Hi everyone, all good? How often are you not sure about something? In your Portuguese classes do you have many doubts? If so, do you know how to express these doubts? Well, today you can learn how to!
In today’s Dica we will learn how to express something that perhaps you only know in English: dúvida. You have to express your doubts using the subjunctive mode, both in Present or Imperfect form. Let’s take a look below at the different verbs to express doubt in Portuguese, followed by some examples using both subjunctive forms.
Let’s begin by understanding the differences between nouns and verb for this word in Portuguese. You can translate duvida in English as the noun doubt, while duvidar is the verb. Take a look below at how to pronounce them correctly:
| Duvidar | |
| Dúvida |
As said before, first you need to understand which form of the subjunctive you need to use, the present or the imperfect. The Present Subjunctive serves to express something that hasn’t happened yet. Combined with verbs of doubt, it means situations that you are not sure will happen.
| Present Subjunctive | Translation | Pronunciation |
| Não estou certo que | I am not sure | |
| Não tenho certeza que | I am not sure | |
| Duvido que | I doubt that | |
| Não acho que | I guess that | |
| Não penso que | I don’t think that | |
| Não acredito que | I don’t believe | |
| Talvez | Maybe |
The Imperfect Subjunctive highlights things that may or may not have happened. The sentence must be accompanied by a verb in the perfect or imperfect past. Check out the examples below:
| Imperfect Subjunctive | Translation | Pronunciation |
| Não estava certo que | I wasn’t sure | |
| Não tinha certeza que | I wasn’t sure | |
| Duvidava que | I doubted that | |
| Não achei que | I guessed | |
| Não pensei que | I thought | |
| Não acreditava que | I didn’t believe | |
| Talvez | Maybe |
Não estou certo que eu possa viajar nas férias.
I am not sure if I can travel during the holidays.
Não tenho certeza que ele venha nos visitar.
I am not sure if he’ll come to visit us.
Duvido que ele esteja dizendo a verdade.
I doubt that he is telling the truth.
Não acho que você esteja certa.
I guess that you are wrong.
Não penso que essa situação vá melhorar.
I don’t think that this situation is going to get better.
Não acredito que você ainda não saiba das Atividades RioLIVE!
I can’t believe that you don’t know about the RioLIVE! Activities yet.
Não acho que ele queira viajar no fim de semana.
I don’t think that he wants to travel on the weekend.
Não estou certo que ele conheça o Pão de Açúcar.
I am not sure if he has visited Sugar Loaf.
Não tenho certeza que ele venha para o Rio de Janeiro no Carnaval.
I am not sure he will come to Rio de Janeiro for Carnival.
Talvez eu vá ao Rock in Rio.
Maybe I will go to Rock in Rio.
Não tinha certeza de que eu pudesse viajar nas férias.
I am not sure if I could travel on holiday.
Não tinha certeza de que ele viesse nos visitar.
I wasn’t sure if he would come visit us.
Duvidava que ele estivesse dizendo a verdade.
I doubted that he was telling the truth.
Não achei que você estivesse certa.
I guessed you weren’t right.
Não pensei que essa situação fosse melhorar.
I didn’t think that this situation would get better.
Não acreditava que você ainda não soubesse das Atividades RioLIVE!
I couldn’t believe that you didn’t know about the RioLIVE! Activities yet.
Não achei que ele quisesse viajar no fim de semana.
I didn’t think that he wanted to travel on the weekend.
Não estava certo de que ele conhecesse o Pão de Açúcar.
I wasn’t sure if he visited Pão de Açúcar.
Não tinha certeza de que ele viesse para o Rio de Janeiro no Carnaval.
I wasn’t sure he would come to Rio de Janeiro for Carnival.
Talvez eu fosse ao Rock in Rio.
Maybe I would go to Rock in Rio.
Estou planejando ir à praia no fim de semana, mas não estou certo que haja sol para isso. Talvez eu vá ao cinema, mas não acredito que tenha algum filme interessante no momento, pois eu já vi todos os que eu queria ver. Quero encontrar meus amigos, mas duvido que eles estejam na cidade no fim de semana, pois haverá um evento muito bom fora da cidade, mas não estou animado para ir.
Não penso que ficar em casa seja a melhor coisa para fazer, mas não quero sair tanto. Preciso economizar um pouco de dinheiro para a viagem que estou planejando para a Europa e não acho que seja possível fazer uma boa viagem e visitar bons lugares se não tiver um bom dinheiro comigo. O que acham que devo fazer?
I am planning on going to the beach at the weekend, but I am not sure there will be enough sun for it. Maybe I will go to the movies, but I don’t believe that there is an interesting movie at the moment, as I have already seen the movies I wanted to watch. I want to meet my friends, but I doubt that they are in the city this weekend, because there will be a very good event out of town, but I am not keen to go.
I don’t think that staying at home is the best thing to do, but I don’t want to go out too much. As I need to save money for the trip to Europe that I am planning and I don’t think it is possible to make a good trip and visit good places if I don’t have a lot money with me. What do you think I should do?
That’s it people! We have just learned how to express dúvida through the use of different verbs, and in the Present or Imperfect Subjunctive in Portuguese, and not just in English anymore! Do you still have any doubts? Send us in the comments all your dúvidas about this, doesn’t matter in English or Portuguese!
See you then, folks!
Many hugs from Rio!
Click on the links below to see more related Dicas
Wish in Portuguese
Portuguese Adverbs
Future Subjunctive in Portuguese
Imperfect Subjunctive in Portuguese
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