pertencemos

Pertencemos is the first-person plural present indicative form of the Portuguese verb pertencer, meaning to belong or to pertain. It expresses that the subject “we” belong to or are part of something, such as a group, place, organization, or shared identity.

Etymology and form: Pertencer comes from Latin pertinere, meaning “to pertain” or “to reach toward,” passed into Portuguese through historical forms in Old Portuguese. The present tense paradigm includes eu pertenço, tu pertences, ele pertence, nós pertencemos, vós pertenceis, eles pertencem. Therefore, pertencemos specifically marks inclusion or membership in the present time.

Usage: The term is widely used in everyday and formal Portuguese to denote membership or alignment with a collective, a place, an institution, or a set of ideas. Examples: “Pertencemos a uma mesma comunidade” (We belong to the same community); “Nós pertencemos a este projeto há anos” (We have been part of this project for years). It can also carry a figurative sense of belonging to a tradition, values, or a shared history.

Grammatical notes: Pertencer is an irregular -er verb in some forms, with the characteristic first-person singular form pertenço and related variations. The 1st person plural present is pertencemos. In European Portuguese, more archaic forms like vós pertenceis may appear, while in Brazilian Portuguese the vós form is rarely used.

Related terms: pertencer, pertencimento (the sense of belonging or membership), and pertencer a group or category can be expressed with synonyms such as fazer parte or ser parte de, depending on context.

See also: belonging, membership, and related Portuguese terminology for forming phrases about group identity.