Introduction
The Portuguese imperfect subjunctive is a vital mood for expressing hypothetical, counterfactual, polite, or desire-based ideas, especially in conditional sentences introduced by se. Knowing how and when to use this tense will make your Brazilian Portuguese sound more natural and enable you to talk about unreal situations in the past or present.
What is the imperfect subjunctive?
The imperfect subjunctive, in Brazilian Portuguese called pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, is a past or counterfactual form used after verbs and expressions that require the subjunctive mood. It often appears in conditional sentences with se, and in clauses expressing doubt, desire, recommendation, or emotion about events that are hypothetical, unlikely, or contrary to fact.
Forming the imperfect subjunctive: two regular patterns
To form the pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo for regular verbs, start with the third person plural of the simple past (pretérito perfeito do indicativo), remove the -ram ending, and add the imperfect subjunctive endings. There are two main sets of endings depending on the conjugation group.
For verbs ending in -ar (like falar):
root from falar in eles form: falaram → remove -ram → fal-
add endings: -sse, -ssem, -ssemos, -sseis, -sse
For verbs ending in -er and -ir (like comer, abrir):
root from comer in eles form: comeram → come-
root from abrir in eles form: abriram → abri-
add the same set of endings used for -ar verbs
Examples:
falar → falaram → falasse, falasses, falássemos, falásseis, falassem
comer → comeram → comesse, comesses, comêssemos, comêsseis, comessem
abrir → abriram → abrisse, abrisses, abríssemos, abrísseis, abrissem
Irregular verbs and spelling changes
Many common verbs are irregular in the simple past, so their imperfect subjunctive stems reflect the simple past irregularity. Examples:
ser → foram → fosse, fosses, fôssemos, fôsseis, fossem
ter → tiveram → tivesse, tivesses, tivéssemos, tivésseis, tivessem
vir → vieram → viesse, viesses, viéssemos, viésseis, viessem
Note the accent marks in some forms like fôssemos and tivéssemos. These help with pronunciation and are standard in Brazilian Portuguese.
Se clauses and the imperfect subjunctive
In Portuguese conditional sentences, se introduces the condition. The imperfect subjunctive is used in specific types of conditional sentences that talk about unlikely or hypothetical situations in the present or past. There are three common patterns:
1. Hypothetical present or future situations
Use the imperfect subjunctive after se when the condition is unlikely or counterfactual in the present or future. The result clause commonly uses conditional forms, often with the conditional mood of the main verb (futuro do pretérito/simple conditional).
Structure: Se + imperfect subjunctive, main clause with conditional
Examples:
Se eu fosse rico, viajaria pelo mundo.
If I were rich, I would travel the world.
Se ela tivesse tempo, ela estudaria mais.
If she had time, she would study more.
Se nós viessemos mais cedo, veríamos o início do show.
If we came earlier, we would see the start of the show.
2. Past counterfactuals (regret or impossible past)
When talking about something that did not happen in the past and imagining a different outcome, Portuguese uses the imperfect subjunctive after se and a compound conditional in the main clause formed with the conditional of ter plus a past participle (teria + past participle) or the conditional of the auxiliary verb haver. This expresses regret or alternate outcomes.
Structure: Se + imperfect subjunctive, main clause with conditional perfect (teria + past participle)
Examples:
Se eu tivesse estudado mais, teria passado no exame.
If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam.
Se eles tivessem chegado antes, não teriam perdido o voo.
If they had arrived earlier, they would not have missed the flight.
3. Polite requests and wishes
The imperfect subjunctive can soften statements and make them more polite or less direct. After verbs of desire, suggestion, or polite verbs, the imperfect subjunctive shows courtesy or tentativeness.
Examples:
Gostaria que você falasse comigo depois.
I would like you to speak with me later.
Preferia que ele viesse amanhã, se possível.
I would prefer that he come tomorrow, if possible.
How to choose between imperfect subjunctive and other tenses
Many learners mix up the imperfect subjunctive with the present subjunctive or simple past. Here are rules to decide which to use:
– Use the present subjunctive when the main clause refers to present or future possibilities that are not counterfactual or when the verb in the se clause describes a real possibility.
Example: Se você estudar, passará. (If you study, you will pass.)
– Use the imperfect subjunctive when the condition is hypothetical, unlikely, or contrary to the present reality.
