abrirem

Abrirem is the third-person plural form of the Portuguese verb abrir in the futuro do subjuntivo (future subjunctive) tense. This tense is used in subordinate clauses to express actions that may occur in the future, often following conjunctions such as quando, se, caso, enquanto, or depois de. The form abrirem comes from the infinitive abrir with the standard futuro do subjuntivo endings: eu abrir, tu abrires, ele abrir, nós abrirmos, vós abrirdes, eles abrirem.

Usage and notes:

Abrirem is used to indicate contingent or hypothetical future actions. It frequently appears in clauses introduced by conjunctions that set a future condition or time reference. In main clauses, the future subjunctive is often linked to verbs in the conditional or future tense, creating sentences like: Quando abrirem as portas, entrem; Se abrirem o arquivo, avisem; Caso abrirem o estabelecimento, informem os clientes. The form is common to both Brazilian and European Portuguese, though its frequency and preferred constructions can vary by regional style.

Examples:

- Quando abrirem as portas, comecem a inspeção.

- Se abrirem o envelope, informem o conteúdo aos demais.

- Caso abrirem o software, salvem o trabalho antes de fechar.

Etymology:

Abrirem derives from abrir, which comes from Latin aperire. The futuro do subjuntivo forms, including abrirem, reflect a historical development in Portuguese where verbs in -ir adopt distinct subjunctive endings for the third-person plural.