O Futuro do Conjuntivo
The future subjunctive — a tense Portuguese preserved while Spanish, Italian, and French lost it. Used after se (if), quando (when), enquanto (as long as), and similar conjunctions when the event is hypothetical or future. One of the most distinctive features of the Portuguese language.
The futuro do conjuntivo is one of the most distinctive features of Portuguese. It is a future subjunctive — a tense Portuguese preserved while Spanish, Italian, and French gradually lost it.
Used after specific conjunctions when the future event is hypothetical, conditional, or undetermined, this tense has no direct equivalent in modern Romance languages. Spanish technically still has it (si hablare) but it’s extinct in spoken Spanish. In Portuguese, it’s alive and used in every paragraph.
If you know Spanish, this is one of the largest grammatical surprises of Portuguese. If you don’t, it’s one of the most rewarding features to learn — once you have it, you sound genuinely Portuguese-fluent.
When to use the futuro do conjuntivo
The futuro do conjuntivo is triggered by specific conjunctions when the event is in the future and uncertain.
The main triggers:
| Conjunction | Meaning |
|---|---|
| se | if (in future hypothetical) |
| quando | when (future) |
| logo que | as soon as |
| assim que | as soon as |
| enquanto | as long as / while |
| sempre que | whenever |
| conforme | depending on / as |
| onde | wherever (future) |
| como | however (future) |
After all these, when the event is in the future or hypothetical, Portuguese uses the futuro do conjuntivo.
Examples
Se chover, ficarei em casa. — If it rains, I’ll stay home. Quando chegares, vamos jantar. — When you arrive, we’ll have dinner. Logo que tiver tempo, ligo-te. — As soon as I have time, I’ll call you. Enquanto puder, ajudarei. — As long as I can, I will help.
Compare to English: where English uses present simple after if and when, Portuguese uses the futuro do conjuntivo. This is the central insight.
Forms — regular verbs
The futuro do conjuntivo is built from the third-person plural of the pretérito perfeito. Take eles falaram, drop the -am, and add the endings.
| falar | comer | partir | |
|---|---|---|---|
| eu | falar | comer | partir |
| tu | falares | comeres | partires |
| ele/ela | falar | comer | partir |
| nós | falarmos | comermos | partirmos |
| vós | falardes | comerdes | partirdes |
| eles | falarem | comerem | partirem |
For regular verbs, the eu and ele forms are identical to the infinitive. This is one of the easiest aspects of the conjugation: eu falar, ele falar = the infinitive form.
The endings: -, -es, -, -mos, -des, -em.
Irregular verbs
Because the futuro do conjuntivo is built from the pretérito perfeito stem, irregular pretéritos produce irregular futuro do conjuntivo forms.
ser and ir (both have pretérito foram)
| ser / ir | |
|---|---|
| eu | for |
| tu | fores |
| ele | for |
| nós | formos |
| eles | forem |
ter (pretérito tiveram)
| ter | |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver |
| tu | tiveres |
| ele | tiver |
| nós | tivermos |
| eles | tiverem |
estar (pretérito estiveram)
| estar | |
|---|---|
| eu | estiver |
| tu | estiveres |
| ele | estiver |
| nós | estivermos |
| eles | estiverem |
fazer (pretérito fizeram)
| fazer | |
|---|---|
| eu | fizer |
| tu | fizeres |
| ele | fizer |
| nós | fizermos |
| eles | fizerem |
dizer (pretérito disseram)
| dizer | |
|---|---|
| eu | disser |
| tu | disseres |
| ele | disser |
| nós | dissermos |
| eles | disserem |
vir (pretérito vieram)
| vir | |
|---|---|
| eu | vier |
| tu | vieres |
| ele | vier |
| nós | viermos |
| eles | vierem |
ver (pretérito viram)
| ver | |
|---|---|
| eu | vir |
| tu | vires |
| ele | vir |
| nós | virmos |
| eles | virem |
Note: vir (to come) and ver (to see) produce different futuro do conjuntivo. Vir → vier; ver → vir. Confusingly, vir (to come) in the third-person plural pretérito is vieram, and ver (to see) is viram. Be careful.
