Nem que o cupim demore, vamos esperar.

Here nem que is a fixed expression that means something like even if or no matter if.

It introduces a possible obstacle, but the speaker says the main action will still happen:

• Nem que o cupim demore, vamos esperar.
• The idea is: Even if the cupim takes a long time, we’re going to wait.

A very important point: do not translate it word by word as not that or anything similar. In this structure, nem que works together as one conjunction.

They are often close, but nem que usually sounds more emphatic.

• mesmo que = even if
• nem que = even if, but often with a stronger sense of determination, insistence, or resistance to an obstacle

So:

• Mesmo que o cupim demore, vamos esperar.
  This is neutral and fully correct.
• Nem que o cupim demore, vamos esperar.
  This feels a bit stronger, as if the speaker is saying we’ll wait anyway, regardless.

A common pattern in Portuguese is:

• Nem que eu tenha que ir a pé, eu vou.
  = Even if I have to go on foot, I’m going.

Because nem que normally requires the subjunctive.

• demora = present indicative
• demore = present subjunctive

After conjunctions like nem que, Portuguese uses the subjunctive because the situation is seen as hypothetical, uncertain, or only possible.

So:

• o cupim demora = the cupim takes a long time
• nem que o cupim demore = even if the cupim takes a long time

This is one of the most important things to notice in the sentence.

Grammatically, demore is the present subjunctive, but in this kind of sentence it often refers to a future possibility.

So although the form is present, the meaning is closer to:

• even if it ends up taking a long time
• even if it should take a long time

This is very common in Portuguese. After certain conjunctions, the present subjunctive is often used for future or uncertain events.

Both are possible, but vamos esperar is more common in everyday Brazilian Portuguese.

• vamos esperar = we are going to wait / we’ll wait
• esperaremos = we will wait

In Brazilian Portuguese, ir + infinitive is extremely common for future meaning, especially in speech.

So:

• Vamos esperar sounds natural and conversational.
• Esperaremos sounds more formal, more written, or more deliberate.

In this sentence, vamos esperar fits normal spoken Brazilian Portuguese very well.

Because Portuguese often leaves out the subject pronoun when the verb already shows who the subject is.

• vamos clearly means we go / we are going
• so nós is not necessary

This is called a null-subject or pro-drop feature.

So both are possible:

• Vamos esperar.
• Nós vamos esperar.

The version without nós is very normal. Adding nós can give extra emphasis or contrast.

Cupim most commonly means termite in Brazilian Portuguese. In some contexts, it can also refer to a cut of beef, but the intended meaning depends on context.

The o is the masculine singular definite article, meaning the.

So o cupim = the cupim / the termite

Portuguese uses definite articles more often than English does, and with a singular count noun like this, o is completely normal.

Grammatically, o cupim is the subject of demore.

Because Nem que o cupim demore is a subordinate clause placed before the main clause.

Structure:

• Nem que o cupim demore, = subordinate concessive clause
• vamos esperar. = main clause

When that introductory clause comes first, Portuguese normally separates it with a comma.

It helps show the structure clearly:

• Even if X happens, we’ll still do Y.

Yes. Here esperar means simply to wait, and the thing being waited for can be left understood from context.

So vamos esperar can mean:

• we’re going to wait
• we’ll wait

If you want, you can also state the object explicitly:

• Vamos esperar o cupim. = We’re going to wait for the cupim.
• Vamos esperar mais um pouco. = We’re going to wait a little longer.

A useful thing for English speakers: Portuguese often uses esperar where English uses wait for. So you may see both:

• esperar o ônibus
• esperar pelo ônibus

In Brazilian Portuguese, both exist, though the direct form is very common.

No. In this expression, nem que does not make the main sentence negative.

The sentence is still affirmative:

• vamos esperar = we will wait

So nem que is best learned as one unit, not as a separate negative word plus que.

That is why the sentence does not mean something like we won’t wait. It means the opposite: the speaker is saying they will wait, even under that condition.