Mesmo que o juro aumente, evito o endividamento.

Mesmo que means even if.

It introduces a concession: something may happen, but the main action still remains true.

So in:

Mesmo que o juro aumente, evito o endividamento.

the idea is:

• Even if interest goes up
• I avoid getting into debt / indebtedness anyway

A useful comparison:

• se = if
• mesmo que = even if

So mesmo que is stronger than just se.

Because mesmo que normally requires the subjunctive.

Here:

• aumenta = present indicative
• aumente = present subjunctive

Portuguese uses the subjunctive after expressions like mesmo que because the action is seen as:

• possible
• hypothetical
• uncertain
• not presented as a fact

So:

• Mesmo que o juro aumenta... ❌
• Mesmo que o juro aumente... ✅

This is a very common pattern:

• Mesmo que seja difícil... = Even if it is difficult...
• Mesmo que chova... = Even if it rains...
• Mesmo que ele venha... = Even if he comes...

Because evito is the main clause, and the speaker is presenting it as a real fact or regular action.

Structure:

• Mesmo que o juro aumente = subordinate clause with subjunctive
• evito o endividamento = main clause in the indicative

So the sentence means that the possible rise in interest is uncertain or hypothetical, but avoiding debt is the speaker’s actual stance or habit.

Here, juro refers to interest in the financial sense.

In European Portuguese, you may see:

• juro = interest rate / interest
• juros = interest charges / interest payments / interest in general
• taxa de juro = interest rate

So depending on context, English may translate it as:

• interest
• the interest rate

In this sentence, o juro aumente most naturally suggests interest rates increasing or the rate of interest going up.

Both forms exist, but they are not always used in exactly the same way.

Very roughly:

• o juro often refers to the interest rate or the concept of interest in a more abstract/technical way
• os juros often refers to interest charges/payments, or interest in a broader everyday financial sense

So:

• o juro aumente = the interest rate increases
• os juros aumentem = interest charges/rates increase

In real life, many speakers also use os juros very often, and in some contexts it may sound more natural. But o juro is perfectly valid, especially in more economic or formal wording.

Not exactly.

• dívida = debt
• endividamento = indebtedness, the state/process of getting into debt

So endividamento sounds a bit more abstract or formal than dívida.

Compare:

• Tenho dívidas. = I have debts.
• Evito o endividamento. = I avoid indebtedness / I avoid getting into debt.

In everyday speech, people might often say something simpler, like:

• Evito dívidas.
• Evito endividar-me.

But evito o endividamento is grammatical and quite natural in a formal or financial context.

Portuguese often uses the definite article where English would not.

So:

• evito o endividamento literally looks like I avoid the indebtedness but naturally means
• I avoid indebtedness
• I avoid getting into debt

This is normal in Portuguese, especially with abstract nouns.

Other examples:

• Gosto da música. = I like music.
• Tem medo do fracasso. = He is afraid of failure.
• Evita o conflito. = She avoids conflict.

So the article here is not strange in Portuguese.

Usually, mesmo que is the better choice here.

For even if, Portuguese normally uses:

• mesmo que + subjunctive

So:

• Mesmo que o juro aumente... ✅

Using mesmo se is much less standard in this kind of sentence and is generally not the safest option for a learner.

If you want to express a plain condition, you can use se:

• Se o juro aumentar, evito o endividamento. = If interest rises, I avoid indebtedness.

But mesmo que adds the meaning of even if that happens, the result is still the same.

Because the sentence begins with a subordinate clause:

• Mesmo que o juro aumente, = introductory concessive clause
• evito o endividamento. = main clause

In Portuguese, it is normal to separate this kind of opening clause with a comma.

If you reverse the order, you can also write:

• Evito o endividamento, mesmo que o juro aumente.

That is also correct.

Yes. The two most natural orders are:

• Mesmo que o juro aumente, evito o endividamento.
• Evito o endividamento, mesmo que o juro aumente.

The meaning stays basically the same.

The first version puts more emphasis on the possible rise in interest first. The second starts with the speaker’s main position: avoiding debt.

It is natural, but it sounds a bit formal or economic/financial.

That is mainly because of:

• o juro
• o endividamento

In a more everyday style, a Portuguese speaker might also say something like:

• Mesmo que os juros subam, evito endividar-me.
• Mesmo que os juros aumentem, evito contrair dívidas.
• Mesmo que os juros subam, evito meter-me em dívidas. (more informal)

So your original sentence is good, but it belongs more to a careful, formal register.

Yes. Both are possible.

• aumentar = to increase
• subir = to go up / rise

So these are both natural:

• Mesmo que o juro aumente...
• Mesmo que os juros subam...

In financial contexts, subir is very common when talking about prices, rates, and costs going up.

So a learner will often hear:

• Os juros subiram.
• As taxas de juro subiram.

Your sentence with aumente is absolutely correct; subam would just be another very common way to say it.

For practical learner purposes, yes: treat mesmo que as a trigger for the subjunctive.

Examples:

• Mesmo que ele tenha razão...
• Mesmo que seja tarde...
• Mesmo que venham amanhã...

That is the reliable pattern to remember.

So if you see mesmo que, you should strongly expect a subjunctive verb afterwards.