Breakdown of Se reciclares o plástico, ajudas o planeta a ficar mais sustentável.
mais
more
se
if
ficar
to become
a
to
ajudar
to help
o plástico
the plastic
o planeta
the planet
reciclar
to recycle
sustentável
sustainable
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Questions & Answers about Se reciclares o plástico, ajudas o planeta a ficar mais sustentável.
Why is reciclares used here, and what tense is that?
reciclares is the 2nd-person singular future subjunctive of reciclar. In European Portuguese, clauses introduced by se that refer to future, real conditions use the future subjunctive (not the present subjunctive).
Could we use reciclas (present indicative) instead of reciclares?
Informally, yes—especially in spoken speech you might hear Se reciclas… when talking about a habitual or immediate condition. But the standard, unambiguous way to refer to a future “if” condition is with the future subjunctive (reciclares).
Why not the present subjunctive recicles?
The present subjunctive (recicles) expresses doubt, wish or non-factual scenarios (often in subordinate clauses after que). Here, because we’re stating a real future condition, the future subjunctive (reciclares) is correct.
Why is ajudas in the present indicative rather than a future or conditional form?
In Portuguese, once you’ve set up a future condition with se + future subjunctive, the result clause often stays in the present indicative to express a general truth or habitual consequence. You could use the conditional (ajudarias) to make it more hypothetical or polite, but ajudas is normal for straightforward cause-and-effect.
Why do we say o plástico instead of just plástico?
Portuguese likes to use the definite article with generic or abstract nouns. o plástico here means “plastic in general.” Omitting the article can sound odd in European Portuguese in this context.
Why is there an a before ficar, and what’s its function?
Some Portuguese verbs require a preposition before an infinitive. ajudar is one of them: the pattern is ajudar alguém a fazer algo (“to help someone to do something”). So we need a ficar after ajudas o planeta.
Why is mais placed before sustentável, and what does it do?
mais is the comparative adverb “more.” In Portuguese you place mais directly before an adjective to form a comparative: mais sustentável = “more sustainable.”
Why does sustentável have an accent on the á?
sustentável is a proparoxytone (stress on the antepenultimate syllable: sus-ten-TÁ-vel). Portuguese spelling rules require an accent on every proparoxytone to mark its stressed vowel.
Why are the subject pronouns (like tu) omitted before reciclares and ajudas?
In Portuguese the verb endings clearly indicate person and number, so subject pronouns are often dropped unless you need extra emphasis or clarity.