contanto que + Subjunctive

Contanto Que (Provided That)

Level 5

Use contanto que to set a specific condition or 'deal' that must be met for something else to happen. It is the Portuguese equivalent of 'provided that' or 'on the condition that'.

How It Works

1. Meaning and Usage
Contanto que is a conjunctional phrase used to express a necessary condition. It is more restrictive than se (if). Use it when establishing specific terms or agreements. In written Portuguese, a comma is optional when the clause follows the main clause. However, the contanto que clause can also start the sentence (e.g., Contanto que não chova, sairemos.), in which case it must be followed by a comma.

2. The Subjunctive Requirement
This pattern is a strong trigger for the subjunctive. A critical rule to remember is that contanto que belongs to a specific family of conditional conjunctions (along with caso) that trigger the subjunctive to refer to possibilities. This contrasts directly with se, which triggers the Future Subjunctive for future conditions. Important: Never use the Future Subjunctive with contanto que.

  • Present Subjunctive: Used for present or future conditions. (e.g., Eu vou, contanto que ele esteja lá.)
  • Imperfect Subjunctive: Used for hypothetical or past conditions. (e.g., Eu iria, contanto que ele estivesse lá.)
  • Pluperfect Subjunctive: Used for past counterfactual conditions. (e.g., Eu teria ido, contanto que ele tivesse estado lá.)

3. Precision vs. Ambiguity
While desde que is a common synonym, it can be ambiguous because it also means "since" (time). To resolve this ambiguity, remember that desde que + indicative means "since" (time), whereas desde que + subjunctive means "provided that" (condition). Contanto que is more precise because it exclusively indicates a condition. Contanto que belongs to a standard, slightly elevated register in both European and Brazilian Portuguese. In highly informal everyday speech, speakers often prefer se or desde que.

4. Spelling Pitfall: Contanto vs. Com tanto
Be careful not to confuse the single word contanto (provided) with the two-word phrase com tanto (with so much). For example, contanto que means 'provided that', whereas com tanto dinheiro means 'with so much money'. A key difference is that contanto is an invariable conjunction, while com tanto must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies (e.g., com tanta paciência, com tantos problemas). If you can change it to tanta/tantos/tantas, it is two words.

Examples (4)

  1. Você pode ir à festa, contanto que volte cedo.

    You can go to the party, provided that you come back early.

    Word by Word: You can go to the party, provided that (you) return early.

    Here, the permission to go to the party is strictly tied to the condition of returning early. 'Volte' is in the present subjunctive.

  2. Eu aceito o emprego, contanto que o salário seja justo.

    I accept the job, as long as the salary is fair.

    Word by Word: I accept the job, provided that the salary be fair.

    The condition uses 'seja', the subjunctive of ser, because the fairness of the salary is the requirement for accepting.

  3. Nós compraríamos a casa, contanto que eles fizessem um desconto.

    We would buy the house, provided that they gave a discount.

    Word by Word: We would buy the house, provided that they made a discount.

    Since the main verb 'compraríamos' is in the conditional, the condition uses the imperfect subjunctive (fizessem).

  4. Pode levar o meu carro, contanto que tenha cuidado.

    You can take my car, as long as you are careful.

    Word by Word: Can take the my car, provided that (you) have care.

    Uses the present subjunctive of ter to set the condition for borrowing the car.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Indicative mood instead of the Subjunctive.

    Vou com você contanto que você *vai* devagar.
    Vou com você contanto que você vá devagar.

    After 'contanto que', you must use the subjunctive (vá) because the condition is a requirement, not a guaranteed fact.

  • Confusing 'contanto que' with 'conquanto'.

    *Contanto que* estivesse chovendo, ele saiu.
    Conquanto estivesse chovendo, ele saiu.

    'Conquanto' means 'although' (concessive), while 'contanto que' means 'provided that' (conditional). They sound similar but have opposite logical functions.

  • Using the Future Subjunctive instead of the Present Subjunctive.

    Eu faço o jantar contanto que você *vier* cedo.
    Eu faço o jantar contanto que você venha cedo.

    Unlike the word 'se', 'contanto que' triggers the Present Subjunctive (venha) even when referring to future conditions.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

contanto que + SubjunctiveLevel 5Contanto Que (Provided That)

Learn This First

To use 'contanto que' (provided that), you must first be comfortable with the Present Subjunctive conjugation, as this conjunction always triggers that mood to express a condition. Additionally, understanding how conjunctions link clauses and how subordinating words affect sentence structure is vital.

Words in This Pattern

contanto quecontanto