referem

Referem is a Portuguese verb form that functions as the third-person plural present indicative of the verb referir, meaning to refer or mention. It also appears in its reflexive form as referir-se when the action is directed toward a topic or to oneself in combination with a preposition, as in referem-se a algo.

In usage, referem indicates that a subject points to information, sources, or statements from others. It is common in journalism, academic writing, and formal reporting to say that authors, researchers, or officials refer to certain studies, data, or findings. The term often serves to attribute or summarize what a source or authority has stated, cited, or implied, rather than presenting the information as the speaker’s own claim.

Examples illustrate its meaning in context. Os especialistas referem que os resultados são inconclusivos. Os pesquisadores referem-se às limitações do estudo. In the first sentence, the specialists state that the results are inconclusive; in the second, the researchers refer to the study’s limitations, using the reflexive form to indicate the referential focus.

Etymology traces referir to Latin referre, meaning to bring back or to report, with the prefix re- and ferre. The word is related to other Romance forms of “refer” used to indicate mentioning or citing information.

Conjugation in the present indicative (standard Brazilian Portuguese): eu refiro; tu referes; ele/ela/você refere; nós referimos; vós referís; eles/elas referem. The reflexive form referem-se is used when the action is directed toward a topic or source. Note that the vós form is uncommon in modern Brazilian usage and more typical of older or European varieties.