tiver/fizer/puder/quiser/souber/disser/vier
Futuro Do Subjuntivo Irregular Comum
The Future Subjunctive is used to talk about things that might happen in the future. It is the 'contingency' tense, often triggered by words like se (if) or quando (when).
How It Works
The Future Subjunctive is a hallmark of the Portuguese language. While other Romance languages have largely abandoned it, Portuguese uses it daily to express future possibilities.
1. Formation:
To form these irregulars, look at the 3rd person plural of the Pretérito Perfeito (the past tense). For example, for ter (to have), the past is tiveram. Remove the -am to get the stem tiver-. Then add:
- Eu: (no ending) -> tiver
- Tu: -es -> tiveres
- Ele/Ela/Você: (no ending) -> tiver
- Nós: -mos -> tivermos
- Eles/Elas/Vocês: -em -> tiverem
2. Common Irregular Stems:
- Ter (tiveram) -> tiver
- Fazer (fizeram) -> fizer
- Poder (puderam) -> puder
- Querer (quiseram) -> quiser
- Saber (souberam) -> souber
- Dizer (disseram) -> disser
- Vir (vieram) -> vier
- Ser/Ir (foram) -> for
3. Usage:
It is almost always used in subordinate clauses. It implies that the main action depends on this future condition being met. Common triggers include:
- Se (If): Se eu tiver tempo...
- Quando (When): Quando você quiser...
- Assim que (As soon as): Assim que eles souberem...
4. Note on the Personal Infinitive:
Learners often confuse this tense with the Personal Infinitive. While regular verbs look identical in both forms, these irregular verbs use a distinct stem based on the past tense (e.g., tiver) rather than the infinitive (e.g., ter).
Examples (5)
- Se você quiser, podemos ir ao cinema amanhã.
If you want, we can go to the cinema tomorrow.
Word by Word: If you want (subj.), we can go to the cinema tomorrow.
Uses 'quiser' (from querer) because the action of going to the cinema is contingent on the person wanting to go.
- Quando eu tiver dinheiro, comprarei um carro novo.
When I have money, I will buy a new car.
Word by Word: When I have (subj.) money, I will buy a car new.
Uses 'tiver' (from ter) because having the money is a future condition that hasn't happened yet.
- Avisem-me assim que eles vierem.
Let me know as soon as they come.
Word by Word: Warn-me as soon as they come (subj.).
Uses 'vierem' (from vir) to indicate a future event that is expected but hasn't occurred.
- Faça o que você puder para ajudar.
Do whatever you can to help.
Word by Word: Do the what you can (subj.) for to help.
Uses 'puder' (from poder) in a relative clause referring to an indefinite future potential.
- Se eles disserem a verdade, tudo ficará bem.
If they tell the truth, everything will be fine.
Word by Word: If they say (subj.) the truth, everything will stay well.
Uses 'disserem' (from dizer) to set a condition for the future outcome.
Common Mistakes
Using the infinitive stem instead of the preterite stem for irregular verbs.
Se eu fazer o trabalho, você me ajuda?Se eu fizer o trabalho, você me ajuda?Learners often try to use 'fazer' (the infinitive) because regular verbs look like the infinitive in this tense. However, irregulars must use the past stem (fizer-).
Confusing 'ver' (to see) with 'vir' (to come).
Quando eu te ver, eu te dou o livro.Quando eu te vir, eu te dou o livro.This is the most famous trap. The future subjunctive of 'ver' is 'vir', and the future subjunctive of 'vir' is 'vier'. Using 'ver' here is common in slang but grammatically incorrect.
Using the Present Subjunctive after 'se' for future conditions.
Se eu tenha tempo, eu vou.Se eu tiver tempo, eu vou.In Spanish, the present subjunctive is often used here, but in Portuguese, 'se' (if) specifically requires the Future Subjunctive for future possibilities.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To learn the irregular future subjunctive, you must first understand how the regular future subjunctive is formed. Crucially, these irregular forms are derived from the same stem as the Pretérito Perfeito (specifically the third-person plural form) and the Imperfeito do Subjuntivo, so familiarity with those irregular stems is required.
- -r/-res/-r/-rmos/-rdes/-remFuturo Do Subjuntivo Regular
Understanding the regular future subjunctive endings is essential for applying them to irregular stems.
Level 4 - tivesse/fizesse/pudesse/quisesse/soubesse/dissesseImperfeito Do Subjuntivo Irregular Comum
These irregular verbs share the same stem in the imperfect subjunctive and the future subjunctive, both derived from the preterite third-person plural.
Level 4 - tive/tiveste/teve/tivemos/tiveramPretérito Perfeito De Ter
The future subjunctive of these irregular verbs is built directly from the 'third-person plural' stem of the Pretérito Perfeito (e.g., 'tiveram' -> 'tiver-').
Level 2
Related Patterns
- se + Future SubjunctiveCondição Real Futura (Se)
This is the most common sentence structure where these irregular forms appear.
Level 4 - quando + Future SubjunctiveQuando (Futuro Do Subjuntivo)
Another primary trigger for the future subjunctive when referring to uncertain future timing.
Level 4 - for/fores/for/formos/foremFuturo Do Subjuntivo De Ser/Ir
These are the future subjunctive forms of 'ser' and 'ir', which are also highly irregular and used frequently.
Level 4 - Personal Infinitive
The Personal Infinitive looks identical to the Future Subjunctive for regular verbs, but they differ significantly for these irregular verbs.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
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