Reporting Suggestions: Sugerir and Recomendar
Verbs of influence like sugerir (to suggest) and recomendar (to recommend) trigger the subjunctive mood in the clause that follows. When the main verb is in the present tense, use the Present Subjunctive.
| The doctor suggests that I ignore the symptom while I work. | O médico sugere que eu ignore o sintoma enquanto trabalho. |
| The specialist recommends that we accept the diagnosis. | O especialista recomenda que aceitemos o diagnóstico. |
| I suggest that we do the x-ray tomorrow. | Sugiro que façamos a radiografia amanhã. |
Past Suggestions and Tense Harmony
When reporting a past suggestion, the main verb takes a past tense (usually the preterite). To maintain tense harmony, the verb in the que clause shifts to the Imperfect Subjunctive.
| The nurse (m) recommended to him that he observe the x-ray. | O enfermeiro recomendou-lhe que observasse a radiografia. |
| The specialist recommended that you avoid the surgery. | O especialista recomendou que evitasses a cirurgia. |
| He recommended to me that I fight the infection immediately. | Ele recomendou-me que combatesse a infeção imediatamente. |
Notice how the past forms force the dependent verbs into their -sse forms. Indirect object pronouns are often attached to the main verb to clarify who is receiving the advice.
Medical Advice and Prescriptions
Medical advice and prescriptions use these same subjunctive patterns. A key verb to know is receitar (to prescribe).
| to prescribe | receitar |
| Sometimes I suggest that the doctor prescribe a pill. | Às vezes sugiro que o médico receite um comprimido. |
The grammar remains the same whether the doctor recommends rest (o repouso) or prescribes an antibiotic (o antibiótico).
| I suggest that you drink the syrup while you rest. | Sugiro que bebas o xarope enquanto descansas. |
| The patient (m) suggested to her that she take the antibiotic. | O paciente sugeriu-lhe que tomasse o antibiótico. |
| The doctor recommends that the patient get rest. | O médico recomenda que o paciente faça repouso. |