar minha opinião na reunião.

I abstained from giving my opinion in the meeting.

Past tense 'abstive' (irregular).

Se você quer saúde, abstenha-se do tabaco.

If you want health, abstain from tobacco.

Contraction 'do' (de + o).

Nós nos abstivemos de comer carne na sexta-feira.

We abstained from eating meat on Friday.

Past tense 'nos abstivemos'.

O médico sugeriu que ele se abstivesse de álcool.

The doctor suggested that he abstain from alcohol.

Imperfect subjunctive 'se abstivesse'.

Ela se abstém de redes sociais durante o trabalho.

She abstains from social media during work.

Present tense singular 'abstém'.

Eles decidiram abster-se de participar do protesto.

They decided to abstain from participating in the protest.

Infinitive with 'de'.

Você se absteria de viajar se fosse necessário?

Would you abstain from traveling if it were necessary?

Conditional tense 'absteria'.

O partido absteve-se na votação do orçamento.

The party abstained in the budget vote.

European Portuguese enclisis 'absteve-se'.

Para o exame, você deve abster-se de líquidos por 8 horas.

For the exam, you must refrain from liquids for 8 hours.

Medical context usage.

Ele sempre se absteve de polêmicas desnecessárias.

He always abstained from unnecessary controversies.

Past tense highlighting habit.

É difícil abster-se de críticas quando vemos erros.

It's hard to refrain from criticism when we see errors.

Infinitive as subject.

A maioria dos sócios se abstiveram de votar na assembleia.

Most of the partners abstained from voting in the assembly.

Past tense plural 'abstiveram'.

Não me abstenho de lutar pelo que acredito.

I don't refrain from fighting for what I believe in.

Negative sentence pronoun attraction.

Se eles se abstivessem de julgar, seriam mais felizes.

If they abstained from judging, they would be happier.

Subjunctive mood.

Ela prefere abster-se de comentar sobre sua vida privada.

She prefers to refrain from commenting on her private life.

Formal register.

O juiz absteve-se de julgar o processo por foro íntimo.

The judge recused himself from the case for personal reasons.

Legal context: 'foro íntimo'.

Convém que os interessados se abstenham de interferir.

It is advisable that those interested refrain from interfering.

Present subjunctive 'se abstenham'.

A ética exige que nos abstenhamos de benefícios ilícitos.

Ethics requires that we refrain from illicit benefits.

Subjunctive 'nos abstenhamos'.

O diplomata absteve-se, mantendo a neutralidade do país.

The diplomat abstained, maintaining the country's neutrality.

Political nuance.

Abster-se de agir é, por vezes, uma forma de ação.

To refrain from acting is, sometimes, a form of action.

Philosophical usage.

Deveríamos nos abster de conclusões precipitadas.

We should refrain from hasty conclusions.

Conditional 'deveríamos nos abster'.

Eles se abstêm de qualquer luxo em prol da caridade.

They abstain from any luxury for the sake of charity.

Altruistic context.

A lei obriga o funcionário a abster-se de atividades paralelas.

The law obliges the employee to refrain from side activities.

Professional/Legal usage.

Abster-me-ei de tecer comentários sobre tamanha ignomínia.

I shall refrain from making comments on such ignominy.

Mesoclisis: 'Abster-me-ei'.

Quiçá se abstivessem, a contenda não teria escalado.

Perhaps had they abstained, the strife would not have escalated.

Advanced subjunctive construction.

O asceta absteve-se de todo o contato mundano.

The ascetic abstained from all worldly contact.

Literary/Historical context.

A abstenção deliberada pode ser um ato de resistência.

Deliberate abstention can be an act of resistance.

Noun form in complex sentence.

Urge que o conselho se abstenha de decisões unilaterais.

It is urgent that the council refrain from unilateral decisions.

Formal imperative 'Urge que'.

Ele se absteve de revidar, demonstrando superioridade moral.

He refrained from retaliating, demonstrating moral superiority.

Moral context.

Não obstante a pressão, absteve-se de assinar o decreto.

Notwithstanding the pressure, he refrained from signing the decree.

Concessive clause 'Não obstante'.

Abstiveram-se por receio de represálias políticas.

They abstained for fear of political reprisals.

Concise past tense.

Synonyms

privar-se evitar conter-se prescindir renunciar jejuar guardar-se reprimir-se

Antonyms

entregar-se participar consumir intervir

Common Collocations

abster-se de votar

abster-se de álcool

abster-se de comentários

abster-se de carne

abster-se de julgar

abster-se de agir

abster-se de participar

abster-se de fumar

abster-se de críticas

abster-se de prazeres

Common Phrases

Vou me abster.

— I'm not going to take a side or participate.

Não quero brigar, por isso vou me abster.

Abstenha-se!

— A strong command to stop doing something.

Abstenha-se de insultos!

Melhor se abster.

— Advice suggesting it's safer not to get involved.

Nesse assunto, melhor se abster.

Decidi me abster.

— A formal statement of non-participation.

Decidi me abster da eleição do grêmio.

Sem se abster.

— Doing something without holding back.

Ele falou tudo, sem se abster de nada.

Obrigado a se abster.

