One of the most characteristic patterns of European Portuguese is the combination of an impersonal main clause (é importante, é melhor, convém, é preciso) with a personal infinitive in the complement (estudarmos, saíres, fazerem). This is a native construction that Spanish, Italian, and French simply do not have, because they lack the personal infinitive altogether. Where Spanish says es importante que estudiemos, Portuguese has an extra option: é importante estudarmos.
This page walks through exactly when and how to use the personal infinitive after impersonal expressions, including the complete list of triggers, the contrast with que + conjuntivo, and the subtle shifts of register and emphasis that the two constructions carry.
The core pattern
É + [adjective or noun] + [personal infinitive]
The impersonal main clause (é importante, é necessário, é melhor) evaluates a situation. Instead of taking que + conjuntivo, the complement is expressed as a personal infinitive — an infinitive conjugated for the person of the implicit subject.
É importante estudarmos para o teste.
It's important for us to study for the test.
É melhor saíres cedo hoje.
It's better for you to leave early today.
É preciso eles perceberem o problema.
It's necessary that they understand the problem.
In each example, the personal infinitive (estudarmos, saíres, perceberem) carries the subject marking: -mos for nós, -es for tu, -em for eles. The impersonal main clause stays completely neutral about who is doing what; the subject is encoded in the infinitive itself.
The complete list of everyday triggers
These are the impersonal expressions that routinely accept a personal infinitive complement in European Portuguese. All of them also accept que + conjuntivo — the two constructions compete and coexist.
| Impersonal expression | With personal infinitive | With que + subjunctive |
|---|---|---|
| é importante | É importante falarmos. | É importante que falemos. |
| é necessário | É necessário saíres. | É necessário que saias. |
| é preciso | É preciso pensares bem. | É preciso que penses bem. |
| é possível | É possível ele vir amanhã. | É possível que ele venha amanhã. |
| é melhor | É melhor irmos agora. | É melhor que vamos agora. |
| é pior | É pior esperarmos. | É pior que esperemos. |
| é bom | É bom sabermos isto. | É bom que saibamos isto. |
| é mau | É mau ficarmos assim. | É mau que fiquemos assim. |
| é fácil | É fácil enganares-te. | É fácil que te enganes. |
| é difícil | É difícil ele aceitar. | É difícil que ele aceite. |
| é pena | É pena não virem. | É pena que não venham. |
| é tempo de | É tempo de acabarmos. | (não comum) |
| é natural | É natural estares cansado. | É natural que estejas cansado. |
| é lógico | É lógico pensares assim. | É lógico que penses assim. |
| é normal | É normal errarem de vez em quando. | É normal que errem de vez em quando. |
| é urgente | É urgente tomarmos uma decisão. | É urgente que tomemos uma decisão. |
| é estranho | É estranho ele não ter ligado. | É estranho que ele não tenha ligado. |
Notice that é tempo de (which already contains the preposition de) only pairs with the personal infinitive in modern EP — the que + conjuntivo version (é tempo que...) feels archaic.
Semi-impersonal triggers: basta, convém, importa, cabe
A second set of verbs behaves like impersonal expressions even though they don't use the é + adjective structure. These are defective or semi-impersonal verbs that take a clause complement and often appear with the personal infinitive.
Basta
Basta means "it's enough" or "all it takes." It is one of the most productive personal-infinitive triggers in EP.
Basta dizeres a palavra e eu vou contigo.
All you have to do is say the word and I'll go with you.
Basta tocarem à campainha que eu abro.
They just have to ring the bell and I'll open.
Basta lermos a introdução para perceber o tema.
Reading the introduction is enough to understand the topic.
The que + conjuntivo version (basta que digas) also exists and is grammatical, but the personal infinitive is the far more common choice in both speech and writing.
Convém
Convém means "it's advisable" or "it would be a good idea." It carries a gentle, advisory tone.
Convém avisares o teu pai antes de saíres.
You should let your dad know before you go out.
Convém chegarmos à hora combinada.
We should arrive at the agreed time.
Convém lavares bem as mãos depois de mexer nisso.
