Descrevessem

Descrevessem is the third-person plural imperfect subjunctive form of the Portuguese verb descrever, meaning to describe. The imperfect subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses to express hypotheticals, uncertainty, possibility, or actions viewed from a past perspective. The form descrevessem is built from the verb stem descrev- plus the ending -essem, which marks the third-person plural in this mood and tense.

Usage of descrevessem occurs in clauses that depend on another clause and convey non-real or conditional meaning in the past. It frequently appears after se in conditional sentences: Se eles descrevessem o relatório com mais detalhes, poderíamos tomar uma decisão mais embasada. It also occurs after verbs or expressions that require the subjunctive in past contexts, such as desejar, duvidar, ou desejar que, or after verbs of reporting when the content is hypothetical: Foi solicitado que eles descrevessem o plano.

Descrevessem can also appear in reported speech and formal writing, where a past-tense frame governs a subordinate clause that presents a non-assertive, hypothetical, or desired action. In many contemporary varieties, especially in informal conversation, speakers may prefer other moods or tenses, but descrevessem remains a standard form in formal written Portuguese and in grammatically conservative constructions.