Obedeçamos

Obedeçamos is a verb form in Portuguese that corresponds to the first person plural of the present subjunctive of the verb obedecer. It is used to express a wish, exhortation, or instruction directed at a group including the speaker, comparable to “let us obey” or “that we obey.” In practice, it often appears in subordinate clauses introduced by que, as in “Que nós obedeçamos às leis,” or in hortatory contexts to urge collective action.

Morphology and orthography: obedeçamos is formed from the stem obedec- plus the ending -emos for the nós form in the present subjunctive. The letter ç is used before a, o, or u to preserve the soft /s/ sound (obedeçamos). The pronunciation typically places the stress on the syllable é that contains the ç: o-be-de-ÇA-mos.

Usage and register: The form is most common in formal, literary, or institutional Portuguese and can appear in legal or administrative language. It is less frequent in everyday speech, where speakers might prefer constructions like vamos obedecer or que nós obedecemos.

Relation to other forms: Related forms include obedeça (present subjunctive, you formal or he/she), obedeçam (present subjunctive, they), and obedecemos (present indicative, we obey). Obedeçamos is specifically the coup de grâce of the nós form in the subjunctive, used to express collective intention or obligation.

Examples:

- Que nós obedeçamos às leis.

- Obedeçamos aos acordos para evitar conflitos.