-e/-es/-e/-emos/-eis/-em

Presente Do Subjuntivo -AR

Level 3

The Presente do Subjuntivo is the 'subjective' mood. For regular -AR verbs, you swap the usual -a endings for -e endings to show that an action is a wish, a doubt, or a possibility rather than a hard fact.

How It Works

The Present Subjunctive for -AR verbs is essential for natural conversation. It is almost always triggered by a main clause expressing a non-fact.

1. Conjugation Pattern:
A helpful memory aid is the 'vowel flip': while -AR verbs usually use 'a' in the indicative, they flip to 'e' in the subjunctive. To conjugate, take the stem from the eu form of the Present Indicative and add:

  • Eu: -e
  • Tu: -es
  • Você/Ele/Ela: -e
  • Nós: -emos
  • Vós: -eis (Literary/Regional)
  • Vocês/Eles/Elas: -em

2. The 'Different Subjects' Rule:
The subjunctive is typically used when there are two different subjects in the sentence. If the subject remains the same, we usually use the infinitive:

  • Eu quero falar. (Same subject: I want to speak)
  • Eu quero que você fale. (Different subjects: I want you to speak)

3. Irregular Exceptions:
Note that dar (dê, dês, dê, demos, deis, deem) and estar (esteja) are irregular and do not follow the standard stem rule.

4. Spelling Changes (Orthographic):
To keep the original sound of the verb, some stems change their spelling before the -e:

  • -car → -qu-: ficar becomes fique.
  • -gar → -gu-: chegar becomes chegue.
  • -çar → -c-: alcançar becomes alcance.
  • -guar → -gu-: averiguar becomes averigue.

5. Common Triggers:
You must use this mood after expressions of wish, doubt, or necessity, as well as certain conjunctions:

Examples (4)

  1. Espero que você goste do presente.

    I hope that you like the gift.

    Word by Word: I-hope that you like (subj.) of-the gift.

    The verb 'esperar' (to hope) triggers the subjunctive 'goste' instead of the indicative 'gosta'.

  2. É necessário que nós estudemos muito.

    It is necessary that we study a lot.

    Word by Word: It-is necessary that we study (subj.) much.

    Impersonal expressions of necessity like 'é necessário que' always require the subjunctive.

  3. Duvido que eles cheguem a tempo.

    I doubt that they will arrive on time.

    Word by Word: I-doubt that they arrive (subj.) at time.

    The verb 'chegar' changes to 'cheguem'. Note the 'gu' to keep the hard 'g' sound.

  4. Talvez ela fale com o chefe hoje.

    Maybe she will speak with the boss today.

    Word by Word: Maybe she speak (subj.) with the boss today.

    'Talvez' (maybe) is a common trigger that doesn't always require the word 'que'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the indicative ending (-a) after a subjunctive trigger.

    Quero que você me ajuda.
    Quero que você me ajude.

    Because 'Quero que' expresses a wish, the verb 'ajudar' must switch from the indicative 'ajuda' to the subjunctive 'ajude'.

  • Forgetting the spelling change for verbs ending in -car, -gar, or -çar.

    Espero que ele fice aqui.
    Espero que ele fique aqui.

    While the pronunciation is the same, writing 'fice' would be incorrect; 'ficar' requires 'qu' to maintain the 'k' sound.

How It Connects

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-e/-es/-e/-emos/-eis/-emLevel 3Presente Do Subjuntivo -AR

Learn This First

To learn the present subjunctive for -AR verbs, you first need to be comfortable with regular present tense conjugations. The subjunctive for -AR verbs is unique because it uses the 'e' vowel endings typically associated with -ER verbs in the indicative mood. Understanding this 'vowel swap' is the key to learning the formation.

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Words in This Pattern

-emos-es