Subjunctive past tense in Portuguese Grammar

Learning a new language is an exciting journey, and Portuguese is no exception. One of the fascinating aspects of Portuguese grammar is the subjunctive mood, particularly the past tense of the subjunctive. This tense can be a bit tricky for English speakers, as it doesn’t have a direct equivalent in English. However, understanding and mastering the subjunctive past tense is crucial for achieving fluency in Portuguese. This article will guide you through the intricacies of the subjunctive past tense in Portuguese, providing clear explanations, examples, and practical tips to help you integrate it into your language skills.

Understanding the Subjunctive Mood

The subjunctive mood in Portuguese expresses doubt, uncertainty, wishes, hypotheticals, and situations contrary to reality. It is used in dependent clauses that are often introduced by conjunctions like “que” (that), “se” (if), and “quando” (when). The subjunctive past tense, also known as the imperfect subjunctive (“pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo”), is particularly used to refer to situations in the past that are also uncertain or hypothetical.

When to Use the Subjunctive Past Tense

The subjunctive past tense is used in several situations, including:

1. **Hypothetical Situations in the Past:** When talking about hypothetical situations that did not happen or are contrary to reality.
– Example: “Se eu soubesse, teria ajudado.” (If I had known, I would have helped.)

2. **Past Wishes and Desires:** When expressing wishes or desires that were not fulfilled in the past.
– Example: “Eu queria que ele viesse.” (I wished he would come.)

3. **Polite Requests or Suggestions in the Past:** When making polite requests or suggestions referring to the past.
– Example: “Seria bom se você pudesse vir.” (It would be good if you could come.)

4. **Expressions of Doubt or Uncertainty in the Past:** When expressing doubts or uncertainties about past events.
– Example: “Não acreditava que ele fizesse isso.” (I didn’t believe he would do that.)

Forming the Subjunctive Past Tense

The formation of the subjunctive past tense in Portuguese can be broken down into a few simple steps. The subjunctive past tense is formed by taking the third-person plural form (eles/elas) of the preterite indicative, removing the “-ram” ending, and adding the appropriate subjunctive endings.

Here is a step-by-step guide:

1. **Start with the Third-Person Plural Form of the Preterite Indicative:**
– falar (to speak) → eles falaram
– comer (to eat) → eles comeram
– abrir (to open) → eles abriram

2. **Remove the “-ram” Ending:**
– falaram → fala-
– comeram → come-
– abriram → abri-

3. **Add the Subjunctive Endings:**
– For -ar verbs: -sse, -sses, -sse, -ssemos, -sseis, -ssem
– For -er and -ir verbs: -sse, -sses, -sse, -ssemos, -sseis, -ssem

Let’s look at the conjugation of the verbs “falar,” “comer,” and “abrir” in the subjunctive past tense:

– **Falar (to speak)**
– eu falasse
– tu falasses
– ele/ela/você falasse
– nós falássemos
– vós falásseis
– eles/elas/vocês falassem

– **Comer (to eat)**
– eu comesse
– tu comesses
– ele/ela/você comesse
– nós comêssemos
– vós comêsseis
– eles/elas/vocês comessem

– **Abrir (to open)**
– eu abrisse
– tu abrisses
– ele/ela/você abrisse
– nós abríssemos
– vós abrísseis
– eles/elas/vocês abrissem

Irregular Verbs in the Subjunctive Past Tense

Just like in any language, there are exceptions to the rules. Some verbs in Portuguese are irregular and do not follow the standard pattern for forming the subjunctive past tense. Here are a few common irregular verbs and their conjugations:

– **Ser (to be) / Ir (to go)**
– eu fosse
– tu fosses
– ele/ela/você fosse
– nós fôssemos
– vós fôsseis
– eles/elas/vocês fossem

– **Ter (to have)**
– eu tivesse
– tu tivesses
– ele/ela/você tivesse
– nós tivéssemos
– vós tivésseis
– eles/elas/vocês tivessem

