Mesmo quando discordamos, continuamos a respeitar-nos e a apoiar-nos.

Mesmo quando means even when.

• quando = when
• mesmo adds emphasis, giving the sense of even

So Mesmo quando discordamos means Even when we disagree.

A common beginner mistake is to connect mesmo with same, because that is one of its meanings in other contexts. But here it is not same when; it is an intensifier meaning even.

Discordamos is the 1st person plural form of discordar in the present indicative:

• eu discordo = I disagree
• tu discordas = you disagree
• ele/ela discorda = he/she disagrees
• nós discordamos = we disagree
• vocês/eles discordam = you/they disagree

In this sentence, discordamos means we disagree.

The present tense here can express:

• a general truth
• a habitual situation
• something that happens from time to time

So the sentence means something like: Even when we disagree, we keep respecting and supporting each other.

In European Portuguese, continuar is very commonly followed by a + infinitive when it means to continue / to keep doing something.

So:

• continuamos a respeitar-nos
• continuamos a apoiar-nos

This structure is very normal in Portugal.

Compare:

• continuar a fazer = to continue doing
• continuar a falar = to keep speaking

So continuamos a respeitar-nos literally means we continue to respect each other / we keep respecting each other.

The hyphen appears because nos is attached to the infinitive as a clitic pronoun.

In European Portuguese, when an object pronoun comes after an infinitive, it is normally attached with a hyphen:

• ajudar-nos = to help us
• ver-nos = to see us
• respeitar-nos = to respect us / each other
• apoiar-nos = to support us / each other

This is called enclisis: the pronoun comes after the verb.

So:

• a respeitar-nos
• a apoiar-nos

are standard European Portuguese forms.

Grammatically, nos means us. But in this sentence, because the subject is we, the natural meaning is each other.

So:

• respeitar-nos = to respect each other
• apoiar-nos = to support each other

This is called a reciprocal meaning: the members of the group do the action to one another.

English often uses each other, while Portuguese can use the normal object pronoun and let the context show the reciprocal meaning.

The a is repeated because both infinitives depend on continuamos a:

• continuamos a respeitar-nos
• continuamos a apoiar-nos

Repeating the preposition before the second infinitive is very natural and clear in Portuguese, especially in careful or standard writing.

You may sometimes see the second a omitted in other contexts, but here the repeated version sounds very normal and well-formed:

• continuamos a respeitar-nos e a apoiar-nos ✔

This makes the sentence nicely balanced.

Because after continuamos a, Portuguese uses the infinitive, not a fully conjugated verb.

So the structure is:

• continuamos a + infinitive

That gives:

• continuamos a respeitar-nos
• continuamos a apoiar-nos

If you said respeitamo-nos, that would be a conjugated form meaning we respect each other / ourselves, and it would work as a main verb in a different sentence:

• Respeitamo-nos. = We respect each other.

But after continuamos a, you need the infinitive:

• Continuamos a respeitar-nos.

Yes, this sentence sounds strongly natural in European Portuguese.

A key clue is:

• continuamos a respeitar-nos

In Brazilian Portuguese, people often prefer:

• continuamos nos respeitando
• continuamos nos apoiando

That is, BP often uses continuar + gerund, while EP very commonly uses continuar a + infinitive.

Also, pronoun placement differs:

• EP: respeitar-nos
• BP: often nos respeitar

So this sentence is a very good example of standard Portuguese from Portugal.

The comma separates the introductory subordinate clause from the main clause:

• Mesmo quando discordamos, = subordinate clause
• continuamos a respeitar-nos e a apoiar-nos. = main clause

In English, you would often do the same:

• Even when we disagree, we continue to respect and support each other.

So the comma helps mark the pause and the structure of the sentence.

Sometimes in natural English, yes, that may sound fine. But grammatically, quando means when, not if.

So the closest translation is:

• Even when we disagree

Using even if would slightly shift the nuance toward a hypothetical idea. The Portuguese sentence feels more like:

• when this situation happens
• whenever it happens
• despite it happening

So even when is the best direct match.

Yes. Apoiar can mean:

• to support physically
• to back someone
• to help someone
• to support someone emotionally or morally

In this sentence, apoiar-nos most likely means to support each other in a personal or emotional sense, especially because it is paired with respeitar-nos.

So the sentence suggests a healthy relationship dynamic: even in disagreement, the people involved still respect and support one another.

Yes. In natural English, continuamos is often best translated as we still or we keep rather than the more literal we continue.

So these are all possible translations:

• Even when we disagree, we continue to respect and support each other.
• Even when we disagree, we still respect and support each other.
• Even when we disagree, we keep respecting and supporting each other.

The Portuguese allows that broader sense of ongoing continuity.

Yes, but the meaning would change slightly or become less explicit.

For example:

• Mesmo quando discordamos, continuamos a respeitar e a apoiar.

This sounds incomplete in many contexts, because respeitar and apoiar usually need an object: respect whom? support whom?

By saying:

• respeitar-nos
• apoiar-nos

the sentence clearly says that the action is mutual within the group: we respect and support each other.

So the pronouns are important here.

Yes. It is very common to coordinate two infinitives like this after the same verb:

• continuar a estudar e a trabalhar
• aprender a ouvir e a compreender
• começar a falar e a participar

In your sentence:

• continuamos a respeitar-nos e a apoiar-nos

the two verbs are parallel, which makes the sentence sound smooth and balanced.

This kind of structure is especially common in formal or careful written Portuguese.