Portuguese conjugation explanation

Personal Infinitive vs. Future Subjunctive

<p>One of the most confusing aspects of Portuguese grammar is that for <strong>regular verbs</strong>, the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/12/" target="_blank">Personal Infinitive</a>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/10/" target="_blank">Future Subjunctive</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Regular Verbs: The Confusion</div>

<p>For regular verbs like

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/falar/" title="Click to see conjugations for falar" target="_blank">falar</a>

<ul>

<li>

<div><strong>Future Subjunctive (Context: Condition/Future)</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Se</span> tu <span class="green_emphasis">falares</span> com ele, avisa-me. (<span style="font-style: italic;">If you speak to him, let me know.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>Personal Infinitive (Context: Preposition)</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Ao</span> <span class="green_emphasis">falares</span> assim, ofendes toda a gente. (<span style="font-style: italic;">By speaking like that, you offend everyone.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Irregular Verbs: The True Difference</div>

<p>The structural difference becomes obvious with <strong>irregular verbs</strong>. While the Personal Infinitive maintains the original infinitive stem, the Future Subjunctive uses the Preterite stem (derived from the P/3 form of the simple past).</p>

<p>Compare these forms for

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/ter/" title="Click to see conjugations for ter" target="_blank">ter</a>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/fazer/" title="Click to see conjugations for fazer" target="_blank">fazer</a>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/ser/" title="Click to see conjugations for ser" target="_blank">ser</a>

<div class="table_container">

<div class="three_column_table">

<div><strong>Verb</strong></div>

<div><strong>Personal Infinitive</strong><br>(Dict. Stem)</div>

<div><strong>Future Subjunctive</strong><br>(Preterite Stem)</div>

<div><span style="font-style: italic;">ter</span></div>

<div>nós <strong>ter</strong>mos</div>

<div>nós <span class="brown_emphasis">tiver</span>mos</div>

<div><span style="font-style: italic;">fazer</span></div>

<div>tu <strong>fazer</strong>es</div>

<div>tu <span class="brown_emphasis">fizer</span>es</div>

<div><span style="font-style: italic;">ser</span></div>

<div>eles <strong>ser</strong>em</div>

<div>eles <span class="brown_emphasis">for</span>em</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">How to Identify: The Triggers</div>

<p>To decide which one to use, look for the "trigger word" that introduces the verb.</p>

<p><strong>1. Future Subjunctive Triggers</strong></p>

<p>This tense is used for future possibilities or conditions. It is almost always triggered by conjunctions like <span class="brown_emphasis">se</span> (if), <span class="brown_emphasis">quando</span> (when), <span class="brown_emphasis">enquanto</span> (while), or <span class="brown_emphasis">assim que</span> (as soon as).</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Quando</span> eles <span class="green_emphasis">tiverem</span> dinheiro, pagarão a conta.</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(<span style="font-style: italic;">When they have money, they will pay the bill.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="brown_emphasis">Se</span> tu <span class="green_emphasis">fizeres</span> o jantar, eu lavo a louça.</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(<span style="font-style: italic;">If you make dinner, I will wash the dishes.</span>)</div>

<p><strong>2. Personal Infinitive Triggers</strong></p>

<p>This form usually follows <strong>prepositions</strong> such as <span class="brown_emphasis">para, por, ao, sem, até</span>, or impersonal phrases when there is a specific subject involved. For more details, see our guide on

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/portuguese_personal_infinitive_usage/" target="_blank">Personal Infinitive usage</a>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Obrigado <span class="brown_emphasis">por</span> <span class="green_emphasis">teres</span> vindo.</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(<span style="font-style: italic;">Thanks for having come.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Saíram <span class="brown_emphasis">sem</span> nós <span class="green_emphasis">vermos</span>.</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">(<span style="font-style: italic;">They left without us seeing.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Comparison Tables</div>

<p>The following tables for

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/ter/" title="Click to see conjugations for ter" target="_blank">ter</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/12/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Infinitivo Pessoal</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span>ter

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span>teres

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span>ter

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>termos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>terdes

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span>terem

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/10/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Futuro do Subjuntivo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

quando eu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">tiver<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

quando tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">tiveres<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

quando ele

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">tiver<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

quando nós

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">tivermos<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

quando vós

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">tiverdes<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

quando eles

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">tiverem<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>