Obedecem

Obedecem is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Portuguese verb obedecer, meaning to obey. It denotes that a group performs the action of obeying, as in eles obedecem as regras (they obey the rules). The infinitive obedecer is used for the base form of the verb.

Etymology and meaning: obedecer comes from Latin oboedire, from ob- “toward” and audire “to hear.” The sense evolved from listening to guidance or commands to complying with authority, laws, or rules in modern Portuguese.

Usage: Obedecer takes a direct object that names what is being obeyed, typically introduced by a or às when referring to people or to laws, rules, or orders. For example, eles obedecem às leis (they obey the laws) or os estudantes obedecem ao professor (the students obey the teacher). The verb is commonly used in formal, legal, educational, and everyday contexts to express compliance.

Conjugation notes: Present indicative forms of obedecer include eu obedeço, tu obedeces, ele/ela obedece, nós obedecemos, vós obedecedes, eles/elas obedecem. “Obedecem” specifically marks the third-person plural. Brazilian Portuguese often uses the same forms, with regional variations in formality and pronoun use.