Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Eu e os meus amigos viajaremos em breve, mas mudaremos o destino se o tempo estiver mau. - My friends and I will travel soon, but we will change the destination if the weather is bad.

The main clauses use the future indicative—viajaremos (we will travel) and mudaremos (we will change)—to indicate planned future actions. The conditional clause begins with se (if) and uses the present subjunctive estiver to express uncertainty about the weather, which is a common construction in Portuguese.

Why is the verb in the conditional clause “estiver” in the subjunctive mood rather than the indicative?

In Portuguese, clauses introduced by se (if) that express an uncertain or hypothetical condition use the subjunctive mood. The present subjunctive estiver reflects that the weather condition (being bad) is not a certainty but a possibility upon which the decision to change the destination depends.

What does mau mean in this sentence, and why is it used instead of ruim?

Here, mau means bad and is the correct adjective form opposing bom (good). In European Portuguese, mau is often used in more formal or traditional contexts. Although ruim is also common (especially in more informal Brazilian Portuguese) to mean bad, the sentence opts for mau to directly contrast with bom and adhere to the standard usage.

Why does the sentence use “Eu e os meus amigos” instead of simply using “Nós”?

Using Eu e os meus amigos explicitly names the speaker along with their friends, adding emphasis and clarity regarding who is involved in the planned actions. While nós (we) is grammatically correct, the explicit form serves to highlight the composition of the group and can lend a personal touch to the sentence.

How are the future tense forms viajaremos and mudaremos constructed?

Both verbs are in the simple future tense (futuro do presente). They are formed by taking the whole infinitive form (viajar, mudar) and adding the first person plural future ending (-emos), resulting in viajaremos and mudaremos. This structure indicates that the actions will occur in the future.

What overall meaning does this sentence convey?

The sentence means: “My friends and I will travel soon, but we will change our destination if the weather is bad.” It expresses a plan to travel in the near future with a contingency that the destination may change if faced with unfavorable weather conditions.

Is it acceptable to change the order of the subjects, for example using “Os meus amigos e eu” instead of “Eu e os meus amigos”?

Yes, it is acceptable. In Portuguese, many speakers prefer to mention others before themselves for politeness. Both Eu e os meus amigos and Os meus amigos e eu are grammatically correct; the latter is often considered more conventional in formal writing.