— When someone is legally or ethically forced to stay out.

O juiz foi obrigado a se abster.

Dificuldade em se abster.

— Having trouble with self-control.

Tenho dificuldade em me abster de doces.

Direito de se abster.

— The legal right to not participate.

Todo cidadão tem o direito de se abster.

Abster-se por completo.

— Total abstinence from something.

Ele absteve-se por completo de drogas.

Prometo me abster.

— A formal promise to refrain.

Prometo me abster de gastos inúteis.

Often Confused With

abster-se vs obter

Obter means to get; abster-se means to refrain from getting/doing.

abster-se vs deter

Deter means to stop someone else; abster-se is stopping yourself.

abster-se vs votar em branco

Votar em branco is a type of vote; abster-se is not voting at all.

Idioms & Expressions

"abster-se de corpo e alma"

— To refrain from something with total dedication and will.

Ele absteve-se de luxos de corpo e alma.

Literary

"quem se abstém, consente"

— A variation of 'silence gives consent'; by not voting, you allow the majority's decision.

Cuidado, pois quem se abstém, consente.

Proverbial

"abster-se do mundo"

— To become a hermit or isolate oneself socially.

Após a perda, ele absteve-se do mundo.

Poetic

"abster-se até da sombra"

— To be extremely cautious or paranoid about involvement.

Ele é tão medroso que se abstém até da própria sombra.

Informal/Hyperbolic

"não se abster de nada"

— To indulge in everything; to have no self-control.

Naquela festa, ele não se absteve de nada.

Neutral

"abster-se por princípio"

— To refrain because of a deep moral belief.

Eu me abstenho por princípio, não por medo.

Formal

"abster-se de má-fé"

— To refrain from acting with the intention to cause harm or manipulate.

A empresa absteve-se de má-fé ao não informar o erro.

Legal

"abster-se de palavras"

— To choose silence as a response.

Diante da ofensa, absteve-se de palavras.

Literary

"abster-se por conveniência"

— To stay neutral only because it benefits oneself.

Ele se absteve por pura conveniência política.

Critical

"vontade de se abster"

— The desire to just quit or not deal with a situation.

Sinto uma vontade enorme de me abster de tudo isso.

Colloquial

Easily Confused

abster-se vs abster

Missing the reflexive pronoun.

Abster-se is the correct form for refraining. Abster is rarely used without 'se' in modern Portuguese.

Eu me abstenho (Correct) vs Eu abstenho (Incorrect).

abster-se vs obter

Similar spelling (both from 'ter').

Obter is to acquire. Abster-se is to refrain.

Ele obteve o prêmio vs Ele absteve-se do prêmio.

abster-se vs conter

Both involve self-control.

Conter-se is holding back an emotion/impulse. Abster-se is refraining from an action or substance.

Contive-me para não gritar vs Abstive-me de gritar.

abster-se vs reter

Both from 'ter'.

Reter is to keep or withhold something. Abster-se is to stay away from something.

Reter informação vs Abster-se de informar.

abster-se vs sustar

Both mean to stop/suspend.

Sustar is usually for payments or processes. Abster-se is for personal or formal participation.

Sustar o cheque vs Abster-se de pagar.

Sentence Patterns

Eu vou me abster de [substantivo].

Eu vou me abster de doces.

Ele se absteve de [infinitivo].

Ele se absteve de votar.

Nós nos abstivemos porque [razão].

Nós nos abstivemos porque não conhecíamos o projeto.

É imperativo que se abstenham de [ação].

É imperativo que se abstenham de interferir no processo.

Abster-se de [X] implica em [Y].

Abster-se de votar implica em aceitar a decisão alheia.

Abster-me-ei de [X], visto que [Y].

Abster-me-ei de comentar, visto que não fui convocado.

Caso se abstivessem, [resultado].

Caso se abstivessem, o conflito cessaria.

Não me abstenho de [X].

Não me abstenho de lutar por justiça.

Word Family

Nouns

abstenção (abstention)

abstinência (abstinence)

abstencionismo (abstentionism)

Verbs

abster-se (to abstain)

Adjectives

abstinente (abstinent)

abstencionista (abstentionist)

ter

conter

manter

obter

reter

How to Use It

frequency

Common in news and formal documents; rare in casual street slang.

Common Mistakes

Eu abstenho de fumar. → Eu me abstenho de fumar.
You forgot the reflexive pronoun 'me'. 'Abster-se' is always reflexive.
Eles se absteram da reunião. → Eles se abstiveram da reunião.
The past tense follows 'ter' (tiveram), so it must be 'abstiveram'.
Eu abstenho-me do álcool. → Eu me abstenho do álcool. (In Brazil)
While 'abstenho-me' is correct in Portugal, in Brazil it sounds very archaic. Use 'me abstenho'.
Ele se abstêm de votar. → Ele se abstém de votar.
The singular form uses the acute accent (´), not the circumflex (^).
Abster-se em comer doces. → Abster-se de comer doces.
The correct preposition is 'de', not 'em'.

Tips

The 'Ter' Rule

Whenever you conjugate 'abster-se', think of the verb 'ter'. If you know 'eu tenho', you know 'eu me abstenho'. This works for all tenses.

