Exemplificassem

Exemplificassem is a form of the Portuguese verb exemplificar in the subjunctive mood, specifically the imperfect (pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo) and in the third person plural. It represents the hypothetical or non-real past action of “to exemplify” and is used in subordinate clauses that depend on a previous or conditional context, such as after verbs of doubt, desire, or condition introduced by que or se.

Etymology and formation: the word derives from the infinitive exemplificar, itself built from exemplar (example) plus the suffix -ificar (to make). The imperfect subjunctive form exemplificassem is created by the stem exemplific- plus the standard endings of the -ar verbs in the imperfect subjunctive, here corresponding to the third-person plural ending -assem.

Usage: exemplificassem appears in sentences that express hypothetical or uncertain past actions. It is common in formal or written language, though it is also found in everyday speech. Examples include: “Se eles exemplificassem os casos com mais detalhes, a explicação seria mais clara,” or “Era necessário que eles exemplificassem as regras para todos os alunos.” It can also appear in indirect discourse or after expressions of desire, doubt, or condition in the past.

Related forms: the imperfect subjunctive has other subject forms such as exemplificasse (eu/ele/tu) and exemplificássemos (nós), while the present subjunctive is exemplifiquem and the future subjunctive is exemplificarem. The verb is part of a broader subclass of -ar verbs that form the imperfect subjunctive with the -assem ending in the plural.

See also: exemplificar, subjuntivo, concordância verbal.