Desligam

Desligam is the third‑person plural present indicative form of the Portuguese verb desligar, meaning “to disconnect,” “to switch off,” or “to terminate” an action or relationship. The verb belongs to the first conjugation group, with the infinitive ending in –ar. In everyday speech, desligam is commonly used to describe electrical devices being turned off, the ending of phone calls, or the formal termination of contracts. For example, “Os funcionários desligam a máquina antes de sair” (Employees switch off the machine before leaving) and “Os termos do contrato passam a ter validade porque os contratantes desligam o acordo” (The contractual terms become null because the parties terminate the agreement).

The form appears frequently in news reports about power outages, company layoffs, or legal separations. It can also express emotional detachment: “Ele desligou a conversa com a crítica” (He disconnected the conversation from criticism). In idiomatic use, desligar pode recuar (to withdraw) or desligar o foco (to shift focus). In military contexts, desligam can refer to ceasing operations or withdraw from engagement.

Desligar also has phrasal completive uses such as “desligar-se” meaning to detach oneself socially. The plural verb form remains consistent across tense variations: desligam pivô no presente, desligavam no passado, desligariam no futuro. This verb is integral to Portuguese for describing processes of cessation, disconnection, or ending, and its plural form reflects actions performed by multiple agents.