Expressing Doubt with Talvez
When you want to express doubt, uncertainty, or make a guess in Portuguese, use the adverb talvez (perhaps / maybe).
| perhaps | talvez |
When talvez comes before the verb, it triggers the Present Subjunctive (o presente do conjuntivo).
Regular Verbs in the Subjunctive
Regular verbs in the present subjunctive swap their typical endings: -ar verbs take -e endings, while -er and -ir verbs take -a endings.
| Perhaps it will rain tonight. | Talvez chova hoje à noite. |
| Perhaps my brother finds the trail with the compass. | Talvez o meu irmão encontre o trilho com a bússola. |
| Perhaps each person needs the repellent. | Talvez cada pessoa precise do repelente. |
Irregular Verbs with Talvez
Many common verbs are irregular in the present subjunctive:
- ser becomes seja
- ter becomes tenha
- fazer becomes faça
- estar becomes esteja
| Perhaps the trail is long. | Talvez o trilho seja longo. |
| Perhaps you have the map in the backpack. | Talvez tenhas o mapa na mochila. |
| Perhaps it is cold without the campfire. | Talvez faça frio sem a fogueira. |
| Perhaps the sleeping bag is dirty. | Talvez o saco de cama esteja sujo. |
Finally, the impersonal verb há (there is / there are) from the infinitive haver becomes haja.
| Perhaps there is a bear on this trail. | Talvez haja um urso neste trilho. |
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