Caminhe

Caminhe is a Portuguese verb form derived from caminhar (to walk). It functions as the second-person singular formal imperative addressing you (você) and as the third-person singular present subjunctive form (que ele/ela caminhe). In practical terms, caminhe is used to issue a polite or formal command or request, or to appear in subordinate clauses that require the subjunctive.

Usage notes suggest that caminhe appears more often in formal writing, signs, instructions, or polite speech. In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, speakers typically use less formal imperatives such as ande or vá. For example: “Caminhe até a praça com cuidado” means “Walk to the square with care.” In subordinate clauses, caminhe appears as the present subjunctive form: “Espero que você caminhe com segurança.”

Pronunciation is characteristic of Portuguese phonology, with the final -he formed by the -r –ar verb stem and the nh digraph rendering a palatal nasal sound. The word is pronounced roughly as ka-mi-NYEH, with the palatal nasal for the letters “nh.”

Etymology ties caminhe to caminhar, itself related to caminho (path). The verb and its forms reflect the common Romance pattern of derived imperatives from the infinitive and its associated noun for movement along a path or route.

Related forms include caminhamos (we walk), caminham (they/you all walk), and the imperative caminha (tu informal), caminhe (você), and caminhem (vocês). The form caminhe sits at the intersection of polite instruction and subordinate clause mood, illustrating how Portuguese uses the subjunctive in direct imperatives for certain social registers.