decresceis

Decresceis is a term found in some Portuguese grammar references, referring to the second-person plural form of the verb decrescer in the present indicative. In this sense, it corresponds to the English “you all decrease.” The form is tied to the archaic or formal use of the second-person plural pronoun vós, which is uncommon in contemporary everyday speech but still encountered in literary or historical texts.

Etymology and form: decrescer comes from the Latin decrescere, meaning “to grow smaller” or “to decrease.” The Portuguese present-tense paradigm for -er verbs in the second-person plural historically yields endings such as -eis, producing decresceis. This aligns with other verbs that adopt a similar -eis ending in the formal second-person plural.

Usage and context: In modern Portuguese, especially in Brazilian varieties, the second-person plural form decresceis is rarely used in everyday language. It is more likely to be found in European Portuguese literature, older grammar manuals, or ceremonial texts where the vós form is retained. In everyday speech, speakers typically use alternative constructions to express decrease, such as diminuiem or diminuem, depending on the regional variety and the subject.

See also: decrescer, decréscimo, Portuguese verb conjugation, vós usage in European Portuguese.