Breakdown of Quando o trabalho é exigente, preciso de disciplina.
ser
to be
o trabalho
the work / the job
quando
when
precisar de
to need
o
him/it (m)
exigente
demanding
a disciplina
the discipline
Questions & Answers about Quando o trabalho é exigente, preciso de disciplina.
This lesson is about proportional comparisons. How would I change this sentence to say "The more demanding the work is, the more discipline I need"?
I learned that the word quando often triggers the future subjunctive. Why does this sentence use the present indicative é instead of for?
We only use the future subjunctive after quando when referring to a specific, unconfirmed event in the future. Because this sentence states a general truth or repeated habit (meaning "Whenever the work is demanding..."), we use the normal present tense é.
Why do we say preciso de disciplina instead of just preciso disciplina?
In Portuguese, the verb precisar (to need) is almost always followed by the preposition de when you are stating the noun that you need. You can think of it as saying "I have need of discipline".
Would the adjective exigente change if it was describing a feminine noun?
No, it remains exactly the same. Adjectives that end in -e in Portuguese do not change according to gender. They are used for both masculine and feminine nouns, such as um trabalho exigente (masculine) and uma rotina exigente (feminine).
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