To express "until" as a time limit, use the temporal conjunction até que. When the action following the conjunction is an anticipated goal or has not yet happened, it triggers the present subjunctive.
Notice how the verbs following até que take their subjunctive forms (like estar becoming esteja, or cobrir becoming cubras).
| We wait until the paint is dry. | Nós esperamos até que a tinta esteja seca. |
| I do not start painting until you cover the piece of furniture with the cloth. | Não começo a pintar até que tu cubras o móvel com o pano. |
This structure is frequently used to describe a continuous action that stops once a specific result is achieved.
| I pass the roller over the wall until the first layer is perfect. | Passo o rolo pela parede até que a primeira camada fique perfeita. |
| I mix the paint until the shade matches the curtain. | Misturo a tinta até que o tom combine com a cortina. |
| You put on one more layer with the roller until the paint covers the mistake. | Tu pões mais uma camada com o rolo até que a tinta cubra o erro. |
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