Breakdown of Se os recursos humanos aprovam o plano, contratamos o candidato que chegou hoje.
hoje
today
o plano
the plan
chegar
to arrive
aprovar
to approve
se
if
que
who / which / that (relative)
contratar
to hire
os recursos humanos
the human resources
o candidato
the candidate
Questions & Answers about Se os recursos humanos aprovam o plano, contratamos o candidato que chegou hoje.
Why is the word que used here instead of quem for 'who'?
In Portuguese, the relative pronoun que is used to refer back to both things ('that' or 'which') and people ('who'). While quem means 'who' in direct questions, que is the standard linking word used to connect phrases, even when referring to a person like o candidato.
Why are aprovam and contratamos in the present tense if this implies a future action?
It is very common in Portuguese to use the present tense for conditions and events that are very likely or happening in the near future. Using the present tense for aprovam (approve) and contratamos (we hire) makes the plan feel immediate and certain.
Is recursos humanos always plural?
Yes. Just like in English, recursos humanos (human resources) is treated as a plural concept. That is why it takes the plural definite article os and the plural verb form aprovam.
Why is the word for 'we' missing before contratamos?
In Portuguese, the subject pronoun is usually dropped because the verb ending already tells you who is acting. The -amos ending in contratamos clearly means 'we hire', so adding nós (we) is unnecessary and leaving it out sounds more natural.
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