Breakdown of O treinador acha que a união é crucial.
ser
to be
a
to / at (direction)
o
him/it (m)
achar
to reckon / to find
que
that (conjunction)
o treinador
the coach
a união
the unity
crucial
crucial
Questions & Answers about O treinador acha que a união é crucial.
Why is the verb é in the indicative instead of the subjunctive? I thought opinions triggered the subjunctive.
Affirmative verbs of belief or opinion, like achar, pensar, and acreditar, actually trigger the indicative in Portuguese. You only use the subjunctive if the opinion is negative (e.g., O treinador não acha que a união seja crucial).
Why is there an a before união? English just says 'unity is crucial'.
In Portuguese, abstract concepts used in a broad, general sense almost always take a definite article. While English drops the article for words like 'unity', 'love', or 'time' in general statements, Portuguese requires it.
Could I leave out the word que like we often leave out 'that' in English?
No, you cannot drop que here. While English lets you say 'The coach thinks unity is crucial', Portuguese strictly requires the conjunction que to connect the main clause with the subordinate clause.
Is there a difference between using achar and pensar in this sentence?
In this context, both express an opinion and are perfectly fine. Achar (literally 'to find') is extremely common in everyday Portuguese for expressing subjective opinions. Pensar is also correct but can sometimes sound slightly more analytical, focusing on the cognitive process of thinking.
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