Lubrifico a corrente com este lubrificante, nem que chegue atrasado.

Portuguese often drops subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• lubrifico = I lubricate / I am lubricating / I'll lubricate depending on context
• The -o ending tells you it is 1st person singular: I

So eu is optional here. You could say Eu lubrifico a corrente..., but it is usually unnecessary unless you want emphasis or contrast.

Lubrifico is the present indicative of lubrificar.

In Portuguese, the present tense can do several jobs:

• habitual: I lubricate the chain
• right now: I’m lubricating the chain
• near future / firm intention: I’ll lubricate the chain

In this sentence, it sounds like a firm decision or statement of intention: the speaker is determined to do it.

Portuguese uses the definite article much more often than English.

So a corrente literally looks like the chain, but in many contexts English would simply say the chain or sometimes just refer to it more loosely. In Portuguese, using the article here is completely normal.

Also, corrente is feminine, so the article is a.

Yes. Corrente can mean different things depending on context, including:

• chain
• current (electric current, water current)
• something current / current-day in some uses

Here, because of lubrifico and lubrificante, it clearly means chain, probably something like a bicycle chain or another mechanical chain.

They come from the same root, but they are different parts of speech:

• lubrifico = I lubricate → a verb
• lubrificante = lubricant → a noun

This kind of word family is very common in Portuguese and often easy for English speakers because of the Latin-based vocabulary.

In European Portuguese, demonstratives usually follow a three-way distinction:

• este / esta / isto = near the speaker
• esse / essa / isso = near the listener, or something already mentioned
• aquele / aquela / aquilo = farther away from both

So este lubrificante means this lubricant, something close to the speaker.

This is one area where European Portuguese keeps a distinction that English often does not express as clearly.

Because com normally does not contract with demonstratives like este in standard written Portuguese.

So:

• com este lubrificante = correct
• not a special merged form here

Portuguese does have many contractions, but they mostly happen with prepositions like:

• de + o = do
• em + a = na
• a + os = aos

With com, you usually just keep the words separate in normal writing.

Nem que is a fixed expression that often means:

• even if
• even if it means
• no matter if

It often adds a feeling of determination despite a negative consequence.

So here, nem que chegue atrasado is not just a neutral condition. It suggests something like:

• even if I end up arriving late
• even if it means arriving late

That gives the sentence a stronger, more stubborn tone.

Because nem que normally triggers the subjunctive when talking about a possible or hypothetical consequence.

So:

• chegue = present subjunctive of chegar
• not chego = present indicative
• not chegar = infinitive

This is very typical after expressions involving uncertainty, hypothesis, concession, or attitude rather than plain factual statement.

Here the speaker is not stating I arrive late as a fact. They are presenting it as a possible consequence: even if I arrive late.

The subject is understood to be the same speaker: eu.

So the full idea is:

• nem que eu chegue atrasado

But Portuguese often leaves eu out because the verb form already makes it clear enough.

So both parts of the sentence share the same implied subject:

• [eu] lubrifico
• nem que [eu] chegue atrasado

Because atrasado agrees with the implied subject.

Here it describes the speaker after chegar:

• chegar atrasado = to arrive late

If the speaker is male, atrasado is correct. If the speaker is female, you would normally say:

• nem que chegue atrasada

So this adjective changes according to the speaker’s gender.

Yes, usually.

Both can be translated as even if, but they are not exactly the same in tone:

• mesmo que = more neutral, standard concessive even if
• nem que = often stronger, more forceful, more like even if it means...

So in this sentence, nem que suggests stronger determination: the speaker will do it despite the possible inconvenience of being late.

The comma separates the main clause from the concessive clause:

• Lubrifico a corrente com este lubrificante
• nem que chegue atrasado

This is standard and helpful in writing because the second part adds a side condition or concession.

In short sentences, punctuation can sometimes vary a little, but here the comma is very natural and standard.

Not necessarily more natural, just slightly different.

• Lubrifico a corrente... can sound firm, direct, immediate, or like a declared intention.
• Vou lubrificar a corrente... clearly points to a near-future action: I’m going to lubricate the chain...

In this sentence, lubrifico works well because it matches the determined tone created by nem que chegue atrasado. It sounds like: I am doing this, no matter what.