duvido

Duvido is the first-person singular present indicative form of the Portuguese verb duvidar, meaning to doubt. It is used to express skepticism about a statement, claim, or situation, and can function as a complete sentence on its own in informal speech, equivalent to the English “I doubt it.”

Etymology and related forms: duvidar comes from Latin dubitare, via the Romance language development, with the noun dúvida meaning doubt and the adjective duvidoso meaning doubtful. The stressed forms in related words help reflect the semantic link among doubt, uncertainty, and suspicion.

Usage and grammar: in statements of doubt, duvido is often followed by a subordinate clause in the subjunctive mood, for example, “Duvido que ele tenha feito isso” (I doubt that he did this). The verb can also pair with de to express doubt about a person or thing, as in “duvido de sua sinceridade.” The word is widely used in informal and formal Portuguese, though its strength varies with context.

Pronunciation: in Standard Portuguese, duvido is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable: du-VI-do, phonetic approximations [duˈvi.du].

See also: dúvida, duvidar, duvidoso. These related terms cover the noun form for doubt, the infinitive verb meaning to doubt, and the adjective meaning doubtful, respectively.