Questions & Answers about Se o gelo derreter, tragam mais.
What tense is the verb form derreter in “Se o gelo derreter…”?
Although it looks like the infinitive, here derreter is the future subjunctive. In Portuguese, conditional clauses introduced by se that refer to possible future events take the future subjunctive form.
Why do we use the future subjunctive after se rather than the present indicative?
The present indicative (e.g. Se o gelo derrete…) expresses a general truth or habitual fact (“If ice melts, drinks get watered down”). But when you talk about a specific potential future situation (“If the ice melts later…”), the rule is to use the future subjunctive.
Why is there a comma between the two clauses?
Whenever a subordinate clause (here the if-clause) comes before the main clause in Portuguese, you separate them with a comma. If you flip the order, the comma can be dropped: “Tragam mais se o gelo derreter.”
Why does the sentence use o gelo instead of just gelo?
European Portuguese often uses the definite article with mass or abstract nouns to talk about them in general. So o gelo means “the ice” in the sense of “ice in general.”
What does mais refer to in “…tragam mais”?
Mais is short for mais gelo. Portuguese frequently omits a noun when it’s clear from context and replaces it with mais, menos, etc.
Why is the command form tragam and not traz or traga?
Tragam is the 3rd-person-plural affirmative imperative for vocês (“you all”).
- For tu (informal singular) in Portugal it would be traz.
- For vós (archaic/plural) it would be tragai, but that form is almost never used in modern speech.
Is it impolite to issue “Tragam mais” without por favor?
Not necessarily. Portuguese speakers often omit por favor in casual or kitchen-style instructions. If you want to soften it, you can add por favor at the end: “Tragam mais, por favor.”
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