Breakdown of Procuro um trabalho que tenha um bom salário.
ter
to have
um
a / an / some (all forms)
bom
good
o trabalho
the work / the job
procurar
to look for / to seek to, to try to
que
who / which / that (relative)
o salário
the salary
Questions & Answers about Procuro um trabalho que tenha um bom salário.
Why is 'tenha' in the subjunctive instead of the indicative 'tem'?
We use the subjunctive tenha because you are looking for any job that meets this requirement, not a specific, known job. When describing an indefinite or unconfirmed thing (an indefinite antecedent), Portuguese requires the subjunctive. If you said Procuro o trabalho que tem um bom salário, using the indicative tem, it would mean you are looking for one specific, existing job that you already know has a good salary.
Does 'um trabalho' always trigger the subjunctive in the following clause?
Not always! It only triggers the subjunctive when the job is hypothetical or unspecific. If you were stating a fact about a job you already have, you would use the indicative: Tenho um trabalho que tem um bom salário (I have a job that has a good salary). Here, the verb procurar (to look for) sets up the uncertainty because you haven't found the job yet.
Why is 'bom' placed before 'salário' instead of after it?
While most adjectives in Portuguese come after the noun, bom (good) and mau (bad) are common exceptions that usually come before the noun. Saying um salário bom is not strictly wrong, but um bom salário sounds much more natural and is the standard way to phrase it.
Could I use 'emprego' instead of 'trabalho' here?
Yes, absolutely. Both um trabalho and um emprego can translate to 'a job'. Emprego specifically refers to formal employment or a hired position, whereas trabalho is a slightly broader word for 'work', but it is very commonly used interchangeably for a job in everyday Portuguese.
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