You should wash your hands well after touching that.
Again, convém que + subjunctive is fully grammatical. In practice, the personal infinitive sounds lighter and more native in everyday conversation.
Importa
Importa means "it matters" or "it's relevant" and appears in more formal registers, especially journalism and academic writing.
Importa salientarmos que os dados são preliminares.
It's important that we emphasize that the data are preliminary. (academic register)
Importa não esquecermos o contexto histórico.
We should not forget the historical context.
Cabe
Cabe means "it's up to" or "it falls to." Often appears in formal or bureaucratic contexts.
Cabe a nós decidirmos o próximo passo.
It's up to us to decide the next step.
Cabe aos pais darem o exemplo.
It's up to the parents to set the example.
The structure here is cabe a + [indirect object] + [personal infinitive] — the indirect object names the person responsible and the personal infinitive carries the action.
When to pick the infinitive, when to pick the subjunctive
Both constructions are grammatical after impersonal expressions, but they carry different flavors. Here is what EP speakers feel when they choose between them.
Use the personal infinitive when:
- You want a lighter, more conversational tone.
- The emphasis is on the action rather than on the evaluation.
- You are speaking (not writing).
- The sentence is short and the structure should flow quickly.
É melhor irmos já.
We'd better go now.
This is the standard spoken form. Short, fast, clear. The focus is on going, not on the evaluative frame.
Use que + conjuntivo when:
- You want to emphasize the evaluation — the fact that something is important, strange, necessary.
- You are writing, especially in formal, journalistic, or academic registers.
- The sentence is long and the full clause structure helps clarity.
- The evaluation carries emotional weight (é pena, é estranho, é lamentável).
É fundamental que todos os cidadãos estejam informados sobre os seus direitos.
It's essential that all citizens be informed about their rights. (formal / journalistic)
Here, the full que + conjuntivo structure matches the formal register. An infinitive version (é fundamental todos os cidadãos estarem informados) is grammatical but feels slightly off-register for this kind of public-interest statement.
Emphasis on action vs emphasis on agent
A subtler distinction: the personal infinitive tends to foreground the agent (who is doing it), while que + conjuntivo can put slightly more weight on the evaluation itself.
É importante falarmos com ele.
It's important for us to talk to him. (focus: we are the ones talking)
É importante que falemos com ele.
It's important that we talk to him. (focus: the importance of the talking)
The difference is subtle and native speakers will not always be consistent, but in careful prose the infinitive tends to put the subject up front (by marking person in the verb ending) while the subjunctive version keeps the evaluation structure more visible.
When the subject is unstated — use the impersonal infinitive
A critical distinction: if the impersonal expression is making a generic statement (true for anyone, no specific subject in mind), Portuguese uses the plain impersonal infinitive, not the personal form. This is the equivalent of English "it's important to study" (general advice) as opposed to "it's important for us to study" (specific subject).
É importante beber muita água durante o verão.
It's important to drink a lot of water during the summer. (generic — no specific subject)
É preciso ter paciência.
You need to have patience. / One needs patience.
É bom fazer exercício todos os dias.
It's good to exercise every day.
These are general life-advice sentences. The verb (beber, ter, fazer) stays in the bare infinitive because there is no named subject. If you wanted to make the subject specific — say, "it's important for us to drink water" — you would switch to the personal infinitive: é importante bebermos muita água.
This three-way distinction is the heart of the pattern:
| Construction | Example | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Impersonal infinitive | É importante beber água. | Generic, no specific subject |
| Personal infinitive | É importante bebermos água. | Specific subject (nós) |
| Que + subjunctive | É importante que bebamos água. | Specific subject, more emphatic/formal |
A common learner error is using the personal infinitive in generic statements where the impersonal one is wanted. É importante bebermos água with no prior context would be asking listeners "who is this we?" — the generic statement wants beber, not bebermos.
Register by construction: what journalism, academic writing, and speech use
Looking at real EP texts gives a clear picture of how the three options distribute:
Spoken and casual register
Personal infinitive dominates. Speakers prefer lightness over emphasis.
