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Portuguese (Portugal)

### Passive *Se* with Plural Modals

In Portuguese, the passive **se** is often used to express general rules or guidelines. When the noun receiving the action is plural, the verb must also be plural. 

If the sentence uses a modal verb (like *poder* or *dever*) followed by an infinitive, **the modal verb takes the plural form**, while the main verb stays in the infinitive.

As usual, the pronoun **se** attaches to the end of the conjugated verb with a hyphen in affirmative sentences. "Trigger" words like **não** or the conjunction **que** pull the **se** directly in front of the modal verb.

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### Multi-word Modals

This agreement rule also applies to other verbs acting as modals, such as **ter de** (to have to) or **costumar** (to usually do). The conjugated verb pluralizes, and the **se** attaches directly to it (stepping right before the preposition *de*, if there is one).

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### Questions and Other Triggers

Question words (like *quantas*) also pull the **se** before the conjugated modal verb. Regardless of where the **se** sits, the modal verb must remain plural to match the noun.

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Passive with modal verbs (se)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

contraction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

phrase

prefix

prep

preposition

pron

pronoun

sentence

verb

Demonstratives and the verb to be (isto é, o, a)

Subject pronouns and negation (eu, não)

Yes/no questions and question words (quem, o que)

Plural pronouns, articles, and verbs (somos, são, os, as)

Origin and possession (de, do, da)

Introductions (chamar-se)

Indefinite articles (um, uma, uns, umas)

The verb to be for locations (estar)

Contrasting the two verbs to be (ser vs. estar)

Preposition for locations (em, no, na)

Numbers 0 to 10 (zero, um, dois)

The verb to have (tenho, tem)

Regular -ar verbs (falar, trabalhar)

Regular -er verbs (comer, beber)

Regular -ir verbs (abrir, partir)

My, your, and our (o meu, a nossa)

His, hers, and theirs (dele, dela)

Adjective agreement and placement

Days of the week (segunda-feira)

Months of the year (janeiro)

Counting by tens to 100 (trinta, quarenta...)

Telling time (é uma, são...)

Asking about time (quando, a que horas)

The verb to go (ir)

Prepositions of direction (a, para)

Preposition a contractions (ao, à, aos, às)

Prepositions of place (ao lado de, em frente de...)

Demonstratives (este, esse, aquele)

Contractions with demonstratives (neste, desse, daquele)

Asking which and how many (qual, quanto)

Plurals ending in -ão (-ões, -ãos, -ães)

Plurals ending in consonants (-ns, -is, -es)

The verb to like (gostar de)

The verb to need (precisar de)

The verb to want (querer)

The verb can or may (poder)

Expressing obligation (ter de)

Adverbs of degree (muito, pouco)

Quantifiers (muito, pouco)

Comparatives (mais... do que, menos... do que)

Equality comparisons (tão... como)

The preposition com (comigo, contigo)

Coordinating conjunctions (e, mas, ou, porque)

The preposition por (pelo, pela)

Double negation (nunca, nada, ninguém)

Present continuous (estar a)

Near future (ir)

Past tense of regular -ar verbs

Past tense of regular -er and -ir verbs

Past tense of ser and ir (fui, foi)

Direct object pronouns (me, te, o, a, nos, os, as)

Pronoun placement with negatives and questions

Greetings and courtesy (bom dia, obrigado)

Physical states with ter (ter fome, ter frio)

Asking the way (à direita, sempre em frente)

Colours (vermelho, amarelo, cor-de-rosa)

Money and shopping (custar, a moeda)

Getting around (o motorista, a paragem de autocarro)

Weather and seasons (faz calor, o inverno)

Omitting the subject pronoun

Where things are: ficar (Onde fica...?)

Richer questions: que + noun and é que

Numbers above 100 (cento e vinte, mil)

First-person sound changes (durmo, prefiro)

Advice and ability: dever and saber

Asking why: porquê and porque

When one thing happens: quando-clauses

Here and there: aqui, aí, ali (cá e lá)

Formal and plural possessives: o seu, o vosso

Irregular presents: ver, vir, dar

Present irregulars

Reflexive verbs (me, te, se, nos)

Stem-changing reflexives

Attached object pronouns (-lo, -la, -los, -las)

Nasal attached pronouns (-no, -na, -nos, -nas)

Pronoun placement with adverbs

Past tense of fazer, dizer, and trazer

Past tense of ter, estar, poder, and saber

Past tense of querer and vir

Past tense of ver, dar, and ler

Past tense reflexive verbs (-se)

Time elapsed in the past (há)

Question	Answer
the encyclopedia	a enciclopédia
The encyclopedias can be used here, but they must not be taken home.	Podem-se usar as enciclopédias aqui, mas não se devem levar para casa.
It is a good thing that the old encyclopedias can be used.	Ainda bem que se podem usar as enciclopédias antigas.
the infraction	a infração
strictly	rigorosamente
These infractions must be strictly avoided.	Devem-se evitar estas infrações rigorosamente.
The fact that the infractions must be avoided is obvious.	O facto de se deverem evitar as infrações é óbvio.
the sanction	a sanção
The sanctions have to be strictly imposed.	Têm-se de impor as sanções rigorosamente.
Severe sanctions are usually imposed for any infraction.	Costumam-se impor sanções graves por qualquer infração.
The rules must be strictly followed.	Devem-se seguir as regras rigorosamente.
the spine (of a book)	a lombada
The spines of the books have to be protected.	Têm-se de proteger as lombadas dos livros.
The damaged spines can be seen on the bookshelf.	Podem-se ver as lombadas estragadas na estante.
the restriction	a restrição
Not only must the rules be respected, but also the restrictions.	Não só se devem respeitar as regras, mas também as restrições.
The works whose restrictions are strict cannot be taken.	As obras cujas restrições são rigorosas não se podem levar.
the digitization	a digitalização
The digitizations can be sent by email.	Podem-se enviar as digitalizações por email.
the periodical	o periódico
The digitizations of the periodicals have to be done today.	Têm-se de fazer as digitalizações dos periódicos hoje.
the renewal	a renovação
The renewals must be requested on the internet.	Devem-se pedir as renovações pela internet.
The renewals cannot be made after the deadline.	Não se podem fazer as renovações depois do prazo.
the checkout	a requisição
The checkouts can be cancelled at the reception.	Podem-se cancelar as requisições na receção.
How many checkouts can be made at the same time?	Quantas requisições se podem fazer ao mesmo tempo?
The periodicals must be read only in the room.	Devem-se ler os periódicos apenas na sala.