Breakdown of Eu quero surfar, por mais que o mar esteja perigoso.
eu
I
estar
to be (temporary / location)
querer
to want
perigoso
dangerous
o mar
the sea
por mais que
no matter how much
surfar
to surf
Questions & Answers about Eu quero surfar, por mais que o mar esteja perigoso.
Why is esteja used here instead of the regular present tense está?
The phrase por mais que introduces a concessive clause, meaning it presents an obstacle that doesn't stop the main action. In Portuguese, this structure always triggers the subjunctive mood. Since the main action quero is in the present tense, we use the present subjunctive esteja.
Why do we use the verb estar (esteja) instead of ser (seja) for the sea being dangerous?
We use estar because the danger is a temporary state caused by the current weather, tide, or waves. If you used ser, it would imply that this specific sea is permanently and inherently dangerous.
Could I use por muito que instead of por mais que in this sentence?
Yes, they are completely interchangeable here. Both mean "no matter how" or "however much" and both force the following verb into the subjunctive mood. Saying por muito que o mar esteja perigoso means exactly the same thing.
Is surfar the normal way to say "to surf" in Portugal?
Yes, surfar is a direct borrowing from English, but it has been fully adopted into Portuguese. It behaves exactly like a regular -ar verb and is the standard, everyday word for the sport.
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