Breakdown of Se a consulta atrasar, vou remarcar para a tarde.
ir
to go
para
for
se
if
a tarde
the afternoon
a consulta
the appointment
atrasar
to be delayed
remarcar
to reschedule
Questions & Answers about Se a consulta atrasar, vou remarcar para a tarde.
What verb form is atrasar in Se a consulta atrasar?
It’s the future subjunctive. Portuguese uses the future subjunctive after se to talk about a possible future event. For regular -ar verbs like atrasar, the 1st and 3rd person forms look the same as the infinitive.
- Future subjunctive of atrasar: eu/ele atrasar, tu atrasares, nós atrasarmos, vós atrasardes, eles atrasarem.
- Compare: English uses present (“if the appointment is late”), but Portuguese uses future subjunctive (“Se a consulta atrasar…”).
Why can’t I say Se a consulta vai atrasar?
In standard usage, Portuguese avoids future or periphrastic future in the se-clause for open possibilities. You typically use the future subjunctive: Se a consulta atrasar, ….
- You might hear Se vai atrasar, … only when the speaker already treats the delay as practically certain (e.g., you can already see it happening), but the default neutral, grammatical choice is future subjunctive.
Do I need the reflexive form (atrasar-se) here? Is Se a consulta se atrasar okay?
Both are acceptable:
- Se a consulta atrasar, … (non‑reflexive) — very common for events being delayed.
- Se a consulta se atrasar, … (reflexive) — also used, a bit more personal/colloquial in tone. If you use the reflexive, keep the clitic before the verb in this clause: Se a consulta se atrasar (not ✗ atrasar-se here, because se-clauses trigger proclisis).
What’s the difference between atrasar and demorar?
- atrasar = to be late/delayed relative to a schedule. Focus: lateness vs. the planned time. Ex.: A consulta atrasou (the appointment ran late).
- demorar = to take time/last. Focus: duration. Ex.: A consulta demorou 40 minutos (it took 40 minutes).
If you mean “run late,” prefer atrasar.
Why vou remarcar instead of irei remarcar or remarco?
- vou remarcar (ir + infinitive) = very common, natural spoken future; a plan or intention.
- irei remarcar (simple future) = more formal/written or slightly more distant/pondered.
- remarco (present) = can also express near future in Portuguese when it’s scheduled/decided, but here vou remarcar sounds the most neutral and conversational.
Is remarcar the right verb? How about adiar or reagendar?
- remarcar = to reschedule (set a new time). Ex.: remarcar para as 16h.
- adiar = to postpone (may or may not specify a new time). Ex.: adiar a consulta.
- reagendar = exists and is understood; more bureaucratic/corporate tone. In everyday EP, remarcar is the go‑to.
Why para a tarde and not à tarde?
- para a tarde = “to the afternoon” (movement/rescheduling to that slot).
- à tarde = “in the afternoon” (general time of day).
With rescheduling, you normally use para: remarcar para a tarde.
Note: à has a grave accent in à tarde (contraction of a + a), but here we need para a (no contraction in writing).
Is the article needed in para a tarde? Could I say para tarde?
Use the article with time-of-day nouns: para a tarde is the normal phrasing.
You drop the article if you use an adverb like mais: para mais tarde (“for later”).
Can I say de tarde or na tarde?
- de tarde (“in the afternoon”) is much more typical in Brazilian Portuguese; in European Portuguese, prefer à tarde.
- na tarde is only used when specifying a particular day/period: na tarde de terça-feira (“on Tuesday afternoon”). Not with generic rescheduling.
If I want to say “reschedule it,” where does the pronoun go?
For consulta (feminine), use a:
- Neutral: Se a consulta atrasar, vou remarcá-la para a tarde.
- With a trigger like não, use proclisis: Se a consulta não atrasar, não a vou remarcar.
In formal writing, attaching the clitic to the infinitive (remarcá-la) is safest. Colloquial EP also allows placing it after vou: vou-lhe ligar, but for direct objects, the infinitive attachment is a clear choice.
What exactly does consulta mean here?
In Portugal, consulta typically refers to a medical/dental consultation (the appointment itself).
For non-medical contexts:
- reunião = meeting
- compromisso = appointment/engagement (general)
- marcação = a booking (the act/slot), not the meeting itself
How do I say “If I’m late for the appointment, …” instead?
Use the reflexive with the subject “I”:
- Se eu me atrasar para a consulta, vou ligar para a clínica.
Here again, se- future subjunctive (me atrasar). You can also say Se eu chegar atrasado/atrasada à consulta, … (arrive late).
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