Breakdown of Se não confiares nas pessoas certas, podes ter problemas a longo prazo.
ter
to have
em
in
poder
to be able to
não
not
se
if
a pessoa
the person
certo
right
confiar
to trust
o problema
the problem
a longo prazo
long-term
Questions & Answers about Se não confiares nas pessoas certas, podes ter problemas a longo prazo.
Why is the verb confiares used instead of the simple present form confias?
In European Portuguese, conditional clauses referring to possible future situations use the future subjunctive. Confiares is the second person singular future subjunctive form of confiar, which is required here after se to express that if you fail to trust the right people in the future, then the consequence outlined in the main clause may occur.
What role does se play at the beginning of the sentence?
Se means if and is used to introduce a conditional clause. It sets up a condition—namely, not trusting the right people—which, if met, leads to the result expressed in the second part of the sentence.
Why is the subject tu not explicitly mentioned in the sentence?
Portuguese often omits subject pronouns because the verb conjugation already indicates who is being addressed. Here, both confiares and podes are in the second person singular form, so it's clear that the sentence is directed at you (informal singular), making the explicit use of tu unnecessary.
How is the contraction nas formed, and what does it mean in this context?
Nas is a contraction of the preposition em and the definite article as. In the phrase nas pessoas certas, it translates to in the right people. Such contractions are common in Portuguese when a preposition is immediately followed by an article.
What does the expression a longo prazo mean within this sentence?
A longo prazo translates to in the long term or in the long run. It implies that the problems mentioned might not be immediate but could develop or become more significant over time, emphasizing the long-lasting consequences of not trusting the right people.
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