Breakdown of Espero que o contrato não seja um problema.
ser
to be
não
not / no
um
a / an / some (all forms)
o problema
the problem
Questions & Answers about Espero que o contrato não seja um problema.
Why do we use seja instead of the normal present tense é?
The phrase starts with Espero que (I hope that). Expressing a hope, wish, or desire is a classic trigger for the subjunctive mood, because you are talking about something you want to happen, not stating a guaranteed fact.
Where does the word seja come from?
seja is the present subjunctive form of the irregular verb ser (to be) for the ele/ela/você and o contrato forms. Because ser is highly irregular, its subjunctive forms (seja, sejas, sejamos, sejam) just have to be memorized. We use ser here instead of estar because being a problem is treated as an essential characteristic of the contract, not a temporary physical state.
Wait, problema ends in an "a". Why is it um problema and not uma problema?
Could I put não at the beginning of the sentence instead?