Unreal conditional inversion (não fosse)

"Were it not for..."

To express an unreal condition like "Were it not for..." or "If it hadn't been for...", Portuguese allows you to drop the word se (if) and invert the sentence structure.

To form this, start with the word não, followed by the imperfect subjunctive of the verb ser (fosse or fossem), and then the noun:

  • Use não fosse before a singular noun.
  • Use não fossem before a plural noun.
Were it not for your reflexes, the disaster would have happened.
Não fossem os teus reflexos, o desastre teria acontecido.
Were it not for the doctor's speed, the intervention would have failed.
Não fosse a rapidez da médica, a intervenção teria falhado.

The Main Clause

The second half of the sentence describes the hypothetical result of that condition. Because these sentences deal with unreal or imaginary situations, the verb in the main clause will typically be in the conditional tense (would happen) or the conditional perfect (would have happened).

Were it not for your intervention, the situation would be worse.
Não fosse a tua intervenção, a situação seria pior.
Were it not for his instinct, we would not have escaped.
Não fosse o instinto dele, não teríamos escapado.
Were it not for her bravery, the rescue would be impossible.
Não fosse a bravura dela, o salvamento seria impossível.
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