Breakdown of Relaxa-se muito aqui, desde que haja silêncio na sauna.
muito
much / very
aqui
here
haver
to be (there is / there are)
em
in / on / at
o silêncio
the silence
se
one (impersonal)
desde que
provided that
a sauna
the sauna
relaxar
to relax
Questions & Answers about Relaxa-se muito aqui, desde que haja silêncio na sauna.
Why is the subjunctive used for the verb haja?
It is triggered by the conjunction desde que. This phrase sets up a condition (meaning "provided that" or "as long as") for the first part of the sentence to happen. Because it is a condition rather than a guaranteed fact, Portuguese requires the subjunctive mood here.
Doesn't desde usually mean "since"? How does it mean "provided that" here?
Yes, on its own, desde usually means "since" for time or place. However, the fixed phrase desde que acts as a conditional conjunction meaning "provided that" or "as long as". (Note: desde que can sometimes mean "since the moment that", but when it sets up a condition like in this sentence, it always takes the subjunctive).
What verb does haja come from, and why is it used here?
Haja is the present subjunctive form of the irregular verb haver. It is used here in its impersonal sense to mean "there is" (the subjunctive equivalent of há). We use haver because we are talking about the existence of silence, rather than describing the state of a specific object.
Why does the sentence start with relaxa-se? Who is relaxing?
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