Breakdown of Se fizerem tudo sem os vossos irmãos refilarem, nós vamos ser razoáveis.
ser
to be
nós
we
o irmão
the brother
ir
to go
fazer
to do
tudo
everything
sem
without
vosso
your (plural, of vocês; forms: vosso, vossa, vossos, vossas)
se
if
razoável
reasonable
refilar
to complain (grumble, talk back)
Questions & Answers about Se fizerem tudo sem os vossos irmãos refilarem, nós vamos ser razoáveis.
Why do we use refilarem instead of the regular infinitive refilar after sem?
Sem is a preposition. When a verb following a preposition has its own specific subject that is different from the subject of the main clause, we use the personal infinitive. The main clause subject is an implied vocês (you all), but the subject of the complaining is os vossos irmãos (they). Therefore, we conjugate the infinitive to the 3rd person plural form refilarem.
If refilarem is the personal infinitive, why isn't the first verb fazerem instead of fizerem?
Because they are governed by different rules and are actually in different tenses! The preposition sem triggers the personal infinitive (refilarem). However, the conjunction Se (if) triggers the future subjunctive for hypothetical scenarios. While these two tenses look exactly the same for regular verbs, they are distinct for irregular verbs like fazer. The future subjunctive of fazer is fizerem, but its personal infinitive would be fazerem.
What is the exact nuance of refilar here compared to verbs like reclamar or queixar-se?
Refilar is a very common, slightly colloquial word in Portugal. It specifically means to talk back, push back, grumble, or bicker, especially when being told to do something or when things do not go someone's way. Reclamar leans more toward protesting or making a formal complaint, while queixar-se is a more general verb for expressing dissatisfaction or pain.
Why does the sentence use os vossos irmãos instead of os seus irmãos for 'your brothers'?
The implied subject of fizerem is vocês (plural 'you'). In European Portuguese, vosso is the standard possessive for vocês. While seus can technically mean 'your', it is much more frequently used to mean 'his', 'hers', or 'theirs'. Using os vossos makes it unmistakably clear that it means 'your brothers', avoiding any ambiguity.
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