Breakdown of Ele falava comigo como se governasse o mundo.
ele
he
falar
to speak
como
as (in comparisons)
comigo
with me
se
if
o mundo
the world
governar
to govern
Questions & Answers about Ele falava comigo como se governasse o mundo.
Why do we use governasse here instead of a regular past tense like governava?
We use the Imperfect Subjunctive (governasse) because of the phrase como se (as if). This phrase introduces a hypothetical or imaginary situation—he doesn't actually rule the world. In Portuguese, como se always triggers this subjunctive tense.
How is the form governasse created from the verb governar?
To form the Imperfect Subjunctive, you start with the eles/elas form of the simple past tense, which is governaram. You drop the -ram ending and add the subjunctive endings. For ele, you add -sse, giving you governasse. All regular -ar verbs follow this exact pattern.
Why is the double 's' required in the spelling of governasse?
The double ss is a signature feature of the Imperfect Subjunctive. In Portuguese, a single s between two vowels is pronounced like a 'z' (as in 'zoo'). To keep the soft 's' sound (like in 'snake') between the vowels 'a' and 'e', it must be written with a double ss.
Why is the first verb, falava, in the imperfect past tense rather than the simple past (falou)?
Falava is in the Imperfect Indicative because it describes an ongoing or habitual action in the past. It translates closer to 'he used to speak' or 'he was speaking'. If we used the simple past (falou), it would sound like a single, completed instance of him speaking.
Learn Ele falava comigo como se governasse o mundo and more in Portuguese
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free