Breakdown of Não acho que os rapazes já estejam a festejar, embora estejam eufóricos.
o rapaz
the boy
não
not / no
estar
to be (temporary / location)
a
to / at (direction)
já
already
o
him/it (m)
achar
to reckon / to find
que
that (conjunction)
embora
even though
festejar
to party
eufórico
euphoric
Questions & Answers about Não acho que os rapazes já estejam a festejar, embora estejam eufóricos.
Why do we use estejam a festejar instead of just festejem?
The structure estar (conjugated in the subjunctive) + a + infinitive is the Continuous Subjunctive. It is used here to emphasize an ongoing action happening right in this moment (are partying), rather than a general or habitual action (party).
Why does Não acho que trigger the subjunctive for the first verb?
Why is the adverb já placed before the verb phrase instead of after it?
If it is a confirmed fact that they are euphoric, why is the second verb (embora estejam eufóricos) also in the subjunctive?
The conjunction embora (even though / although) is a strict trigger that always forces the following verb into the subjunctive mood. This rule applies even when you are conceding a known, undeniable fact.
Could I say estejam festejando instead of estejam a festejar?
In Portugal, the standard continuous form uses a + infinitive (a festejar). Using the gerund (festejando) is standard in Brazilian Portuguese, but in European Portuguese, it is mostly restricted to certain regional dialects (like in the Alentejo or Algarve) or very formal, older literature.
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