Portuguese grammar · Intermediate (B1)
The future subjunctive
The Portuguese future subjunctive (se eu tiver, quando você puder): how to form it and when to use it after se, quando, assim que and quem.
A tense English doesn't have
When (if), (when) and similar words talk about the future, Portuguese uses a special form, the “future subjunctive”. English uses the present here: “if it doesn't work”, “when I have time”. Portuguese says (If it doesn't work, we'll change it) and (When I have time, I'll visit you).
It is not a bookish tense: Brazilians use it every day. Spanish speakers should note that Spanish uses the present subjunctive here (cuando tenga), but Portuguese does not.
Forms
Take the form of the preterite, drop -ram and add -r, -res, -r, -rmos, -rem. For regular verbs the result looks like the infinitive: → . For irregular verbs it doesn't: → , → , → .
and share the same forms, as they do in the preterite: can mean “if I am” or “if I go”.
| Person | / | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| / / | ||||
| / / |
Irregular verbs to know
Watch out for and : means “when I see”, and means “when I come”. In casual speech many Brazilians say se eu ver, but is the correct form.
| Infinitive | preterite | Future subjunctive |
|---|---|---|
When to use it
Use it after for a real possibility in the future, and after time words when the action hasn't happened yet: , and (as soon as), (after), (while, as long as), (whenever). The other half of the sentence is in the present, + infinitive, the future or the imperative.
It also follows , , and when they point to the future: (whoever wants to), (whatever you need), (however you prefer).
For habits and the past, use the normal tenses: (Whenever it rains, I stay at home), (When I was a child…).
- Se chover, a gente fica em casa.If it rains, we'll stay at home.
- Assim que eu chegar, te mando uma mensagem.As soon as I arrive, I'll send you a message.
- Enquanto você estiver aqui, pode usar o meu carro.While you're here, you can use my car.
- Quem quiser pode vir com a gente.Anyone who wants to can come with us.
- Quando você puder, me liga.Call me when you can.
- Se vocês tiverem alguma dúvida, é só perguntar.If you have any questions, just ask.
The compound form: tiver feito
The future subjunctive of + participle is for something that will already be finished at a future moment: (When you've finished, let me know). In speech the simple form is more common: .
- Quando vocês tiverem terminado, podem sair.When you've finished, you can leave.
- Se até sexta eu não tiver recebido nada, eu te ligo.If I haven't received anything by Friday, I'll call you.