– **Estar (to be)**
– eu estivesse
– tu estivesses
– ele/ela/você estivesse
– nós estivéssemos
– vós estivésseis
– eles/elas/vocês estivessem

– **Dar (to give)**
– eu desse
– tu desses
– ele/ela/você desse
– nós déssemos
– vós désseis
– eles/elas/vocês dessem

Usage Examples in Context

Understanding the theory behind the subjunctive past tense is one thing, but seeing it in context is often what makes the concepts click. Here are some practical examples of how the subjunctive past tense is used in everyday Portuguese:

1. **Hypothetical Situations:**
– “Se eu soubesse que você estava vindo, teria preparado algo especial.” (If I had known you were coming, I would have prepared something special.)
– “Se tivéssemos mais tempo, poderíamos visitar mais lugares.” (If we had more time, we could visit more places.)

2. **Wishes and Desires:**
– “Eu queria que ele me ligasse ontem.” (I wished he had called me yesterday.)
– “Ela desejava que os filhos estudassem mais.” (She wished that the children studied more.)

3. **Polite Requests or Suggestions:**
– “Seria bom se você trouxesse o documento amanhã.” (It would be good if you brought the document tomorrow.)
– “Eu apreciaria se eles pudessem me enviar a informação.” (I would appreciate it if they could send me the information.)

4. **Expressions of Doubt or Uncertainty:**
– “Não acreditava que ele dissesse a verdade.” (I didn’t believe he was telling the truth.)
– “Duvidava que ela viesse à festa.” (I doubted she would come to the party.)

Common Pitfalls and Tips

Learning the subjunctive past tense can be challenging, and there are some common pitfalls that learners should be aware of. Here are a few tips to help you avoid these pitfalls and master the subjunctive past tense:

1. **Confusing the Subjunctive with the Indicative:**
– One common mistake is using the indicative mood instead of the subjunctive. Remember that the subjunctive is used for hypothetical, uncertain, or non-real situations. Practice identifying situations that require the subjunctive mood.

2. **Forgetting the Irregular Conjugations:**
– Irregular verbs can trip up even advanced learners. Make flashcards or use language apps to help you memorize the irregular conjugations.

3. **Overusing the Subjunctive:**
– While the subjunctive is important, it’s also essential to know when not to use it. The indicative mood is used for statements of fact and certainty, so make sure to balance your usage of both moods.

4. **Practice with Native Speakers:**
– The best way to master the subjunctive past tense is through practice. Engage in conversations with native speakers, join language exchange groups, or use language learning apps to practice in real-life contexts.

Exercises for Practice

To solidify your understanding of the subjunctive past tense, here are some exercises you can do:

1. **Fill in the Blanks:**
– Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in the subjunctive past tense.
– Se eu (saber) __________, teria vindo mais cedo.
– Ela queria que nós (ir) __________ ao cinema.
– Não acreditava que ele (fazer) __________ isso.

2. **Translation Practice:**
– Translate the following sentences into Portuguese using the subjunctive past tense.
– If I had more money, I would travel the world.
– She wished that he would call her.
– They doubted that we would finish the project on time.

3. **Sentence Creation:**
– Create your own sentences using the subjunctive past tense. Try to use a mix of regular and irregular verbs.

Answers to Exercises

1. **Fill in the Blanks:**
– Se eu (saber) soubesse, teria vindo mais cedo.
– Ela queria que nós (ir) fôssemos ao cinema.
– Não acreditava que ele (fazer) fizesse isso.

2. **Translation Practice:**
– Se eu tivesse mais dinheiro, viajaria pelo mundo.
– Ela desejava que ele ligasse para ela.
– Eles duvidavam que nós terminássemos o projeto a tempo.

3. **Sentence Creation:** (Answers will vary)

Conclusion

Mastering the subjunctive past tense in Portuguese is a significant step toward fluency. While it may seem complex at first, with practice and exposure, you’ll find it becomes more intuitive. Remember to pay attention to the context in which the subjunctive is used, practice regularly, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Language learning is a journey, and every step you take brings you closer to fluency. Boa sorte! (Good luck!)

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