começarem

"Começarem" is the third-person plural future subjunctive form of the Portuguese verb "começar," which means "to begin" or "to start." This conjugation is part of the complex verb system in Portuguese, reflecting different tenses, moods, and voices.

In formal contexts, "começarem" is used to express actions that are expected or required to occur in the future, often in conditional or hypothetical scenarios. For example, it might appear in sentences like *"É importante que eles começarem o projeto amanhã"* ("It is important that they start the project tomorrow"), where the action is contingent on a condition.

The formation of "começarem" follows standard Portuguese verb conjugation rules. The infinitive form of "começar" is derived from the root "começ-" (with an accented "ç" to indicate the soft "s" sound), combined with the future subjunctive ending "-arem." This conjugation is consistent with other verbs ending in "-ar," such as "falar" (to speak), which becomes "falarem" in the same tense.

The future subjunctive is less commonly used in everyday speech compared to other tenses, such as the present or preterite, but it remains important in written Portuguese, particularly in formal writing, literature, and legal or administrative documents. Its use helps convey nuanced meanings, such as uncertainty, possibility, or a future action dependent on another condition.

Understanding conjugations like "começarem" is essential for learners of Portuguese, as they reflect the language's rich grammatical structure and its ability to express subtle distinctions in meaning. Proper use of such forms ensures clarity and precision in communication.