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O espião age como se fosse o inimigo.

O espião age como se fosse o inimigo.
The spy acts as if he were the enemy.
From Lesson 220:As if (como se)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of O espião age como se fosse o inimigo.

ser
to be
agir
to act
como se
as if
o espião
the spy
o inimigo
the enemy

Questions & Answers about O espião age como se fosse o inimigo.

Why do we use fosse after como se instead of a normal present or past tense?
The phrase como se means "as if" and always triggers the imperfect subjunctive. It sets up a hypothetical or unreal situation. Even though the spy is acting right now (age), the idea that he is the enemy is an imaginary scenario, which is exactly what the imperfect subjunctive is used for.
Fosse is the imperfect subjunctive of ser (to be). Why use ser here instead of estar?
We use ser when defining an identity or a role, which applies to nouns like o inimigo (the enemy). If we were describing a temporary condition or location, like "as if he were tired", we would use estar (which would be estivesse).
Where does the verb age come from, and is it irregular?
It is the "he/she/it" present tense form of agir (to act). It is mostly regular, but watch out for the spelling: verbs ending in -gir change the g to a j in the "I" form to keep the soft sound. So while it is ele age, it becomes eu ajo.
How do you form the plural or the feminine version of o espião?
Like many Portuguese words ending in -ão, the plural changes to -ões, making it os espiões. If you need to refer to a female spy, the word drops the "o" and becomes a espiã.

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