Portuguese Connectors and Grammatical Structures

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers Portuguese connectors used for cause, concession, condition, finality, and time, including their required verb moods and specific usage notes.

Como

A connector for known cause, used with the indicative, and normally placed at the beginning of the sentence.

Devido a

A very common formal language connector used with the indicative to express cause.

Já que

Used with the indicative for an assumed or evident justification.

Não porque… mas porque

A causal structure used with the indicative.

Por (+ infinitivo pessoal ou nome)

A causal connector used with a personal infinitive or noun (e.g., 'por estudar' / 'por estudarmos').

Por causa de (+ infinitivo pessoal ou nome)

A causal structure used with a personal infinitive or a noun.

Porque

Used with the indicative for a direct explanation.

Uma vez que

Used with the indicative to present a cause as a fact.

Visto que

A connector used with the indicative, similar in meaning to "já que".

Ainda que

Used with the conjunctive (present or imperfect) to express a hypothesis or concession.

Apesar de

A concessive connector used with the personal infinitive (e.g., 'apesar de chover' / 'apesar de estarmos cansados').

Embora

Used with the conjunctive (present or imperfect) to express concession.

Mesmo que

Used with the conjunctive (present or imperfect) to express an extreme hypothesis.

Mesmo se

Used with the conjunctive (imperfect or future) to express hypothesis.

Caso

Used with the conjunctive to express a hypothetical future condition.

Desde que (Condition)

Used with the conjunctive to express a condition.

No caso de

Used with the personal infinitive for a structure without a conjugated clause.

Se

Used with the indicative or conjunctive depending on the specific type of condition.

A fim de

Used with the conjunctive (present or imperfect), considered very formal in Portugal.

A fim de que

Used with the conjunctive (present or imperfect) for finality involving a different subject.

Para

Used with the personal infinitive; it is the most common structure for expressing purpose.

Para que

Used with the conjunctive (present or imperfect) to express an objective or finality.

Antes de

A temporal connector used with the personal infinitive.

Antes que

Used with the conjunctive (present or imperfect) for an action not yet realized.

Ao

Used with the personal infinitive to express simultaneity.

Assim que

Used with the indicative for habits or the past, and with the conjunctive for the future.

Até

Used with the personal infinitive to mark a temporal limit.

Até que

Used with the indicative for a realized fact vs. the conjunctive for an expected fact.

Depois de

A temporal connector used with the personal infinitive.

Desde que (Time)

Used with the indicative to indicate time (similar to "since").

Enquanto

Used with the indicative for real simultaneity or the conjunctive (imperfect/future) for conditions.

Logo que

Used with the indicative for habitual/past facts or the conjunctive for the future.

Mal

Used with the indicative or conjunctive, functioning as a synonym for "assim que".

Quando

Used with the indicative for facts/habits or the conjunctive (imperfect/future) for the future.

Sempre que

Used with the indicative to express a habit or the conjunctive for a future eventuality.