O verb to be"is an anomalous verb, that is, which changes its radical over the course of conjugations. It functions as a linking verb between the subject and its predicative. So, as a rule, agree with the subject. But, in some situations, it may agree with the predicative, depending on which of these elements the speaker intends to emphasize.
Read too: How does the verb “bring” work?
Summary on the verb “to be”
The verb “to be” is an anomalous verb that works as a linking verb.
In some cases, the verb “to be” can agree with both the subject and the predicative.
If it is impersonal, the verb “to be” agrees with the predicative.
After a compound subject, with the idea of gradation, “ser” can also agree with the closest noun.
This can also happen when the compound subject appears postponed to the verb.
Conjugation of the verb "to be"
The verb “to be” is an anomalous verb, that is, that radical changes across conjugations. See below the conjugation of this verb in the indicative mood, in the subjunctive mood, in the imperative mood and in the infinitive mood.
Conjugation of the verb “to be” in the indicative mood | ||
Gift |
imperfect tense |
past perfect tense |
Iam |
Iit was |
I I went |
pluperfect past tense |
future tense |
future of the present |
I outside |
Ihe would be |
I Will be |
Conjugation of the verb “to be” in the subjunctive mood | ||
Gift |
imperfect tense |
Future |
[that Iit is |
[if I were |
[when I for |
Conjugation of the verb “to be” in the imperative mood |
Conjugation of the verb “to be” in the infinitive |
|
Affirmative |
Negative |
Guys |
be you |
No be you |
[for] to be I |
Agreement of the verb “to be”
→ Agreement of the verb “to be” with the subject
The boyé very clever.
The boysthey are very smart.
legends and songsthey are parts of Brazilian folklore.
→ Agreement of the verb “to be” with the subject or with the predicative
Allé headaches.
(emphasis on subject)
All they areheadaches.
(emphasis on predicative)
Important:The verb must agree with a proper noun or word indicating person:
the teenageré dreams.
The world areus.
Jonahé just concerns.
→ Agreement of the verb “to be” with the predicative (if the verb is impersonal)
É one hour.
They are two hours.
They were fifty years.
They were just passing storms.
They are March 20.
É March 20th.
→ Agreement of the verb “ser” with a compound subject, but with the idea of gradation
A word, a gesture, a hug it was necessary.
(agrees with the closest noun)
or
A word, a gesture, a hug they were needed.
(goes to plural)
→ Agreement of the verb “ser” with a compound subject, postponed to the verb
beautiful they arethe bedroom and the living room.
(goes to plural)
Beautiful éthe fourth and the room.
(agrees with the closest noun)
→ Agreement of the verb “to be” with a subject with a collective meaning
The majoritywould be criminals in the future.
(agrees with the predicative)
→ Agreement of the verb “to be” when the predicative is the demonstrative “o” or the term “thing”
Changes é O that we ask.
(agrees with the statement)
independent women it wasthing unusual at that time.
(agrees with the term “thing”)
See too: How does the verb "put" work?
Solved exercises on the verb “to be”
question 1
Read this excerpt from the poem “Remorso da innocent”, by the romantic poet Junqueira Freire:
[...]
And he mused: — Alas! that I don't it is
Less beautiful to my Lord!
Already today I ran from the cloister:
I was afraid of the dead... —
And he mused: — Alas! that I don't it is
Defendant of a crime that I don't know,
As well as the hidden insect
On the rose I cut yesterday! —
There she is, the maiden's schism,
From the daughter of loneliness;
Here it is, the remorse that hides
In the folds of the heart.
FREIRE, Junqueira. The remorse of the innocent. In: FREIRE, Junqueira. Inspirations from the cloister. 2. ed. Coimbra: University Press, 1867.
The verb “to be”, highlighted in the first two stanzas, is conjugated in:
A) present indicative.
B) present subjunctive.
C) imperfect tense of the indicative.
D) imperfect subjunctive.
E) negative imperative.
Resolution:
Alternative B.
The verb “to be”, in the present subjunctive, presents the following conjugation: [que] eu estar, [que] tus estar, [que] he or she is, [que] we are, [que] you are, [que] ] they or they are.
question 2
Read, below, a fragment of the chronicle “Cordilheira”, by Rubem Braga:
On a lazy Saturday afternoon I walked through Balmaceda Park, full of trees, children, flowers and lovers. No é Forbidden, fortunately, to step on the grass. É It is forbidden to pick flowers and play soccer, but this represents more of an opinion on City Hall signs than a human reality. Here and there, three boys play ball and a girl picks flowers without keeping it, for which reason, she loses her good mood. I've also smoked twice on the bus, ignoring the warning, and nobody called me out; Chile, thank God, é a good latin country.
BRAGA, Reuben. Cordillera. In: BRAGA, Rubem. Woe to you, Copacabana. 28. ed. Rio de Janeiro: Record, 2010.
About the three occurrences of the verb “to be”, highlighted in the paragraph, it is possible to state:
A) In all three cases, the verb “ser” is conjugated in the imperfect tense.
B) In the first occurrence, the verb is conjugated in the negative imperative.
C) In two occurrences, the subject is clause.
D) In the second occurrence, the term “prohibited” qualifies the verb “to be”.
E) In the third case, the verb agrees with the subject “God”.
Resolution:
Alternative C.
In “It is not forbidden, fortunately, to step on the grass”, the sentence “to step on the grass” plays the role of subject: “Treading on the grass is not forbidden”. In “It is forbidden to pick flowers and play ball, [...]”, the sentences “pick flowers” and “play ball” play the role of subject: “Picking flowers and playing ball is prohibited.”
By Warley Soua
Portuguese teacher
