Breakdown of Compro o presente sem que ela suspeite.
ela
she
comprar
to buy
o presente
the gift
sem que
without (conjunction)
Questions & Answers about Compro o presente sem que ela suspeite.
Why is the verb suspeite in the subjunctive here?
The phrase sem que (meaning "without") is a conjunction of exclusion. In Portuguese, it always forces the following verb into the subjunctive. This is because it describes an action that is being prevented or is hypothetical, rather than a concrete, realized fact.
How do I form the present subjunctive for a verb like suspeitar?
Could I just say "sem ela suspeitar" instead?
Yes, you can! You can use the preposition sem followed directly by the personal infinitive (sem ela suspeitar). However, the moment you add que to make the conjunction phrase sem que, you must switch to the subjunctive (sem que ela suspeite). Both mean exactly the same thing, though sem que can sound slightly more formal.
Why is the English translation "without her suspecting" instead of a literal "without that she suspects"?