sujeitos

Sujeitos is a term used in Portuguese with multiple meanings across linguistics, philosophy, law and social sciences. In grammar, sujeitos (singular sujeito) refer to the syntactic elements that perform or are described by the predicate in a clause. The sujeito is the part of the sentence that the verb agrees with in person and number, and it can be explicit or implicit, simple or compound.

In grammatical analysis, the sujeito pode ser classed as sujeito simples (one núcleo, such as "Maria lê"); sujeito composto (two or more núcleos, such as "Maria e João leem"); sujeito oculto (the subject is not stated but implied by the verb form, as in "Lêem" for "eles/elas leem"); sujeito indeterminado (the subject is not identified, often with verbs in the third person singular); or sujeito inexistente (the sentence has no subject, as in impersonal constructions like "Chove"). The verb agrees with the sujeito, and Portuguese syntax allows various configurations, including expletive or impersonal constructions.

Beyond grammar, sujeitos also refer to the notion of the subject in philosophy, psychology and social theory—the conscious, sentient agent who experiences, acts and bears rights and responsibilities. In law, sujeito de direito or sujeito de fato denotes entities with legal capacities, such as individuals or organizations. In social sciences, the term can denote individuals or groups considered as bearers of agency, rights, identities and experiences.

Etymologically, sujeitos derives from Latin subjectus, meaning “placed under” or “lying beneath.” The concept emphasizes the role of the subject as a center of action or experience in language and thought.