Desires and Demands in the Past
When a main verb expressing influence, desire, or emotion is in a past tense, the dependent verb in the que clause must be in the Imperfect Subjunctive. You can easily recognize the imperfect subjunctive by its characteristic -sse endings.
| The father wanted the will to respect his wish. | O pai queria que o testamento respeitasse o seu desejo. |
| He demanded that the children inherit the whole fortune. | Ele exigiu que os filhos herdassem toda a fortuna. |
This sequence of tenses rule applies regardless of which past tense the main verb uses. Whether the trigger is in the Imperfect (esperávamos), the Preterite (exigiu), or the Pluperfect (tinha pedido), the following subjunctive verb will take the past -sse form.
| We hoped that the heir would keep the legal document. | Nós esperávamos que o herdeiro guardasse o documento legal. |
| The grandfather had asked that no relative divide the estate. | O avô tinha pedido que nenhum parente dividisse o património. |
Legal Wishes
This grammar structure is especially common in legal contexts, such as dealing with wills (os testamentos) and inheritances (as heranças). In these situations, lawyers, judges, and family members frequently outline formal wishes for others to follow.
| The notary to whom I spoke suggested that I accept the will. | O notário com quem falei sugeriu que eu aceitasse o testamento. |
| The notary wanted the inheritance to be legal. | O notário queria que a herança fosse legal. |