How to Use “Subject” and “Predicate” in Portuguese

Introduction

Understanding the fundamental building blocks of Portuguese sentences is essential for anyone learning this beautiful Romance language. The sujeito (subject) and predicado (predicate) form the backbone of every meaningful sentence in Portuguese, just as they do in English. However, Portuguese grammar presents unique characteristics that can challenge English speakers, including flexible word order, null subjects, and complex verb conjugations. This comprehensive guide will demystify these concepts, providing you with the knowledge and confidence to construct grammatically correct and natural-sounding Portuguese sentences.

What Are Subject and Predicate in Portuguese Grammar?

In Portuguese grammar, every complete sentence consists of two essential components: the sujeito and the predicado. The sujeito represents who or what performs the action or is being described, while the predicado contains everything else in the sentence, including the verb and any additional information about the subject.

Consider this simple example:

Maria estuda português.
Maria studies Portuguese.

In this sentence, Maria is the sujeito, and estuda português is the predicado. The predicate tells us what Maria does and provides additional context about her action.

Unlike English, Portuguese allows for more flexible sentence construction due to its rich verb conjugation system. This flexibility means that subjects can sometimes be omitted entirely, creating what grammarians call sujeito oculto (hidden subject) or sujeito elíptico (elliptical subject).

Types of Subjects in Portuguese

Simple Subject (Sujeito Simples)

The sujeito simples consists of a single noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that performs the action. This is the most straightforward type of subject and closely resembles English sentence structure.

Examples of sujeito simples:

O gato dorme na cama.
The cat sleeps on the bed.

Ela trabalha no escritório.
She works in the office.

Meu irmão mais novo joga futebol.
My younger brother plays soccer.

In each case, there is only one entity performing the action described by the verb.

Compound Subject (Sujeito Composto)

A sujeito composto involves two or more subjects connected by conjunctions, typically e (and) or ou (or). When multiple subjects perform the same action, the verb must agree with the combined subjects.

Examples of sujeito composto:

João e Maria viajam para o Brasil.
João and Maria travel to Brazil.

O cão ou o gato quebrou o vaso.
The dog or the cat broke the vase.

Meus pais e eu visitamos a praia ontem.
My parents and I visited the beach yesterday.

Notice how the verb forms change to accommodate multiple subjects. With e, the verb typically takes the plural form, while with ou, the verb can agree with the nearest subject or take the plural form depending on the meaning.

Hidden Subject (Sujeito Oculto)

One of the most distinctive features of Portuguese is the sujeito oculto, where the subject is not explicitly stated but is understood from the verb conjugation. This occurs because Portuguese verbs change their endings to indicate who is performing the action.

Examples of sujeito oculto:

Estudamos muito para o exame.
(We) studied hard for the exam.

Chegou cedo hoje.
(He/She) arrived early today.

Vão ao cinema à noite.
(They) go to the movies at night.

In these sentences, the subjects nós (we), ele/ela (he/she), and eles/elas (they) are understood from the verb endings but not explicitly stated.

Indeterminate Subject (Sujeito Indeterminado)

The sujeito indeterminado occurs when the subject exists but cannot be identified or when the speaker chooses not to specify who performs the action. This construction is commonly used with the pronoun se or with verbs in the third person plural without a clear subject.

Examples of sujeito indeterminado:

Precisa-se de ajuda.
Help is needed. (One needs help.)

Falaram sobre o projeto.
(They) talked about the project. (unspecified people)

Come-se bem neste restaurante.
One eats well at this restaurant.

Understanding Portuguese Predicates

The predicado in Portuguese serves as the heart of the sentence, containing the verb and providing information about what happens to or is said about the subject. Portuguese predicates can be classified into several types based on their structure and the type of verb they contain.

Verbal Predicate (Predicado Verbal)

A predicado verbal centers around an action verb and describes what the subject does. These predicates can be either transitive (requiring a direct object) or intransitive (complete without an object).

Examples of intransitive predicado verbal:

As crianças brincam no parque.
The children play in the park.

