Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Nem o livro nem o filme vieram a inspirar a nova geração. - Neither the book nor the film eventually inspired the new generation.

Using the aspectual structure vir a followed by an infinitive adds the idea of an eventual outcome. While inspiraram simply means they inspired, vieram a inspirar implies a process over time, translating closely to they came to inspire or they eventually inspired. In this negative sentence, it highlights that this expected outcome never ultimately happened.

Why is the verb vieram in the plural form when both o livro and o filme are singular?

In Portuguese, when you connect subjects using nem... nem... (neither... nor...), the verb is conjugated in the plural. Even though the book and the film are singular on their own, they combine to form a plural compound subject.

Could this vir a + infinitive structure be used in tenses other than the past?

Yes, you can use it in various tenses to show eventual realization in different timeframes. For instance, in the future tense (virão a inspirar), it means they will eventually inspire. Here, the Pretérito Perfeito (vieram) shows that over a completed period in the past, that eventual result failed to happen.

Why isn't there a não before the verb here to create a double negative?

Portuguese requires a double negative only when the negative word comes after the verb. Because the negative phrase Nem o livro nem o filme is placed before the verb, an extra não is not needed and would actually be grammatically incorrect.