Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): O ruído não deve afetar a nossa concentração se fecharmos a porta. - Noise shouldn’t affect our concentration if we close the door.

Não deve afetar translates to “should not affect.” The word deve is a modal verb that expresses expectation or likelihood—it indicates that, under the condition provided, it is expected that the noise will not disturb our concentration.

Why is the verb fecharmos in the subjunctive mood instead of the indicative form?

In Portuguese, conditional clauses introduced by se (if) often require the subjunctive mood when referring to potential or uncertain actions. Fecharmos is the first-person plural present subjunctive form of fechar, and it signals that closing the door is a hypothetical action that, if taken, will likely prevent the noise from affecting our concentration.

What does ruído refer to in this sentence?

Ruído means “noise.” It is the subject of the sentence and represents the element that might cause distraction. The sentence establishes that this particular noise is expected not to interfere with our concentration, provided the door is closed.

How does the phrase a nossa concentração work in terms of possession and meaning?

The phrase a nossa concentração means “our concentration.” The possessive adjective nossa indicates that the concentration belongs collectively to the speaker and at least one other person. This construction mirrors the English “our” and clearly attributes the concentration to a group.

What overall sentence structure is used here, and how do the main and conditional clauses interact?

The sentence is composed of a main clause—O ruído não deve afetar a nossa concentração—and a conditional clause—se fecharmos a porta. The main clause states the expected outcome (that the noise won’t disrupt concentration), while the conditional clause specifies the condition under which that outcome is anticipated (if we close the door). This structure effectively links a potential action to its expected result.