Cortam

Cortam is a Portuguese verb form derived from the verb cortar, meaning to cut. It is the present indicative third-person plural form, used with subjects such as eles, elas, or vocês. The standard conjugation pattern for -ar verbs places cortam in the same row as outros present-tense forms like corto, cortas, corta, cortamos, and cortáis (in some varieties). In essence, cortam conveys that a cutting action is being carried out by multiple subjects in the present moment.

In usage, cortam appears in everyday speech and writing to describe actions performed by a group. It can refer to cutting physical materials, as well as more abstract or figurative cuts, such as trimming or reducing something. Examples: Eles cortam o pão em pedaços pequenos. Vocês cortam a grama todo sábado.

Linguistic notes: Cortam is distinct from its singular counterpart corta (he/she cuts) and from other person forms like corto, cortas, cortamos. It is a standard form in both Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese for describing plural subjects in the present tense. While cortam is primarily a grammatical inflection, it may also appear within longer phrases or sentences that require a plural present-tense verb meaning. The term itself is not typically treated as a standalone concept or entity in linguistic references beyond its role as a verb form.