What you don’t need to do (in the main clause)
The futuro do conjuntivo appears ONLY in the subordinate clause (after se, quando, logo que, etc.). The main clause uses the futuro simples, the present, or the imperative — never another futuro do conjuntivo.
| Subordinate (futuro do conjuntivo) | Main (futuro / present / imperative) |
|---|---|
| Se chover, | ficarei em casa. (futuro simples) |
| Quando chegares, | telefona-me. (imperativo) |
| Logo que puder, | venho. (presente) |
Distinguishing futuro do conjuntivo from infinitive (regular verbs)
For regular verbs, eu falar and falar (infinitive) look identical. How do you tell them apart?
Context. The futuro do conjuntivo always follows a triggering conjunction (se, quando, logo que…); the infinitive doesn’t.
Quero falar com ela. — I want to speak with her. (infinitive) Quando eu falar com ela… — When I speak with her… (futuro do conjuntivo)
The form is the same; the function differs.
The tu and eles forms (falares, falarem) are unique to the futuro do conjuntivo and can’t be confused with the infinitive.
Comparison with Spanish
Spanish has a futuro de subjuntivo but it’s extinct in modern speech. Where Portuguese says:
Quando chegares, ligas-me. — When you arrive, call me.
Spanish says:
Cuando llegues, me llamas. (present subjunctive — not future subjunctive)
This is one of the most consistent differences between the two languages. Portuguese preserves the future subjunctive where Spanish replaced it with the present subjunctive.
What you don’t need to do
You don’t need to use the futuro do conjuntivo after just any conjunction. Only after the specific list (se, quando, logo que, etc.) and only when the event is future/hypothetical.
You don’t need to use the present subjunctive where the futuro do conjuntivo applies. Se chova is wrong; se chover is correct.
You don’t need to make special forms — the futuro do conjuntivo is built from the pretérito perfeito.
Common confusions
- Triggers are specific. Only se, quando, logo que, assim que, enquanto, sempre que, conforme, onde, como take the futuro do conjuntivo in the future-hypothetical sense.
- Eu falar = infinitive AND futuro do conjuntivo. Context tells you which.
- Vir (come) → vier; Ver (see) → vir. Don’t confuse the two.
- Don’t use present subjunctive where futuro do conjuntivo applies. Se chover, not se chova.
Where you’ll meet it in the library
The futuro do conjuntivo is in every Portuguese conditional or future-hypothetical clause:
- Dom Quixote (A2+) — Quixote’s chivalric promises always involve quando encontrar gigantes, se Dulcinea precisar. The future subjunctive is essential to his vows.
- O Estrangeiro (B1+) — Camus’s protagonist accepts his future passively through repeated quando, se clauses.
- O Conde de Monte Cristo (B2+) — Dantès’s revenge plan is built on futuro do conjuntivo clauses: quando me libertar, se conseguir, enquanto viver. The whole novel is a chain of hypothetical futures.
For canonical Portuguese-original literature, Saramago and Eça de Queirós use the futuro do conjuntivo on every page. The tense is one of the markers of literary Portuguese.
Where you'll see this in books.
Quando eu encontrar gigantes, lutarei contra eles. Se Dulcinea precisar de mim, irei. Enquanto tiver forças, defenderei a justiça. Conforme for necessário, agirei.
Se chover amanhã, ficarei em casa. Quando o juiz me condenar, aceitarei o veredito. Logo que tudo acabar, descansarei. Se for necessário falar, falarei.
Quando me libertar desta prisão, voltarei para a minha vingança. Se conseguir provar a minha inocência, recuperarei a minha honra. Enquanto viver, lembrar-me-ei dos meus inimigos. Quando os encontrar, será o seu fim.