Breakdown of Se o atraso é grande, eles adiam a operação.
ser
to be
eles
they (m)
grande
big / large
se
if
a operação
the operation
adiar
to postpone
o atraso
the delay
Questions & Answers about Se o atraso é grande, eles adiam a operação.
Why are both verbs in this sentence (é and adiam) in the present tense?
This sentence is a first conditional statement, which describes a real, likely, or habitual situation. In Portuguese, when you want to say 'If [this happens], [that happens]', you use se (if) followed by the present tense, and the result in the main clause is also in the present tense.
Since a delay is a temporary event, why do we use é (from ser) instead of está (from estar)?
It is true that a delay will eventually end! However, the size of the delay is a fixed characteristic of that specific event. Whenever you are describing the essential qualities or dimensions of something (like being big, grande), you use ser.
What is the infinitive form of adiam, and how is it conjugated here?
The infinitive is adiar, which means to postpone. It is a regular -ar verb. To match eles (they), you drop the -ar and add the standard plural ending -am, resulting in adiam.
Can operação refer to different types of operations, just like in English?
Yes, it is a direct equivalent! Just like the English word, operação can refer to a medical surgery, a police or military mission, or the daily running of a business.
Learn Se o atraso é grande, eles adiam a operação and more in Portuguese
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free