Impersonal Constructions in Portuguese

Overview

Impersonal Constructions (Construções Impessoais) is a intermediate (CEFR B1) topic in Portuguese grammar. Impersonal expressions: é preciso/necessário + infinitive or que + subjunctive. É possível, é importante. Há que + infinitive (one must).

Understanding impersonal constructions is essential for building correct Portuguese sentences and communicating effectively. This concept is introduced at the B1 level and forms part of the foundation for more advanced grammar structures.

Whether you are learning Brazilian or European Portuguese, mastering impersonal constructions will significantly improve your ability to express yourself naturally and accurately in a variety of contexts.

How It Works

Impersonal expressions: é preciso/necessário + infinitive or que + subjunctive. É possível, é importante. Há que + infinitive (one must).

Examples in Context

Portuguese	English	Note
É preciso estudar mais.	One must study more.
É possível entrar.	One can enter.
É importante aprender.	It's important to learn.
Há que ter cuidado.	One must be careful.
Convem estudar.	Advisable to study.
Basta saber isso.	Enough to know that.
Trabalha-se muito.	People work hard.
Pode-se entrar?	May one enter?
Vale a pena ir.	Worth going.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect form usage

• Wrong: Applying rules from English or other languages directly
• Right: Follow Portuguese-specific patterns for impersonal constructions
• Why: Portuguese has its own rules that do not always align with English or other Romance languages.

Forgetting agreement rules

• Wrong: Not matching gender, number, or person correctly
• Right: Ensure all elements in the sentence agree with each other
• Why: Portuguese requires strict agreement between subjects, verbs, articles, adjectives, and pronouns.

Mixing formal and informal registers

• Wrong: Using tu forms with voce verb conjugations, or vice versa
• Right: Be consistent with your chosen register throughout a conversation
• Why: Register consistency is important for natural-sounding Portuguese.

Usage Notes

At the B1 level, understanding regional variation becomes more important. Brazilian and European Portuguese may handle impersonal constructions differently in terms of frequency, formality, and preferred constructions.

This concept is essential for both spoken and written Portuguese at the intermediate level. In formal writing, adhere to the standard rules; in casual speech, you may encounter simplified or alternative forms, particularly in Brazilian Portuguese.

Practice Tips

1. Practice impersonal constructions with authentic Portuguese texts, listening for how native speakers use these forms in context.
2. Create flashcards with complete example sentences rather than isolated words to reinforce natural patterns.
3. Write short paragraphs using impersonal constructions and compare them with native-written texts to identify areas for improvement.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Há (there is/are) -- provides the foundational knowledge needed for impersonal constructions