dependir

dependir is a Portuguese verb meaning “to depend” or “to rely on.” It functions as a regular verb of the first conjugation, following the -ir ending pattern, and conveys a relationship of reliance, subordination, or conditionality between subjects and objects. The infinitive form, depender, is more common in modern usage, while depender is considered archaic; however, depender appears in literary and formal contexts, especially in older texts or stylistic variations.

Etymologically, depender derives from the Latin verb dependere, composed of de (“down, from”) and pendere (“to hang”), reflecting the original sense of something hanging or being suspended from something else. The Portuguese adaptation retained the core meaning of reliance or subordination.

In conjugation, depender follows the regular -ir pattern: present indicative – eu dependo, tu dependes, ele/ela depende, nós dependemos, vós dependês, eles/elas dependem; preterite – eu dependi, tu dependeste, ele/ela dependeu, nós dependemos, vós dependestes, eles/elas dependeram; future – eu dependerei, etc. The verb can also appear in compound forms with auxiliary verbs, such as “tem dependido” (has depended) or “vai depender” (will depend).

Usage spans various registers: in everyday speech to express personal reliance (“Eu dependo do apoio da família”), in academic writing to denote causal relationships (“O resultado depende da amostra coletada”), and in legal language to indicate obligations (“O pagamento depende da aprovação do contrato”). Synonyms include “contar com,” “precisar de,” and “ser condicionado por.” The verb is integral to expressions of contingency, interdependence, and conditional outcomes in Portuguese discourse.