B1 · The subjunctive (conjuntivo)
The conjuntivo in relative clauses
Whoever is not yet known goes into the conjuntivo.
At a glance
- Remember
- If he exists already: indicative. If you are still looking: conjuntivo.
- Form
- procuro alguém que fale alemãoI'm looking for somebody who speaks German (anyone)
- Signal words
- procuro
- preciso de
- não há
- ninguém que
- quem
- Trap
- Wrong:Procura-se alguém que sabe falar alemão.Right:Procura-se alguém que saiba falar alemão.
Your turn
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The form
The patterns at a glance
Each row first says when or what the pattern is used for, then gives an example in Portuguese.
| I'm looking for somebody who speaks German (anyone) | procuro alguém que fale alemão |
| I'm looking for the woman who speaks German (known) | procuro a senhora que fala alemão |
| a house with a garden (wished for) | uma casa que tenha jardim |
| there is nobody who understands this | não há ninguém que perceba isto |
| whoever arrives first | quem chegar primeiro |
| I was looking for somebody who spoke German | procurava alguém que falasse alemão |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
Sought, wished for or required: conjuntivo.
Procuro um quarto que seja barato.I'm looking for a room that is cheap.
Known and existing: indicative.
Moro num quarto que é barato.I live in a room that is cheap.
Negated or non-existent: conjuntivo.
Não há nada que o convença.There is nothing that convinces him.
An open future: futuro do conjuntivo.
Quem quiser pode ficar.Whoever wants to can stay.
Example sentences
Preciso de um carro que gaste pouco.I need a car that uses little fuel.
Não conheço ninguém que goste de chuva.I don't know anybody who likes rain.
Há alguma farmácia que esteja aberta agora?Is there a chemist's that is open now?
Quem tiver dúvidas pode perguntar.Anyone who has questions can ask.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English has no form for the difference: « who speaks German » stands in both cases. In Portuguese you hear whether the person already exists. Putting the indicative in a job advert means looking for one particular person you already know — and in an advert that is a contradiction.
The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
Procuro a senhora que fala alemão and procuro alguém que fale alemão are both correct and say different things. With the indicative the person exists, and you are looking for her right now. With the conjuntivo you are looking for anyone at all who has that quality — whether such a person exists is left open.
That is why the conjuntivo appears when what the clause describes is sought, wished for or required: quero uma casa que tenha jardim, precisamos de alguém que saiba conduzir.
It also appears when it is negated or does not exist: não há ninguém que perceba isto, não conheço nenhum restaurante que abra à segunda-feira.
When it is about the future and still open who or what it will be, the futuro do conjuntivo is used: quem chegar primeiro abre a porta, o que decidires está bem — where English says « whoever arrives » and « whatever you decide ». If the main clause is in the past, the conjuntivo moves into the imperfeito: procurava alguém que falasse alemão.
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