Subjunctive Mood After

The subjunctive usually needs a partner. It rarely stands alone in a sentence. Most sentences have two parts. The first part is the 'trigger.' The second part is the 'subjunctive action.' These parts are usually joined by the word que. Think of que as a bridge. On one side, you have your desire or doubt. On the other side, you have the action. For example, 'I hope' is the trigger. 'That you are well' is the action. In Portuguese: Espero que você esteja bem. Without the trigger, the subjunctive usually loses its job. It is like a backup singer. It needs a lead vocalist to start the song.

1. 1Creating these verbs is like a magic trick. You start with the present indicative. Follow these steps for regular verbs:
2. 2Take the eu form of the present tense.
3. 3For falar, it is falo.
4. 4Drop the final o to get the stem fal-.
5. 5Now, swap the vowels.
6. 6For -AR verbs, use -E endings.
7. 7For -ER and -IR verbs, use -A endings.
8. 8Here is the pattern for falar (-AR):
9. 9que eu fale
10. 10que você fale
11. 11que nós falemos
12. 12que vocês falem
13. 13Here is the pattern for comer (-ER):
14. 14que eu coma
15. 15que você coma
16. 16que nós comamos
17. 17que vocês comam
18. 18Yes, it feels backwards at first. AR becomes E, and ER becomes A. It is a bit like a grammar mirror. Just remember the 'opposite vowel' rule. It works for most verbs you know.

You need the subjunctive in specific scenarios. Think of the acronym WEIRD. This stands for Wishes, Emotions, Impersonal expressions, Requests, and Doubts.

• Wishes: Quero que você venha. You want something to happen.
• Emotions: Sinto muito que ele esteja doente. You are reacting to news.
• Impersonal expressions: É importante que estudemos. It is a general necessity.
• Requests: Peço que você me ajude. You are asking for a favor.
• Doubts: Não acredito que seja verdade. You are not sure about a fact.

Imagine you are at a job interview. You might say: Espero que a empresa tenha sucesso. Or imagine you are ordering food. You might say: Quero que o prato venha sem cebola. These are real-world moments where the subjunctive shines. It shows you are polite and precise.

Do not use it for facts. If you are certain, stay with the indicative. This is a common trap for learners. Phrases like Eu sei que or Tenho certeza que take the indicative. Why? Because there is no doubt there. Even Acho que (I think that) usually takes the indicative in Brazil. It expresses a personal belief as a fact. Only use the subjunctive when the 'vibe' is uncertain. If you can bet money on it, use the indicative. If it is just a dream, go subjunctive.

Many people forget to swap the vowels. They say que eu falo instead of que eu fale. This sounds like 'I hope that I speak' but in a broken way. Another mistake is forgetting the que. The bridge is essential for the sentence to hold. Also, watch out for irregulars. Verbs like ser, ir, and ter have their own rules. Ser becomes seja. Ir becomes vá. Ter becomes tenha. These are high-frequency words. Even native speakers might slip up on complex ones. Do not be afraid of making mistakes. It is just a grammar traffic light. Sometimes you hit a red light, but you keep going.

Compare Acho que ele vem with Duvido que ele venha. The first one is a belief. The second one is a doubt. See the difference? The ending changes from -em to -a. Another contrast is with the infinitive. You use the infinitive when there is only one subject. Quero viajar (I want to travel). You use the subjunctive when there are two subjects. Quero que você viaje (I want you to travel). If you are the only person involved, keep it simple. If someone else enters the picture, bring in the subjunctive.