B2Lesson 5: Hypothetical Structures
Brazilian Portuguese conditional sentences follow three main patterns for real possibilities (Type 1), hypothetical present/future situations (Type 2), and impossible past scenarios (Type 3), but spoken Brazilian often simplifies these structures using the imperfect indicative instead of the subjunctive, making conditionals more accessible than traditional grammar suggests.
This is a partial preview of the article.
Unlock the full explanation and all practice exercises for this B2 lesson.
Join Falando to access grammar from all CEFR levels.
These express situations that could realistically happen. The result is likely or at least possible.
| If-clause | Main clause | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Se + present indicative | present | Se está chovendo, fico em casa | If it's raining, I stay home |
| Se + present indicative | future (going to) | Se está tarde, vou embora | If it's late, I'm leaving |
| Se + future subjunctive | future | Se chover, ficarei em casa | If it rains, I will stay home |
| Se + future subjunctive | present | Se puder, ajudo | If I can, I'll help |
| Se + future subjunctive | imperative | Se vir João, avise | If you see João, let me know |
Most learners (and many Brazilians!) struggle with this. It's formed from the 3rd person plural preterite, removing -ram:
| Infinitive | 3rd plural preterite | Remove -ram | Future subjunctive |
|---|
