Breakdown of Quando todos confirmarem presença, a tarefa ficará mais tranquila.
quando
when
ficar
to become
a tarefa
the task
confirmar
to confirm
Questions & Answers about Quando todos confirmarem presença, a tarefa ficará mais tranquila.
Why is confirmarem used instead of the indicative form confirmam?
Because in Portuguese a quando clause referring to a specific future event requires the future subjunctive. Confirmarem is the 3rd-person plural future subjunctive of confirmar. Using confirmam (present indicative) would imply a habitual or general action (“whenever everyone confirms”) rather than a one-time future condition.
Can I say Quando todos confirmam presença, and what’s the nuance?
You can, but it changes the meaning. Quando todos confirmam presença (present indicative) suggests a repeated or habitual situation (“whenever everyone confirms”). To talk about one specific upcoming event, use the future subjunctive confirmarem to signal an action that hasn’t happened yet.
Why isn’t there an article before presença? Could it be confirmar a presença?
In Brazilian Portuguese, confirmar presença (no article) is a fixed expression meaning to RSVP or to confirm attendance. You can add an article (confirmar a presença), but omitting it is more idiomatic and concise.
What exactly does quando function as in this sentence?
Quando is a subordinating conjunction meaning when, introducing a temporal clause. It sets the condition or point in time (“when everyone confirms attendance”) for the action of the main clause.