dificultam

Dificultam is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Portuguese verb dificultar, meaning to hinder, to make something difficult, or to complicate. It is used to describe actions by multiple subjects that impede progress, complicate a process, or raise the level of challenge in a given situation. The verb dificultar itself comes from the adjective difícil (difficult) and is formed with a regular -ar verb pattern.

Conjugation note: Dificultar is a regular -ar verb. In present tense, forms include eu dificulto, tu dificultas, ele dificulta, nós dificultamos, vocês dificultam, eles dificultam. The form dificuldades vary by pronoun, while dificultam specifically marks the third-person plural present.

Usage examples: As mudanças regulatórias dificultam o andamento do projeto. Vários fatores dificultam a obtenção de licença. In these examples, dificultam expresses that the actions of the subjects create obstacles or increase the degree of difficulty for the object of the action.

Grammatical and stylistic considerations: Dificultam is common in formal and informal writing and speech, and it is typically used with a direct object that denotes a process, goal, or activity. It can pair with nouns, verbs in infinitive, or clauses to convey impediment or complication.

See also: dificultar, dificuldade, facilitar, obstáculo. Dificuldade is the noun form referring to difficulty itself, while facilitar is the opposite meaning, to facilitate.