How to Use “É importante que” in Portuguese With Correct Verb Forms

Introduction

É importante que is a very common phrase in Brazilian Portuguese used to express necessity, value judgments, or advice. For English-speaking learners, understanding how to pair it with the correct verb forms is essential because it requires the subjunctive mood in many cases. This article explains the grammar step by step with clear examples and cultural notes to help you use é importante que naturally.

What é importante que means and when to use it

É importante que translates roughly as it is important that or it matters that. Use it when you want to highlight the importance, relevance, or necessity of an action, condition, or fact. It often introduces a change of subject and expresses an attitude or evaluation rather than stating a factual piece of information.

Common contexts:

• Giving advice: É importante que você descanse.

• Stating priorities: É importante que terminemos o projeto.

• Highlighting safety or rules: É importante que todos usem cinto de segurança.

Subjunctive mood: the grammatical key

The main grammatical rule is that when é importante que introduces a different subject (often indicated by a personal pronoun or noun), the verb in the subordinate clause normally uses the present subjunctive (presente do subjuntivo) or other subjunctive tenses depending on time and aspect. This differs from English, where we might use the infinitive or simple present.

When is the subjunctive used:

• To express wishes, opinions, recommendations, or uncertainty that influence actions: É importante que você estude.

• When the main clause expresses necessity or evaluation and the subordinate clause has a different subject: É importante que ele chegue cedo.

Forming the present subjunctive: quick guide

To form the present subjunctive in Brazilian Portuguese, start from the first person singular of the present indicative, drop the -o ending, and add the subjunctive endings. Regular verb endings:

• -ar verbs: e, es, e, emos, em

• -er and -ir verbs: a, as, a, amos, am

Examples with verbs you will often use after é importante que:

• Estudar (to study): eu estudo → que eu estude, que você estude, que nós estudemos

• Chegar (to arrive): eu chego → que ele chegue, que eles cheguem

• Fazer (to do/make – irregular): eu faço → que eu faça, que nós façamos

Examples with present subjunctive

Here are natural Brazilian Portuguese sentences showing the present subjunctive after é importante que.

É importante que você durma bem antes da prova.
É importante que nós comecemos a reunião às nove.
É importante que ela saiba a verdade.

Why not infinitive or indicative?

English speakers sometimes try to use the infinitive (to sleep, to start) or the indicative (you sleep) after it is important that. In Portuguese, when the subordinate clause has its own subject, the subjunctive expresses the speaker’s evaluation or desire and is grammatically required in most contexts. Using the infinitive is possible only when the subject is the same as the main clause and the structure permits a single verb phrase.

When you can use the infinitive instead

You can use a personal infinitive or a simple infinitive when the subject of both clauses is the same, or when a general construction allows it. The safer general rule for learners is to use the subjunctive when the subject changes, and the infinitive when the subject is the same or absent.

Examples:

Eu digo que é importante descansar antes da cirurgia. – Here the construction keeps the idea but the infinitive descansar is part of a noun phrase and not a subordinate clause with a new subject.
É importante descansar depois de praticar esportes. – No change of subject; infinitive descansar is natural.

Other subjunctive tenses with é importante que

Though the present subjunctive is the most common, other subjunctive tenses are used depending on time reference.

• Past subjunctive (pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo) for unreal or past contexts: Era importante que ele viesse cedo. Use this when the main clause is past or when you express hypothetical conditions in the past.

• Future subjunctive for actions that may occur in the future in conditional contexts: Será importante que ele venha amanhã se a reunião for confirmada. The future subjunctive appears after certain conjunctions more often than directly after é importante que, but it is possible.

• Present perfect subjunctive (pretérito perfeito do subjuntivo) to express actions that may have been completed: É importante que você tenha terminado o relatório antes da reunião.

Examples with other subjunctive tenses

Era importante que todos falassem sobre o assunto.
É importante que você tenha enviado o e-mail até sexta-feira.
Será importante que ele tenha estudado se a prova for difícil.

Negation and question forms

When you negate or ask a question with é importante que, the subjunctive still applies. Negation does not change the required mood.

Examples:

Não é importante que você venha amanhã; podemos remarcar.
É importante que você não compartilhe informações pessoais com estranhos.
É importante que ele saiba? – A question with the same structure uses the subjunctive.

Common verbs and phrases used with é importante que

Some verbs frequently follow é importante que in everyday Brazilian Portuguese. Recognizing them helps you speak and write naturally.

• ter (que) – que você tenha

• fazer – que façam, que você faça

• estudar – que estudem, que você estude

• chegar – que chegue, que vocês cheguem

• saber – que saiba, que saibam

Examples in sentences:

É importante que você tenha todos os documentos.
É importante que eles façam uma revisão antes de publicar.
É importante que as crianças estudem todos os dias.

Practical usage and register

É importante que is neutral and polite, appropriate in formal and informal contexts. For very casual speech, Brazilians might prefer other expressions like é bom que, é legal que, or precisa que, but these can change nuance. É importante que remains a clear, direct way to express importance, suitable for academic, professional, and everyday contexts.

Nuances to note:

• É bom que often implies a positive outcome or approval rather than necessity.

• Precisa que is more colloquial and can sound stronger depending on the region.

Cultural and pragmatic notes

Brazilians tend to use polite forms and the subjunctive in contexts that require deference or indirectness. Using é importante que with subjunctive forms can soften commands and make requests more polite. For example, comparing direct imperatives with the subjunctive:

Feche a porta. – direct command
É importante que você feche a porta. – softer, more polite

In professional or educational settings, using é importante que signals attention to priorities and can be seen as collaborative rather than bossy.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Here are typical errors English speakers make and how to fix them.

• Using the indicative instead of the subjunctive: Incorrect – É importante que ele vai. Correct – É importante que ele vá.

• Forgetting to change the verb when the subject changes: Incorrect – É importante que nós termina o trabalho. Correct – É importante que nós terminemos o trabalho.

• Overusing the infinitive with different subjects: Prefer the subjunctive if the subject changes: Incorrect – É importante você estudar. Correct – É importante que você estude.

Short reference: subjunctive endings overview

Present subjunctive endings by verb groups (infinitive → subjunctive base):

• -ar verbs: falar → que eu fale, que você fale, que nós falemos

• -er verbs: comer → que eu coma, que você coma, que nós comamos

• -ir verbs: abrir → que eu abra, que você abra, que nós abramos

Irregular verbs to memorize include ser, estar, ter, fazer, ir, saber, dar, dizer, trazer. These are common after é importante que.

Practice tip for learners

When preparing to speak or write, identify the subject of the main clause and the subordinate clause. If subjects differ, choose the appropriate subjunctive tense. If subjects are the same, consider using an infinitive or keeping a simpler construction. Reading Brazilian news, official advice, and workplace emails will expose you to natural uses of é importante que.

Conclusion

É importante que is a key phrase to express importance and necessity in Brazilian Portuguese, and it usually requires the subjunctive when the subordinate clause has a different subject. Learn the present subjunctive endings, recognize common irregular verbs, and pay attention to context and time reference for other subjunctive tenses. With practice, using é importante que will make your Portuguese sound more natural and polite.