Study Resource: Brazilian Portuguese verbs with a spelling change between the infinitive and present subjunctive

The verbs listed below will undergo spelling changes which allow their stem to retain the same pronunciation in the present subjunctive that is they have in the infinitive form.

Here are some other verbs that follow the patterns above:

• Verbs ending in -cer:

  • conhecer (meaning to know)

  • parecer (meaning to seem)

  • envelhecer (meaning to age)

  • amanhecer (meaning to dawn)

  • esclarecer (meaning to clarify)

  • enaltecer (meaning to extol)

• Verbs ending in -ger:

  • proteger (meaning to protect)

  • constranger (meaning to embarrass)

  • eleger (meaning to elect)

  • abranger (meaning to comprise)

  • ranger (meaning to creak)

• Verbs ending in -gir:

  • fugir (meaning to escape)

  • interagir (meaning to interact)

  • redigir (meaning to redact)

  • emergir (meaning to emerge)

  • restringir (meaning to restrict)

  • dirigir (meaning to drive)

• Verbs ending in -guer:

  • erguer (meaning to lift)

• Verbs ending in -guir:

  • prosseguir (meaning to proceed)

  • conseguir (meaning to get)

  • seguir (meaning to follow)

  • extinguir (meaning to extinguish)

  • distinguir (meaning to distinguish)

  • perseguir (meaning to persecute)

• Verbs ending in -çar:

  • começar (meaning to begin)

  • tropeçar (meaning to stumble)

  • endereçar (meaning to address)

  • despedaçar (meaning to shatter)

  • encabeçar (meaning to head)

• Verbs ending in -car:

  • provocar (meaning to provoke)

  • equivocar (meaning to mistake)

  • tocar (meaning to play, to touch)

  • alocar (meaning to allocte)

  • focar (meaning to focus)

  • colocar (meaning to put)

• Verbs ending in -gar:

  • esfregar (meaning to rub)

  • agregar (meaning to aggregate)

  • empregar (meaning to employ)

  • regar (meaning to water)

  • escorregar (meaning to slip)

  • navegar (meaning to navigate)