esquecessem

Esquecessem is the third-person plural form of the imperfect subjunctive of the Portuguese verb esquecer, which means “to forget.” It appears in subordinate clauses that require the imperfect subjunctive, especially in hypothetical past situations, wishes, and certain conditional constructions.

Conjugation and related forms: The verb esquecer belongs to regular -er verbs in many of its tense forms, but its imperfect subjunctive follows a standard pattern derived from the third-person plural preterite endings. The forms in the imperfect subjunctive are: eu esquecesse, tu esquecesses, ele esquecesse, nós esquecêssemos, vós esquecêsseis, eles esquecessem. Thus, esquecessem is the form used with quem forem or eles/elas as the subject in the past-subjunctive context.

Usage and examples: Esquecessem is used after verbs of wishing, doubting, or possibility, and in conditional clauses that express hypothetical past actions. Examples include: “Se eles esquecessem o compromisso, teríamos de remarcar.” (“If they forgot the appointment, we would need to reschedule.”) and “Queria que eles esquecessem esse incidente.” (“I wish they would forget about that incident.”) The imperfect subjunctive in Portuguese is common in written language and in formal speech, and it helps convey nuance about unreality or non-fulfillment in the past.

Notes: Esquecessem is specifically the third-person plural form; other persons in the same mood are esquecesse (eu), esquecesses (tu), esquecesse (ele/ela), esquecêssemos (nós), and esquecêsseis (vós). The form is used across Portuguese varieties, though frequency and preference can vary between Brazilian and European Portuguese, and between formal and informal registers.