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P o r t u g u e s e O n l i n e

>>Verbs > Present Subjunctive

The subjunctive mood is harder for an English speaker to use than the indicative mood. (also see the sections on the indicative mood and the imperative mood in verbs). In Portuguese, the subjunctive mood often follows the word que that. Please be careful, because the opposite is not true - the word que does not always come before a subjunctive verb.

The tense refers to the time period of a verb. The present tense is used to show that the action occurs around the present time.

To form the present subjunctive, you will take the infinitive without its -ar, -er, or -ir ending (its "stem") and add the following endings. See the section on subject pronouns for more information on the pronouns listed in the left column.

In Portuguese, you will use the present subjunctive to express actions that are not stated facts or certainties. Unlike the action of an indicative verb that is taking place, subjunctive actions may or may not occur.

An appropriate indicative verb followed by que will usually set off the subjunctive mood. Any indicative verb suggesting that an action may or may not occur should be an automatic suspect for you. A good example is the verb hope in the sentence I hope that he's coming, where the phrase hope that clearly instigates an uncertainty (however much I hope, he may or may not arrive, so his arrival is in the subjunctive). Because they are almost always found after que, Portuguese present subjunctive verbs are sometimes cited as que fale, que venda, que parta, etc.

Please take the time to read through the examples below, since seeing the subjunctive in context will help you to grasp these concepts much better. There are a few categories of verbs that will always come before que + subjunctive mood:

>Hopes, wishes and will
These verbs always express some sort of personal desire, so it is quite obvious that the action is not a complete certainty.

(Affirmative example) Espero que eles vendam I hope that they sell  (but this is only my hope; they may or may not sell). In this sentence, esperar to hope is in the present indicative and vender to sell in the present subjunctive.

(Negative example) Não queremos que ela parta we do not want her to leave (but the Portuguese sentence actually reads we do not want that she leaves; she may or may not leave, no matter what my desire is). In this sentence, querer to want is in the present indicative and partir to leave in the present subjunctive. 

Verbs in this category that set off the subjunctive when used before que: querer to want, esperar to hope, desejar to wish/desire.

>Doubt and uncertainty
The fact that the action is in doubt is at the heart of the subjunctive mood. This isn't a tricky concept until you realize that a verb like think or believe expresses doubt when negated, whereas a verb like doubt no longer does.

(Affirmative example) Duvido que ele venda I doubt that he sells  (I'm casting doubt to show that he may or may not sell). In this sentence, duvidar to doubt is in the present indicative and vender to sell in the present subjunctive.

(Negative example) Não acredito que ela parta I don't believe that she's leaving (I'm casting doubt to show that she may or may not leave). In this sentence, (não) acreditar to believe is in the present indicative and partir to leave in the present subjunctive. 

Verbs in this category that set off the subjunctive when used before que: duvidar to doubt, não crer to not believe (facts or events), não crer to not believe (reserved for religious or personal beliefs).

Phrases in this category that never come before the subjunctive: está certo que it's certain that..., estou certo que I'm sure that..., penso que I think that..., acho que I think/find that..., acredito que I believe that..., creio que I believe that...

>Suggestion or request
Of course, suggesting or asking for something does not mean that it will happen.

(Affirmative example) Ela pede ao senhor que venda she asks the man to sell  (but the Portuguese sentence actually reads she asks to the man that he sell; he may or may not sell, no matter what she asks of him). In this sentence, pedir to ask for is in the present indicative and vender to sell in the present subjunctive.

(Negative example) Não aconselho que ela fale I don't recommend that she speak (whatever my recommendation, she may or may not speak). In this sentence, aconselhar to advise/recommend is in the present indicative and falar to speak in the present subjunctive. 

Verbs in this category that set off the subjunctive when used before que: pedir to ask for/order (it never means to ask a question), mandar to demand/command, aconselhar to recommend/advise/persuade, sugerir to suggest.

>Possibility
Possibility and doubt are closely related, so the subjunctive fits well here. Despite the obvious correlations, here you will simply find the subjunctive used with talvez maybe, quiçá perhaps and a mere handful of other phrases. Notice that you don't use the word que after talvez (because it's not a verb)!

Ela talvez venda she might sell (but the Portuguese sentence actually reads she maybe sells; she may or may not sell). In this sentence, it is actually the word talvez maybe that puts vender to sell into the present subjunctive.

É possível que ela fale it is possible for her to speak (but the Portuguese sentence reads it is possible that she speaks; although it may be a possibility, she may or may not speak). In this sentence, ser possível to be possible is in the present indicative and falar to speak in the present subjunctive. 

>Urge, necessity and expectation
Like asking and demanding, urging obviously prepares the sentence for the subjunctive.

Urgimos que ela venda we urge her to sell (but the Portuguese sentence actually reads we urge that she sell; she may or may not sell). In this sentence, the verb urgir to urge is in the present indicative and vender to sell in the present subjunctive.

É urgente/exigente que ela parta it is urgent/imperative that she leave (but she may or may not leave). In this sentence, ser urgente to be urgent is in the present indicative and partir to leave in the present subjunctive.

>Descriptions (Adjectives)
These are countless phrases that use adjectives (descriptive words) to set off the subjunctive. The adjectives we use to set off the subjunctive are ones that let us know the action is uncertain, like interesting, urgent, necessary, happy, sad, or any of the many others that reflect emotion, doubt, uncertainty, or possibility. The verb 

Estou triste que ela parta I am sad that she's leaving (whether or not she's leaving is a separate matter). In this sentence, the phrase estar triste to be sad is in the present indicative and partir to leave in the present subjunctive.

É necessário que ela parta It is necessary that he speak (but he may or may not speak). In this sentence, the phrase ser necessário to be necessary is in the present indicative and falar to speak in the present subjunctive.

É urgente que ela parta It's urgent that she leave (but she may or may not leave). In this sentence, the phrase ser urgente to be urgent is in the present indicative and partir to leave in the present subjunctive.

É útil que fale It's useful for him to speak (but the Portuguese phrase reads it is useful that he speak; he may or may not speak). In this sentence, the phrase ser útil to be useful is in the present indicative and falar to speak in the present subjunctive.

>Subjunctive Commands
To give a less forceful command, you can simply use the subjunctive on its own with que. Because of the inherent uncertainty of the subjunctive, the command will sound a bit wishful and a little less direct:

Que venha! Let him come!
Que vendamos! Let's sell!, We'd better sell!
Vocês querem que fale? Que fale! You all want him to speak? [Then] let him speak! (notice the double present subjunctive)

Keep in mind that, unlike in English, it is not necessary to use a subject pronoun or a noun with the verb. Que fale and que eu fale both mean that I speak. You may choose to use them when clarifying (que ela fale that she speak, when she is not already obvious from context) or emphasizing (que eles falem that THEY speak). This is especially useful when distinguishing between eu, ele, ela, and você, since they always share the same form in the present subjunctive.

Subjunctive phrases like ...that I'm running or ...that he's speaking are usually translated with the present subjunctive (que corra that I run or that I am running, que fale that I speak or that I am speaking). The only exceptions are actions taking place at that exact moment. In these cases (and only in these cases!), you will use the present progressive construction that works like the English to be -ing, substituting the present subjunctive of estar to be for the present indicative (...que estejamos correndo ...us to be running (right now))