Breakdown of Se eu estudar, eu vou passar no exame.
eu
I
ir
to go
estudar
to study
em
in
o exame
the exam
se
if
passar
to pass
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Questions & Answers about Se eu estudar, eu vou passar no exame.
What does se mean in this sentence?
Se is a conditional conjunction that translates to if. It introduces a condition in the sentence, much like in English.
Why is the verb estudar used instead of what might be expected as estude?
In conditional clauses referring to a future event, European Portuguese uses the future subjunctive. For the verb estudar, the future subjunctive form for the first person singular is estudar. Although the present subjunctive form would be estude, the future subjunctive is used here to denote a condition that may occur in the future.
What does the phrase vou passar mean and how is it formed?
Vou passar is a periphrastic future construction in Portuguese. Vou is the first person singular present of the verb ir (to go), and it is combined with the infinitive passar (to pass) to express a future action. This construction is equivalent to saying I will pass in English.
Why is the preposition no used before exame?
In Portuguese, when using the verb passar in the context of successfully completing an exam, it is common to use the preposition em. When em combines with the masculine singular article o, it becomes no. Thus, no exame translates to in the exam (or simply, on the exam in the sense of what one must pass).
Why is the subject eu repeated in both clauses of the sentence?
While subject pronouns are often omitted in Portuguese because the verb endings already indicate who is performing the action, they can be repeated for clarity or emphasis—especially in sentences that contain more than one clause. In this sentence, repeating eu helps clearly distinguish the condition from the result.
What is the purpose of the comma after Se eu estudar?
The comma separates the conditional clause (Se eu estudar) from the main clause (eu vou passar no exame). This punctuation makes it clear that the first part is a condition and the second part is the consequence, helping the reader understand the structure of the sentence.