Example: Se você estudasse, passaria. (If you studied, you would pass.)
– Use the imperfect subjunctive plus conditional perfect when imagining a different past outcome that did not occur.
Example: Se você tivesse estudado, teria passado. (If you had studied, you would have passed.)
Common verbs and their imperfect subjunctive forms
Here are a few high-frequency verbs with their first person singular and third person plural imperfect subjunctive forms so you can recognize patterns.
ser: eu fosse, eles fossem
ter: eu tivesse, eles tivessem
ir: eu fosse or fui/ir patterns vary, but commonly use fosse for ser/ir ambiguity with context
vir: eu viesse, eles viessem
falar: eu falasse, eles falassem
comer: eu comesse, eles comessem
abrir: eu abrisse, eles abrissem
Note that context resolves potential ambiguities like eu fosse, which can correspond to ser or ir historically; in modern Brazilian Portuguese, fosse usually means ser unless context shows movement.
Word order and punctuation in conditional sentences
Portuguese allows inversion of the conditional clause. You can place the se clause either at the beginning or after the main clause. If the se clause comes first, use a comma after it. If the main clause comes first, no comma is necessary.
Examples:
Se eu fosse você, não faria isso.
If I were you, I would not do that.
Eu não faria isso se eu fosse você.
I would not do that if I were you.
Negative and contracted forms
You can negate the se clause by placing não before the verb, or use other negatives like ninguém, nada, nunca to make more complex negative conditions.
Examples:
Se ele não tivesse mentido, estaríamos juntos agora.
If he had not lied, we would be together now.
Nunca teríamos chegado se você não tivesse chamado um táxi.
We would never have arrived if you had not called a taxi.
Practical usage tips and cultural notes
Brazilian Portuguese tends to prefer simpler, more direct constructions in speech, but the imperfect subjunctive remains common in formal writing, polite requests, and expressions of hypothetical thought. In spoken Brazilian Portuguese, you will often hear conditional ideas expressed with the imperfect subjunctive plus conditional, especially in polite requests or regrets.
Tip 1: In everyday conversation, Brazilians sometimes replace explicit conditional forms with simpler modal expressions or verb phrases like gostaria de, poderia, dava para, or use the imperfect subjunctive alone to soften a request. Example: Se você pudesse, me ajudaria? is formal, while Você poderia me ajudar? is more colloquial.
Tip 2: Regional variation exists. Some speakers may use the imperfect subjunctive more frequently in writing or formal speech, while others use it in everyday talk. Familiarity with the forms will help you recognize and use them appropriately.
Tip 3: Learning common irregular stems is worth the effort because verbs like ser, ter, vir, and fazer appear frequently in conditional sentences.
Examples from everyday contexts
Travel and plans:
Se nós tivéssemos mais dinheiro, ficaríamos mais dias no Brasil.
If we had more money, we would stay more days in Brazil.
Relationships and feelings:
Se ela fosse mais sincera, eu confiaria nela.
If she were more sincere, I would trust her.
Work and study:
Se eu fosse gerente, mudaria a política da empresa.
If I were the manager, I would change the company’s policy.
Common mistakes to avoid
Avoid these typical learner errors:
– Using the present indicative after se when you mean a hypothetical present: Se eu sou rico is incorrect for counterfactuals; use Se eu fosse rico.
– Mixing tenses incorrectly: For past counterfactuals, combine the imperfect subjunctive with conditional perfect, not with simple conditional alone if you mean a counterfactual past outcome. Example correct: Se eu tivesse ganho, teria comprado um carro.
– Forgetting irregular stems: memorize common irregular past stems to form the imperfect subjunctive correctly.
Resources to keep learning
To master the imperfect subjunctive, expose yourself to authentic Brazilian Portuguese: listen to podcasts, read articles, and pay attention to conditional sentences. Keep a list of irregular stems and practice recognizing the pattern from the eles past form. When speaking, start by using common verbs and simple conditional structures, then gradually add complexity with compound conditionals and polite constructions.
Conclusion
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo with se clauses is essential for talking about hypothetical, unlikely, or counterfactual situations in Brazilian Portuguese. Learn the formation rule from the eles past form, memorize irregular stems, and practice the three main patterns: hypothetical present/future, past counterfactuals, and polite wishes. With exposure and repetition you will use these structures naturally and accurately.
