Why “Eu queria que ele vem” Is Wrong in Portuguese

Introduction

Many learners of Brazilian Portuguese encounter sentences that sound natural in English but are ungrammatical in Portuguese. One common example is Eu queria que ele vem. This article explains why that phrase is wrong, how to fix it, and how the subjunctive mood works in similar contexts. Clear explanations and examples will help beginner to intermediate learners avoid this frequent mistake.

What is wrong with Eu queria que ele vem?

The problem with Eu queria que ele vem lies in mood agreement. In Portuguese, when the main clause expresses desire, wish, doubt, emotion, or uncertainty, the subordinate clause typically requires the subjunctive mood, not the indicative. The verb vem is the present indicative of vir, so vem is the wrong mood after a verb like querer in a conditional or polite request.

Understanding mood: indicative vs subjunctive

Portuguese, like many Romance languages, uses different moods to convey different attitudes toward actions. The two most relevant for this topic are the indicative and the subjunctive.

The indicative (indicativo) states facts, certainties, or objective information. Example:
Ele vem hoje. — He comes/He is coming today.

The subjunctive (subjuntivo) expresses wishes, doubts, hypothetical situations, emotion, or things that are not certain. Example:
Espero que ele venha. — I hope he comes.

Why querer triggers the subjunctive

The verb querer when used to express desire, a wish, or a polite request commonly introduces a subordinate clause that is not a fact but rather a wished-for situation. Brazilian Portuguese requires the subjunctive in that subordinate clause because the action is hypothetical or desired rather than certain.

Compare these two structures:

Eu sei que ele vem. — Here, sei expresses knowledge, so the subordinate clause is presented as factual; vem (indicative) is correct.

Eu quero que ele venha. — Quero expresses desire; the clause is not factual but hoped for; venha (subjunctive) is required.

Which subjunctive form to use: present subjunctive

In most cases with querer followed by que, you use the present subjunctive (presente do subjuntivo). For the verb vir, the present subjunctive form for ele/ela is venha. So the correct version of the original sentence is:

Eu queria que ele venha. — If you mean I would like him to come (still a polite wish, and some speakers allow this form).

However, more commonly with queria, many Brazilians prefer the imperfect subjunctive (pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo):

Eu queria que ele viesse. — This is the most natural and widely accepted form for expressing a wish or a polite hypothetical desire in the past or conditional tone.

When to use queria + viesse vs quero + venha

Both constructions are correct but carry slightly different nuance and register.

Quero que ele venha — Present desire; direct, immediate wish or command. Use when you are asking or stating a desire now.

Queria que ele viesse — Conditional or more polite; softer, hypothetical, or expressing regret. Use when you are being polite, making a hypothetical request, or expressing that you would have liked something to happen.

Examples:

Quero que ele venha à reunião amanhã. — I want him to come to the meeting tomorrow.

Queria que ele viesse à reunião, mas ele não pode. — I would have liked him to come to the meeting, but he cannot.

Step-by-step: Correcting Eu queria que ele vem

Step 1: Identify the main verb and its meaning. Here querer expresses a wish/ desire (queria = polite/conditional form).

Step 2: Determine that the subordinate clause expresses a desired or hypothetical action, not a fact.

Step 3: Choose the appropriate subjunctive tense. With queria, prefer the imperfect subjunctive: viesse. Alternatively, for direct present desire (quero), use the present subjunctive: venha.

So the corrections are:

Eu queria que ele viesse. — Polite/hypothetical desire (most natural).

Eu quero que ele venha. — Direct present desire.

Why not use indicative even if the action might happen?

Even if the speaker believes the action might happen, Portuguese grammar treats the subordinate clause after verbs like querer as non-factual until it actually does. The subjunctive marks this uncertainty or wish. The indicative suggests factual certainty, which conflicts with the nuance of wanting or hoping.

Example of incorrect but understandable English influence:

English: I want him to come. — Portuguese must reflect the wish with subjunctive: Eu quero que ele venha.

Other verbs and expressions that require the subjunctive

Querer is not the only verb that triggers the subjunctive. Common triggers include verbs of desire, emotion, doubt, necessity, and impersonal expressions. Examples:

Desejar: Eu desejo que você tenha sucesso. — desejo triggers the subjunctive: tenha.

Esperar: Espero que ele esteja bem. — esteja is subjunctive.

Preferir: Prefiro que você chegue cedo. — chegue is subjunctive.

É importante que: É importante que todos saibam. — saibam is subjunctive.

Imperfect subjunctive forms: how to build them

The imperfect subjunctive is commonly used after querer in conditional or polite contexts. For regular verbs, form it by taking the third-person plural of the preterite, removing the -ram ending, and adding -sse, -sses, -sse, -ssemos, -ssem endings. For example, vir (preterite they = vieram) gives the stem vies-.

Examples with vir:

Eu queria que ele viesse. — he would come / I wanted him to come.

Se ele viesse, seria ótimo. — If he came, it would be great.

Practical examples and translations

Below are common sentence patterns showing the difference between incorrect indicative use and the correct subjunctive forms.

Incorrect: Eu queria que ele vem.
Correct: Eu queria que ele viesse.
Translation: I would like him to come / I wished he had come.

Incorrect: Quero que ele vem agora.
Correct: Quero que ele venha agora.
Translation: I want him to come now.

Incorrect: Espero que ele vem amanhã.
Correct: Espero que ele venha amanhã.
Translation: I hope he comes tomorrow.

Incorrect: Era importante que ela está presente.
Correct: Era importante que ela estivesse presente.
Translation: It was important that she be present.

Colloquial speech and variations

In casual spoken Brazilian Portuguese, some speakers may use the indicative where formal grammar prefers the subjunctive, especially in certain regions or informal contexts. Nevertheless, using the subjunctive is safer and more widely accepted, especially in writing, formal speech, and language exams.

Example of colloquial slip: Acho que ele vem sim. — Here achar expresses belief, which allows the indicative; context matters. But with verbs like querer, the subjunctive remains the norm.

Common learner mistakes and how to avoid them

Mistake 1: Translating directly from English. Avoid word-for-word translation. Identify whether the clause is factual or desired/hypothetical.

Mistake 2: Confusing sentence tenses. Decide whether the speaker is expressing a present desire (use present subjunctive) or a conditional/polite wish (use imperfect subjunctive).

Mistake 3: Overgeneralizing. Not all subordinate clauses require the subjunctive. Verbs of certainty and knowledge (saber, ver, perceber) usually take the indicative when stating facts.

Tip: When in doubt, ask whether the subordinate clause describes a wish/hypothesis. If yes, use the subjunctive.

Cultural and usage notes

Using the subjunctive correctly signals higher proficiency and respect for Brazilian Portuguese norms. Politeness strategies frequently use the conditional querer + imperfect subjunctive to soften requests, which is culturally valued in many contexts.

Example in a polite request:
Eu queria que você me explicasse isso quando tiver um tempo.
This sounds polite and considerate and is commonly used in workplace and social settings.

Quick reference: conjugation examples for vir

Present indicative (ele): vem — used for statements of fact.

Present subjunctive (ele): venha — used after quero que, espero que, etc.

Imperfect subjunctive (ele): viesse — used after queria que, gostaríamos que, etc.

Conclusion

The sentence Eu queria que ele vem is grammatically incorrect because it mixes a verb expressing desire with the indicative mood in the subordinate clause. Portuguese requires the subjunctive for desired, hypothetical, or uncertain actions. Use eu queria que ele viesse for a polite or conditional wish and eu quero que ele venha for a direct present desire. Mastering the subjunctive will improve your accuracy and make your Portuguese sound natural and polite.