Portuguese B2: If I were: the imperfect subjunctive · Words

Se + imperfect subjunctive + conditional talks about what is unlikely or not real: Se eu tivesse tempo, viajaria – in speech often viajava. It also follows a main verb in the past: Pedi-lhe que viesse. Build it from the eles form of the perfeito: drop -ram, add -sse: fizeram → fizesse, foram → fosse, tiveram → tivesse.

• se — if
• como se — as if
• caso — in case
• tivesse — (if) I had
• fosse — (if) I were
• fizesse — (if) I did
• pudesse — (if) I could
• soubesse — (if) I knew

• Se pudesse, ficava mais uma semana. — If I could, I’d stay another week.
• Se eu fosse a ti, não dizia nada. — If I were you, I wouldn’t say anything.
• Fala como se fosse o chefe. — He talks as if he were the boss.
• Pedi-lhe que me ligasse. — I asked her to call me.