Official Corporate Language
Formal documents, such as corporate apologies, use elevated vocabulary to set a professional tone.
| Esteemed shareholders, we want to apologize. | Estimados acionistas, queremos pedir desculpa. |
| The drop in profits was a shock to the board of directors. | A quebra nos lucros foi um choque para a administração. |
Dropping "Que" in Formal Requests
In standard Portuguese, verbs expressing requests, hopes, or commands—like esperar (to hope), pedir (to ask), and solicitar (to request)—are followed by the conjunction que and the subjunctive mood.
However, in highly formal written Portuguese, que is frequently omitted. For example, instead of Esperamos que compreendam (We hope that you understand), a corporate letter might simply state Esperamos compreendam. The verb that follows still takes the subjunctive.
| We hope you understand this unexpected drop. | Esperamos compreendam esta quebra inesperada. |
| We ask that you accept our apology. | Solicitamos aceitem o nosso pedido de desculpas. |
This structure sounds extremely polished and authoritative, but it is strictly reserved for official writing. You will not hear it in everyday conversation.
Applying the Rule
Here is this formal structure applied to more corporate vocabulary. In each case, the main verb jumps directly into the subjunctive without a que.
| We ask that you ensure maximum transparency in the operation. | Pedimos assegurem a máxima transparência na operação. |
| We hope you regain trust in our management. | Esperamos retomem a confiança na nossa gestão. |
| Esteemed colleagues, we request that you minimize the quarterly expense. | Estimados colegas, solicitamos minimizem a despesa trimestral. |
Let's bring the vocabulary and grammar together in one comprehensive corporate apology:
| Esteemed shareholders, we deeply regret the quarterly drop and hope you understand the situation. | Estimados acionistas, lamentamos profundamente a quebra trimestral e esperamos compreendam a situação. |