Preposition Match

Always pair 'abster-se' with 'de'. It's like a magnet; they always stick together in a sentence.

The Nasal Accent

Pay attention to the accent in 'abstém/abstêm'. The sound is nasal, like the 'en' in 'ten'. The accent tells you if it's one person or many.

Political News

Read the political section of a Portuguese newspaper. You will see 'abster-se' or 'abstenção' in almost every article about voting.

Elevate Your Style

Use 'abster-se' instead of 'não fazer' in essays or formal emails to sound more professional and fluent.

Lent Vocabulary

If you are in a Catholic country during Lent, you will hear 'abster-se' used for fasting. It's a great context to practice the word.

Doctor's Orders

If you see 'abstenha-se' on a medical form, it's a strict instruction. Don't ignore it!

Visual Cue

Associate 'abster-se' with a 'STOP' sign or a 'NO' symbol. It helps reinforce the idea of refraining.

Subjunctive Irregularity

In the subjunctive, it becomes 'abstenha'. 'Espero que você se abstenha'. This is often tested in advanced Portuguese exams.

Neutrality

Remember that 'abster-se' is often about neutrality. It's not necessarily 'no', it's 'I'm not picking a side'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Ab-STAY-er'. You 'stay' away from 'ab' (something bad or a choice). Also, it's just 'ter' with a prefix 'abs'.

Visual Association

Imagine a hand pushing away a delicious cake or a politician sitting with their arms crossed while others vote.

Word Web

Voto Dieta Neutralidade Juiz Álcool Quaresma Silêncio Controle

Challenge

Try to write three sentences using 'abster-se' in three different tenses: Present, Past (Pretérito Perfeito), and Future.

Word Origin

From the Latin 'abstinere', composed of 'abs-' (away/from) and 'tenere' (to hold).

Original meaning: To hold oneself back or away from something.

Romance (Latin root).

Cultural Context

No specific sensitivities, but using it in very casual settings might make you sound overly stiff or pretentious.

The English 'abstain' is almost identical in usage, making this a cognate that is easy to understand but hard to conjugate.

Political reports in 'Diário de Notícias' (Portugal). Medical guidelines from 'Anvisa' (Brazil). Sermons during 'Quaresma' (Lent).

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Politics

Abster-se da votação
Taxa de abstenção
Voto de abstenção
Decidir abster-se

Health

Abster-se de gorduras
Abster-se de álcool
Abster-se de fumar
Abster-se por 12 horas

Law

Abster-se de julgar
Abster-se de comentar
Obrigação de abster-se
Abster-se de contato

Religion

Abster-se de carne
Abster-se de pecados
Período de abstinência
Abster-se de prazeres

Social/Arguments

Abster-se de opinar
Abster-se de brigar
Preferir abster-se
Abster-se de fofocas

Conversation Starters

"Você costuma se abster de votar em eleições locais ou sempre escolhe um candidato?"

"De qual comida você teria mais dificuldade em se abster por um mês inteiro?"

"Você acha que um juiz deve sempre abster-se de comentar política nas redes sociais?"

"Em uma briga de amigos, você prefere intervir ou se abster de tomar partido?"

"Você já teve que se abster de algo importante por motivos de saúde?"

Journal Prompts

Descreva uma situação em que você decidiu se abster de dar sua opinião e por que essa foi a melhor escolha.

Reflita sobre a importância da abstenção em processos democráticos. É um ato de protesto ou de desinteresse?

Escreva sobre um hábito do qual você gostaria de se abster e como isso mudaria sua rotina diária.

Pense em um momento em que alguém se absteve de te ajudar. Como você se sentiu e qual foi a justificativa?

Como a capacidade de se abster de prazeres imediatos pode ajudar no sucesso a longo prazo?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Yes, in the sense of refraining or abstaining, it is always used with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, vos, se). Without it, the verb is grammatically incomplete in this context.

It follows the verb 'ter'. So, 'eu tive' becomes 'eu me abstive', 'ele teve' becomes 'ele se absteve', and 'eles tiveram' becomes 'eles se abstiveram'.

'Evitar' is 'to avoid' and is used casually (evitar o trânsito). 'Abster-se' is 'to abstain' and is formal, often implying a moral, legal, or health-related choice.

Yes, it is very common in medical or religious contexts, such as 'abster-se de carne' or 'abster-se de comer antes de um exame'.

Yes, it almost always requires 'de'. Example: 'Abstenho-me DE votar'.

'Abstenção' is the noun form, meaning 'abstention'. It's most commonly used in politics to describe the number of people who didn't vote.

'Ele se abstém' (with acute accent) is singular. 'Eles se abstêm' (with circumflex accent) is plural. This is a common spelling rule for verbs derived from 'ter'.

It's rare. Usually, we use 'abster-se de' + infinitive. For example: 'Abstenho-me de falar' instead of 'Abstenho-me de que eu fale'.

Yes, it's used in all Portuguese-speaking countries, primarily in formal contexts like news, law, and medicine.

A common synonym is 'não participar da votação' or 'não votar', though 'abster-se' is the technical term.