O sol nasce no leste.
The sun rises in the east.

Examples of transitive predicado verbal:

Os estudantes leem livros interessantes.
The students read interesting books.

Compramos uma casa nova.
We bought a new house.

Nominal Predicate (Predicado Nominal)

A predicado nominal uses linking verbs such as ser (to be), estar (to be), ficar (to become/remain), or parecer (to seem) to connect the subject with a predicate nominative or adjective that describes or identifies the subject.

Examples with ser:

Minha professora é muito inteligente.
My teacher is very intelligent.

Este livro é interessante.
This book is interesting.

Examples with estar:

Os alunos estão cansados.
The students are tired.

A janela está aberta.
The window is open.

Verbal-Nominal Predicate (Predicado Verbo-Nominal)

The predicado verbo-nominal combines characteristics of both verbal and nominal predicates. It contains an action verb plus a predicate adjective or noun that provides additional information about the subject or object.

Examples of predicado verbo-nominal:

Os alunos chegaram atrasados.
The students arrived late.

Ela trabalha feliz na nova empresa.
She works happily at the new company.

Encontramos o cachorro perdido.
We found the dog lost.

Word Order and Sentence Structure

Portuguese word order is generally Subject-Verb-Object (SVO), similar to English, but it allows for more flexibility due to its inflectional nature. Understanding when and how to vary word order is crucial for achieving natural-sounding Portuguese.

Standard Word Order

The most common pattern follows the SVO structure:

A menina comprou flores bonitas.
The girl bought beautiful flowers.

Subject: A menina
Verb: comprou
Object: flores bonitas

Inverted Word Order

Portuguese allows for inverted word order for emphasis, style, or when certain adverbs or phrases begin the sentence:

Ontem chegaram os visitantes.
Yesterday the visitors arrived.

Na mesa está o livro que você procura.
On the table is the book you are looking for.

This inversion often occurs with adverbs of place or time, creating a more dynamic sentence structure.

Question Formation

Questions in Portuguese can maintain standard word order with rising intonation or use inversion, particularly with question words:

Você estudou para o exame?
Did you study for the exam?

Onde mora sua família?
Where does your family live?

Que livro você está lendo?
What book are you reading?

Agreement Between Subject and Predicate

Proper agreement between the sujeito and predicado is essential for grammatically correct Portuguese. This agreement involves matching the verb with the subject in person and number, and in some cases, ensuring adjective agreement as well.

Number Agreement

Verbs must agree with their subjects in number (singular or plural):

Singular:

O estudante estuda muito.
The student studies a lot.

Plural:

Os estudantes estudam muito.
The students study a lot.

Person Agreement

Verbs must also agree with the person of the subject (first, second, or third person):

Eu falo português. (first person singular)
I speak Portuguese.

Tu falas português. (second person singular – European Portuguese)
You speak Portuguese.

Você fala português. (third person singular – Brazilian Portuguese)
You speak Portuguese.

Nós falamos português. (first person plural)
We speak Portuguese.

Eles falam português. (third person plural)
They speak Portuguese.

Agreement with Compound Subjects

When dealing with compound subjects, specific rules apply:

With e (and), the verb typically becomes plural:

Maria e João trabalham juntos.
Maria and João work together.

With ou (or), the verb can agree with the nearest subject or be plural:

O professor ou os alunos vão apresentar.
The teacher or the students will present.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

English speakers learning Portuguese often make predictable errors when working with subjects and predicates. Understanding these common pitfalls can help you avoid them and communicate more effectively.

Overusing Explicit Pronouns

English speakers frequently include subject pronouns unnecessarily in Portuguese:

Incorrect: Eu gosto muito de música e eu toco violão.
Correct: Gosto muito de música e toco violão.
I really like music and I play guitar.

Since Portuguese verbs carry information about the subject through their conjugation, repeating pronouns can sound redundant and unnatural.

Incorrect Verb Agreement

Failing to properly conjugate verbs according to their subjects is another common error:

Incorrect: Nós vai ao cinema.
Correct: Nós vamos ao cinema.
We go to the cinema.

