The Pretérito imperfeito do conjuntivo

📌 Nota gramatical

To form the imperfect subjunctive in European Portuguese, take the third-person plural ('eles/elas') form of the Pretérito Perfeito do Indicativo, drop the '-ram' ending to find the base root, and add the imperfect subjunctive endings: '-sse', '-sses', '-sse', '-ssemos', '-sseis', '-ssem'. For regular '-ar' verbs like 'falar', the 3rd plural is 'falaram', giving the root 'falara-' and resulting in 'falasse'.

📌 Nota gramatical

Because the imperfect subjunctive is built on the third-person plural of the preterite indicative, any irregularities in that preterite form carry over directly. For example, 'ter' becomes 'tiveram' in the preterite, yielding the subjunctive root 'tiver-', which forms 'tivesse', 'tivesses', 'tivesse', 'tivéssemos', 'tivésseis', 'tivessem'. Similarly, 'poder' gives 'puderam' -> 'pudesse', and 'ir/ser' gives 'foram' -> 'fosse'.

📌 Nota gramatical

The 'nós' form of the imperfect subjunctive always requires a circumflex accent on the vowel preceding the suffix '-ssemos' or '-éssemos'. For example, 'falássemos', 'tivéssemos', 'fôssemos', and 'pudéssemos'. This accent is crucial because it distinguishes the imperfect subjunctive from the present indicative in some verbs and maintains correct pronunciation stress.

📌 Nota gramatical

When the main clause verb is in a past tense (Pretérito Perfeito, Imperfeito, or Mais-que-perfeito) or conditional, and requires the subjunctive in the subordinate clause, you must use the Pretérito Imperfeito do Conjuntivo. This expresses a hypothetical, simultaneous, or future-in-the-past action relative to the past main clause.

📌 Nota gramatical

The imperfect subjunctive is heavily used in conditional sentences introduced by 'se' to express hypothetical or counterfactual scenarios in the present or future. The 'se' clause takes the imperfect subjunctive, and the main clause typically takes the Futuro do Pretérito (Conditional tense). For example: 'Se eu pudesse, viajava.'.

📌 Nota gramatical

When expressing polite, distant, or hypothetical desires using conditional forms of verbs like 'querer' ('queria' / 'gostaria'), the subordinate clause naturally triggers the imperfect subjunctive. This softens requests and expresses wishes that are difficult or unlikely to be fulfilled immediately.

📌 Nota gramatical

Impersonal expressions in the past (e.g., 'Era importante que', 'Era necessário que', 'Foi bom que') establish a past matrix frame that requires the imperfect subjunctive in the subordinate clause to comment on past events or hypothetical necessities.

📌 Nota gramatical

Certain conjunctions like 'embora' (although), 'ainda que' (even if), 'antes que' (before), and 'contanto que' (provided that) trigger the subjunctive. When the main clause is in the past, these conjunctions take the imperfect subjunctive to express past concession, prior action, or hypothetical condition.

📌 Nota gramatical

When expressing past doubt, disbelief, or uncertainty through verbs like 'duvidar', 'negar', or expressions like 'ser improvável' in past tenses, the subordinate clause requires the imperfect subjunctive to reflect the subjective uncertainty of the speaker.

📌 Nota gramatical

In formal European Portuguese and literature, the old simple pluperfect indicative form 'quisera', 'pôde', or corresponding synthetic imperfect subjunctive forms can express a wish or polite assertion. 'Quisera eu' means 'How I wish' or 'I would like', functioning similarly to an emphatic imperfect subjunctive.

📌 Nota gramatical

When describing a person, place, or thing in the past that was non-existent, indefinite, or hypothetical, the relative clause following the antecedent uses the imperfect subjunctive. This mirrors the present subjunctive rule but shifts into a past narrative frame.

📌 Nota gramatical

The phrase 'como se' (as if) is always followed by the Pretérito Imperfeito do Conjuntivo because it introduces a completely imaginary, hypothetical, or counterfactual comparison regarding an action or state.