The Portuguese Present Subjunctive (Presente do Conjuntivo) is used far more frequently than its English counterpart. That’s why many learners struggle with when and how to use it. This guide breaks it all down.

In short, the Present Subjunctive expresses uncertainty, doubt, desire, and opinions. Here are a few examples:

É possível que hoje chegue tarde a casa.
I may come home late today.

Talvez tenhas sorte.
Maybe you’ll be lucky.

Quero que sejas feliz.
I want you to be happy.

Let’s dive in.

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Açorda Alentejana

Fill in the blanks with verbs in the Present Subjunctive.

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Talvez vá à praia

Fill in the blanks with the missing verbs in the Present Subjunctive.

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Conjugation

Regular verbs

For regular verbs, the Present Subjunctive is formed by taking the verb stem and adding specific endings:

🔎 Learn more: Portuguese Regular Verbs and Conjugation.

Some regular verbs need to have their spellings tweaked to conform to pronunciation, namely verbs ending -car, -gar, -cer, and -çar:

🔎 Learn more: European Portuguese Spelling Patterns and Pronunciation.

Irregular verbs

From the 1st person Indicative mood

Some verbs follow the regular endings but use the 1st person Present Indicative as their base:

Fully irregular (learn by heart)

For these verbs, you don’t have any clear stem reference to go from. Still, some of them take the same familiar endings of the Present Subjunctive:

When to use the Present Subjunctive

The Present Subjunctive usually appears in dependent clauses introduced by linking words such as que.

💡 Often, you can use either the Present Subjunctive or the Personal Infinitive (Infinitivo Pessoal). Learn more: Portuguese Personal Infinitive.

1. After verbs of will, desire, emotion, and doubt

Use the Present Subjunctive when the main verb expresses will, emotion, desire, or doubt — and is followed by que (that).

Common verbs:

desejar (desire); duvidar (doubt); querer (want); esperar (hope); preferir (prefer); gostar (like); recear (fear); ter pena (feel sorry); ter medo (feel afraid); exigir (demand), mandar (order), proibir (forbid) 

Examples:

Eu quero que tu vás falar com o Mário.
I want you to speak with Mário.

Ela duvida que eu consiga emagrecer.
She doubts that I can manage to lose weight.

Eu espero que ele entre na universidade.
I hope that he gets admitted to the university.

Ela exige que eu saia de casa.
She demands that I leave the house.

Tu receias que ela te deixe?
Do you fear that she might leave you?

🔎 Learn more about linking words in Portuguese.

2. After “talvez” (maybe)

Use the Subjunctive with talvez:

Talvez vá hoje à praia.
Maybe I’ll go to the beach today.

With other adverbs (se calhar, possivelmente, provavelmente), use the Indicative:

Se calhar vou hoje à praia.
Possivelmente vou hoje à praia.
Provavelmente vou hoje à praia.

3. When expressing opinions (negating)

Use the Indicative in positive statements:

Eu acho que este filme é muito mau.
I think this movie is really bad.

Ela acredita que o tempo vai melhorar amanhã.
She believes the weather will improve tomorrow.

Use the Subjunctive in negative statements:

Eu não acho que este filme seja tão mau.
I don’t think this movie is that bad.

Ela não acredita que o tempo vá melhorar amanhã.
She doesn’t believe the weather will improve tomorrow.

💡 To express opinion and beliefs, we often use the verbs pensar, achar, acreditar, and crer among others.

4. After impersonal structures

Use Subjunctive after the structure é + adjective + que:  

É importante que percebas a situação.
You must understand the situation.

É melhor que vás para casa.
It is better if you go home.

É possível que ela chegue hoje à noite.
She may come this evening.

If the structure expresses certainty, use the Indicative:

É  óbvio que ele está contente.
It’s obvious that he’s happy.

É claro que ela vai gostar do presente.
I am sure she will like this gift.

If that certainty is negated, use the Subjunctive:

Não é óbvio que ele esteja contente.
It’s not so obvious he’s happy.

Não é certo que ela vá gostar do presente.
I’m not so sure she will like this gift.

5. After “há quem”

Use the Subjunctive after há quem:

Há quem ache que fumar não faz mal à saúde.
Some think that smoking is not bad for your health.

Há quem diga que o Bin Laden continua vivo.
Some people believe that Bin Laden is still alive.

🔎 Learn more about the Portuguese verb Haver.

6. After exclamative expressions

Expressions like oxalá, Deus queira que, and tomara que are followed by the Subjunctive:

Oxalá ela recupere!
I hope she will recover.

Deus queira que ele consiga superar as dificuldades!
God help him overcome these trying times!

Tomara que ela saia do hospital já amanhã!
I hope she leaves the hospital already tomorrow!

7. Subjunctive in dependent clauses

The Present Subjunctive is often used in dependent clauses, namely concessive, time, final, conditional and completive clauses.

Concessive clauses

Common linking words introducing concessive clauses are mesmo que, ainda que, or embora, among others:  

Sou muito poupado embora tenha muito dinheiro.
I am thrifty, even though I have a lot of money.

Ainda que goste muito de comida, tento não comer em demasia.
Even though I love food, I try to not eat too much. 

Vou trabalhar mesmo que esteja doente.
I go to work even if I am sick.

💡 Concessive clauses show contrast or unexpected results—they acknowledge something that might go against the main idea but doesn’t stop it from happening. It’s introduced by words like although, even though, though, while, or whereas.

Time clauses

Common linking words introducing time clauses are logo que, antes que, or até que:

Liga-me logo que chegues a Lisboa.
Call me as soon as you arrive in Lisbon.

Vamos para casa antes que comece a chover.
Let’s go home before it starts raining. 

Não saio do trabalho até que termine este relatório.
I am not leaving the office until I am done with this report.

💡A time clause is a part of a sentence that indicates when something happens, usually introduced by conjunctions like when, before, after, while, as soon as, or until. 

Final clauses

Final clauses are often preceded by linking expressions such as para que or a fim de que:

Eu estou a estudar para que consiga arranjar um bom trabalho.
I am studying so that I can find a good job.

Comprei um guarda chuva a fim de que não me molhe.
I bought an umbrella in order to avoid getting wet.

💡 A final clause expresses the purpose or goal of an action. It tells us why something is done or what the intention is, and it’s commonly introduced by words like so that, in order that, or just so.

Conditional clauses

Conditional clauses are usually introduced by linking expressions such as caso, desde que, and a não ser que:

Caso não haja tinto, bebe-se branco.
If there isn’t red wine, we drink white.

Empresto-te dinheiro desde que me pagues de volta.
I can lend you money provided that you pay me back.

Hoje vou jogar ténis a não ser que chova muito.
I am playing tennis today unless it rains a lot.

💡 A conditional clause expresses a condition—something that must happen (or not happen) for something else to occur. It’s introduced by words like if, unless, provided that, or as long as.

Completive clauses

Completive clauses usually follow verbs that express doubt, emotions, orders, or wishes and are invariably introduced by que:

O Carlos exige que nos casemos até ao final do year.
Carlos is demanding that we get married by the end of this year.

Eu receio que ele me deixe.
I am afraid that he will leave me.

💡 A completive clause is a type of subordinate clause that completes the meaning of the verb, adjective, or noun it’s connected to—especially when it involves mental or communicative actions like thinking, believing, saying, or knowing. It is usually introduced by that.