É pena não virem ao jantar.
It's a shame you're not coming to dinner.
Convém não nos esquecermos do guarda-chuva.
We shouldn't forget the umbrella.
Journalistic register
Mixed. Short impersonal expressions (é preciso, é urgente) often take the infinitive; longer, more evaluative ones (é fundamental, é lamentável) lean on que + subjunctive.
É preciso repensarmos o modelo atual de transporte público.
We need to rethink the current model of public transport. (op-ed)
É lamentável que o processo se tenha arrastado por tantos anos.
It's regrettable that the process has dragged on for so many years. (formal report)
Academic register
The subjunctive holds more ground, particularly in humanities writing. But the personal infinitive is also widely used, especially in contexts where the first-person plural agent (nós, the authors) is active.
Importa sublinharmos que os dados apresentados são provisórios.
It's important that we underline that the data presented are provisional. (academic paper)
É necessário que a comunidade científica se pronuncie sobre esta questão.
It's necessary that the scientific community take a position on this question. (editorial)
Word order flexibility
The personal infinitive allows for flexible placement of the subject pronoun. You can say the subject first, last, or leave it implicit.
É importante nós falarmos com ele.
It's important for us to talk to him. (subject explicit, before infinitive)
É importante falarmos nós com ele.
It's important for us to talk to him. (subject after infinitive — slightly emphatic)
É importante falarmos com ele.
It's important that we talk to him. (subject implicit, carried by -mos)
All three are correct. The first is the most neutral; the third is the most economical. Placing the subject pronoun after the infinitive (falarmos nós) adds a slight emphasis — "it's us who should talk to him, not someone else."
The é pena case
É pena deserves a separate note because it is the most emotionally charged of the impersonal expressions and because its usage tilts slightly differently from the others. With é pena, both constructions are common, but the personal infinitive is particularly fluid in speech.
É pena eles não poderem vir.
It's a shame they can't come.
É pena que eles não possam vir.
It's a shame that they can't come.
Que pena não conheceres Lisboa ainda!
What a shame you don't know Lisbon yet!
Note the last example: que pena (a noun + pena construction) behaves like a modified interjection and strongly prefers the personal infinitive. The que pena que + subjunctive version exists but sounds markedly heavier.
Compound infinitives after impersonal expressions
The personal infinitive has a compound form (ter + past participle) that expresses anteriority — an action completed before the time of the main clause. This is used after impersonal expressions just like the simple form.
É uma sorte teres chegado a tempo.
It's lucky you arrived in time.
É estranho ele não ter respondido ainda.
It's strange he hasn't answered yet.
É pena não termos ficado mais tempo.
It's a shame we didn't stay longer.
The alternative with que + conjuntivo uses the present perfect subjunctive: é uma sorte que tenhas chegado, é estranho que ele não tenha respondido. Again, both constructions are grammatical and the choice tracks the register of the rest of the sentence.
Common collocations from real Portuguese
Here are set phrases that pair impersonal expressions with personal infinitives in everyday EP:
É preciso termos paciência com estas coisas.
We need to have patience with these things.
Não vale a pena insistires.
It's not worth you insisting. (não vale a pena = 'it's not worth')
É natural ficares nervoso antes de um exame.
It's natural to get nervous before an exam.
É bom sabermos com quem contamos.
It's good to know who we can count on.
Convém lembrarmo-nos de que nem tudo está resolvido.
We should remember that not everything is settled.
Notice the last example's reflexive pronoun placement: lembrarmo-nos — the first-person plural pronoun nos attaches after the -mos ending, with a linking consonant drop and hyphen. This is the normal reflexive pattern with the personal infinitive in nós forms. It is one of the trickier pronominal patterns in EP.
Common Mistakes
❌ É importante que nós falarmos com ele.
Incorrect — combining que with a personal infinitive is ungrammatical.
✅ É importante que nós falemos com ele.
It's important that we talk to him.
✅ É importante nós falarmos com ele.
It's important for us to talk to him.
