teriam

Teriam is the third-person plural form of the Portuguese verb ter in the conditional mood. It translates as “they would have” in English and is used to express hypothetical possession, obligation, or possibility, typically within a subordinate clause or when paired with a following participle to form a conditional perfect.

Morphology and usage: The verb ter is irregular in its conditional endings. The present conditional forms include eu teria, tu terias, ele teria, nós teríamos, vós teríeis, eles teriam. The form “teriam” appears with “eles” or “elas” as the subject. It is commonly used in constructions introduced by se (if) to express hypothetical situations, and in combination with a past participle to form the conditional perfect, as in “Eles teriam ido” (they would have gone). It can also appear without a following verb, as part of a subordinate clause, to express possibility or hypothetical possession, e.g., “Eles teriam uma casa” (They would have a house).

Etymology: The Portuguese verb ter derives from Latin habere, and its irregular present conditional forms are a characteristic of the verb’s long-standing irregularity. The term ter is a core item in the Portuguese lexicon used to express possession, obligation, and necessity in various tenses.

See also: Portuguese language; conditional mood; ter (verb).