decrescemos

Decrescemos is the first-person plural present indicative form of the Portuguese verb decrescer, meaning to decrease or to become smaller. It denotes that the subject group is causing a reduction in a quantity, rate, or intensity. The form is used in everyday and technical language, and it appears in sentences referring to deliberate reduction or measurement over time.

Etymology and form: Decrescer comes from de- (a prefix indicating reversal) combined with crescer (to grow). The verb is conjugated regularly in the present indicative as eu decresço, tu decresces, ele/ela decresce, nós decrescemos, vós decresceis, eles/elas decrescem. The noun form decrescimento or degrowth-related terms are used when referring to the broader concept of reducing overall scale or consumption.

Usage and context: Decrescemos is appropriate when describing actions that reduce a variable or emphasize a downward trend in a plural subject. In scientific, economic, environmental, or policy texts, it may appear alongside other verbs that express reductions. It is less common in casual speech where synonyms like reduzir, diminuir, or reduzir-se might be preferred, but it remains correct and recognizable in formal writing.

Relation to related concepts: A related noun, decrescimento (degrowth), is used to discuss the idea of deliberately shrinking economy or consumption for sustainability. In contrast to languages like Spanish, where the equivalent form would be decrecemos from decrecer, Portuguese uses decrescemos from decrescer, highlighting a slight difference in verb formation across Romance languages.

See also: degrowth, reduction, reduction of emissions, sustainable consumption.