You cannot use both que and the personal infinitive in the same complement. Pick one construction and commit.
❌ É importante bebermos água.
Incorrect as a generic statement — wants the bare impersonal infinitive.
✅ É importante beber água.
It's important to drink water. (generic advice)
When there is no named subject and the statement is generic ("anyone should do X"), use the plain impersonal infinitive. The personal form (bebermos) wants a specific nós subject in context.
❌ É melhor que nós irmos agora.
Incorrect — mixing que with a personal infinitive.
✅ É melhor que vamos agora.
It's better that we go now. (subjunctive)
✅ É melhor irmos agora.
We'd better go now. (personal infinitive)
Same as above: do not combine que with the personal infinitive after é melhor.
❌ É pena tu não vieres à festa.
Ambiguous / wrong — 'vieres' is future subjunctive; after é pena the personal infinitive is 'vires' (present) or 'teres vindo' (compound).
✅ É pena não vires à festa.
It's a shame you're not coming to the party. (present, personal infinitive of vir: vires)
✅ É pena não teres vindo à festa.
It's a shame you didn't come to the party. (compound, past reference)
Watch out for the overlap between the personal infinitive and the future subjunctive: for some verbs, they share forms. Vires is the 2sg personal infinitive of vir; vieres is the 2sg future subjunctive. After é pena, you want the infinitive.
❌ Basta que disseres a palavra.
Incorrect tense mixing — basta + que wants present subjunctive, not future subjunctive.
✅ Basta dizeres a palavra.
All you have to do is say the word. (personal infinitive, far more natural)
✅ Basta que digas a palavra.
You just need to say the word. (present subjunctive)
With basta, the personal infinitive version is strongly preferred. The que + present subjunctive version is also correct but less common.
Key takeaways
- Impersonal expressions (é + adj, convém, basta, importa, cabe) allow three complements: plain impersonal infinitive (generic), personal infinitive (specific subject), or que + conjuntivo (specific subject, often heavier).
- The personal infinitive version is lighter and more common in speech. The que + subjunctive version is stronger in writing and formal registers.
- Generic statements (no subject in mind) use the plain impersonal infinitive: é importante beber água.
- Specific subjects can use either the personal infinitive (é importante bebermos água) or que + conjuntivo (é importante que bebamos água).
- Emotional impersonals (é pena, é estranho, é lamentável) lean slightly toward que + conjuntivo. Neutral ones (é importante, é necessário, é preciso) lean slightly toward the personal infinitive.
- Basta, convém, importa, cabe are semi-impersonal verbs that also take personal infinitive complements productively.
- You cannot combine que with the personal infinitive — pick one construction.
- Watch for homographic overlap with the future subjunctive (vires infinitive vs vieres fut subj).
For the full formation rules, see Forming the Personal Infinitive. For the broader decision space, see Personal Infinitive vs Subjunctive.
Related Topics
- Personal Infinitive: OverviewB1 — The infinitivo pessoal — an infinitive that conjugates for person and number — is Portuguese's signature grammatical feature, and one of the things that makes the language feel unlike the rest of Romance.
- Personal Infinitive: FormationB1 — How to build the infinitivo pessoal: take the infinitive and add the personal endings -es, -mos, -em. No stem changes, no irregularities — the only exception is pôr, which keeps its circumflex.
- Personal Infinitive vs SubjunctiveB2 — Choosing between the inflected infinitive and que + conjuntivo — where the two compete, where one is forced, and what native European Portuguese speakers actually say.
- Personal Infinitive After PrepositionsB1 — The most common use of the infinitivo pessoal: after para, sem, antes de, depois de, até, and ao. Full examples of each, plus clitic placement with pronominal verbs.
- Impersonal Expressions (É necessário que, É possível que)B1 — The subjunctive after impersonal É + adjective/noun + que expressions in European Portuguese, with the crucial contrast between judgment and certainty.
- Subjunctive vs InfinitiveB2 — When Portuguese uses an infinitive — impersonal or personal — where other Romance languages force a subjunctive, and how to pick correctly between que + conjuntivo and the infinitive.