existem

Existem is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Portuguese verb existir, meaning to exist. It is used to state the presence or existence of multiple entities or phenomena, roughly translating as “there are” or “they exist” in English. The verb existir comes from Latin existere, meaning to stand forth or to arise, and Portuguese retains the semantic link to existence.

In everyday use, existem appears with plural subjects. Examples: Existem muitos livros na biblioteca. Existem várias razões para isso. It can also be used in impersonal constructions to emphasize the existence of something in a given context, often with adjectives or nouns following.

Existem contrasts with há, another common Portuguese way to express existence. Há is impersonal and can be used for both singular and plural, though it often conveys a more general or background existence, while existem emphasizes the presence of concrete items or a set of items. Choose between them based on nuance, formality, and emphasis: Existem estudantes interessados; Há estudantes interessados.

Grammatically, existem is the present indicative third-person plural form of existir. The related forms include eu existo, tu existes, ele existe, nós existimos, vós existís, eles existem, as well as various past, conditional, and subjunctive forms. The word has cognates in other Romance languages, such as existir in Portuguese and existir in Spanish, reflecting a shared Latin root.

See also: existence in language, comparison of Portuguese verb tenses, há vs existem usage notes.