Always ensure that verb endings match the person and number of the subject.

Misunderstanding Ser vs. Estar

Both ser and estar mean to be, but they have different uses in nominal predicates:

Ser for permanent characteristics:

Ela é professora.
She is a teacher.

Estar for temporary states:

Ela está cansada.
She is tired.

Advanced Concepts and Nuances

As you progress in your Portuguese studies, you will encounter more sophisticated uses of subjects and predicates that reflect the rich expressiveness of the language.

Emphatic Constructions

Portuguese offers several ways to create emphasis through subject and predicate manipulation:

Foi Maria quem trouxe o bolo.
It was Maria who brought the cake.

Quem trouxe o bolo foi Maria.
Who brought the cake was Maria.

These constructions, known as frases clivadas (cleft sentences), allow speakers to highlight specific information.

Passive Voice Constructions

The passive voice transforms the relationship between subject and predicate by making the object of an active sentence become the subject of a passive one:

Active: Os alunos leram o livro.
The students read the book.

Passive: O livro foi lido pelos alunos.
The book was read by the students.

Reflexive and Reciprocal Constructions

Portuguese uses reflexive pronouns to create constructions where the subject and object refer to the same entity:

Ela se preparou para a entrevista.
She prepared herself for the interview.

Eles se cumprimentaram cordialmente.
They greeted each other cordially.

Cultural and Regional Variations

Portuguese varies significantly between Brazil and Portugal, and these differences extend to subject and predicate usage. Understanding these variations will help you communicate more effectively with native speakers from different regions.

Brazilian vs. European Portuguese

Brazilian Portuguese tends to favor explicit subjects more than European Portuguese:

Brazilian: Eu não sei onde ele está.
European: Não sei onde está.
I don’t know where he is.

Additionally, Brazilian Portuguese commonly uses você as the standard second-person pronoun, while European Portuguese maintains tu in informal contexts.

Colloquial Expressions

Everyday Portuguese includes many idiomatic expressions that play with subject-predicate relationships:

Choveu canivetes. (literal: It rained penknives)
It rained heavily.

Deu zebra. (literal: It gave zebra)
Something unexpected happened.

These expressions demonstrate how Portuguese speakers creatively manipulate grammatical structures for expressive purposes.

Practical Exercises for Mastery

To truly master Portuguese subjects and predicates, regular practice with varied sentence types is essential. Here are some practical approaches to reinforce your learning:

Identification Practice

Practice identifying subjects and predicates in authentic Portuguese texts. Start with simple sentences and gradually work with more complex structures:

O jovem médico brasileiro trabalha no hospital municipal há cinco anos.
The young Brazilian doctor has been working at the municipal hospital for five years.

Subject: O jovem médico brasileiro
Predicate: trabalha no hospital municipal há cinco anos

Transformation Exercises

Practice transforming sentences between active and passive voice, or between different word orders:

Original: Maria escreveu uma carta bonita.
Passive: Uma carta bonita foi escrita por Maria.
Emphasized: Foi Maria quem escreveu uma carta bonita.

Agreement Practice

Focus on ensuring proper agreement between subjects and verbs, especially with compound subjects or unusual constructions:

Nem João nem Maria _____ (saber) a resposta.
Neither João nor Maria knows the answer.

Answer: sabe or sabem (both forms are acceptable depending on interpretation)

Conclusion

Mastering the use of sujeito and predicado in Portuguese represents a crucial milestone in your language learning journey. These fundamental grammatical concepts serve as the foundation for all Portuguese communication, from simple everyday conversations to complex literary expressions. By understanding the various types of subjects, including the uniquely Portuguese sujeito oculto, and the different predicate structures, you gain the tools necessary to construct meaningful and grammatically correct sentences. Remember that Portuguese offers greater flexibility than English in word order and subject expression, allowing for more nuanced and expressive communication. Continue practicing with authentic materials, pay attention to regional variations, and embrace the rich possibilities that proper subject-predicate mastery brings to your Portuguese fluency.