Suggest, recommend and insist look easy, but each one has its own patterns, and none of them works like “sugerir para alguém fazer”. Learn which structures are correct, where the subjunctive appears and how to stop saying “he suggested me to”.Suggest, recommend e insist parecem fáceis, mas cada um tem suas próprias estruturas, e nenhum deles funciona como “sugerir para alguém fazer”. Aprenda quais estruturas estão corretas, onde o subjuntivo aparece e como parar de dizer “he suggested me to”.
B1+ Suggest: three correct patterns
Suggest can be followed by a noun, by a verb with -ing, or by a that-clause. What it never takes is person + to. In conversation, people often leave out that: I suggest we leave early.Suggest pode vir seguido de um substantivo, de um verbo com -ing ou de uma oração com that. O que ele nunca aceita é pessoa + to. Na conversa, é comum tirar o that: I suggest we leave early (Sugiro que a gente saia cedo).
| Pattern | Example | Português |
|---|---|---|
| suggest + noun | Can you suggest a good restaurant? | Você pode sugerir um bom restaurante? |
| suggest + -ing | She suggested taking a taxi. | Ela sugeriu pegar um táxi. |
| suggest (that) + subject + base form | I suggest that you call the bank. | Sugiro que você ligue para o banco. |
| suggest + noun + to + person | He suggested a new plan to the team. | Ele sugeriu um plano novo para a equipe. |
The classic mistake
✗ My teacher suggested me to read more. ✓ My teacher suggested that I read more. ✓ My teacher suggested reading more.Em português dizemos “sugeriu para eu ler”, e por isso muitos brasileiros escrevem suggested me to. Com suggest, use a oração com that ou a forma -ing.
Why “that she take” and not “that she takes”?
After suggest that, careful English uses the base form for everyone: I suggest that she take, with no -s. This is the subjunctive. British English often uses should instead, and in relaxed speech you will hear the normal form too.Depois de suggest that, o inglês mais cuidadoso usa a forma base para todas as pessoas: I suggest that she take, sem -s. Esse é o subjuntivo. O inglês britânico costuma usar should no lugar, e na fala descontraída você também vai ouvir a forma normal.
base form / should
Correct in every situation, best for exams.Correto em qualquer situação, o melhor para provas.
The doctor suggested that he rest / should rest for a week. (O médico sugeriu que ele descansasse por uma semana.)
normal present / past
Common in relaxed speech, not for formal writing.Comum na fala descontraída, não para a escrita formal.
The doctor suggested that he rests for a week. (O médico sugeriu que ele descansasse por uma semana.)
- What do you suggest? (O que você sugere?)
- I suggest we order a pizza and stay in. (Sugiro que a gente peça uma pizza e fique em casa.)
- Ana suggested meeting at the library. (A Ana sugeriu que a gente se encontrasse na biblioteca.)
- They suggested that the meeting be moved to Friday. (Eles sugeriram que a reunião fosse transferida para sexta.)
B1+ Recommend and advise
Recommend works almost like suggest: noun, -ing or that-clause. Advise is different: it is one of the verbs that does take person + to. So the problem is not the structure itself, but which verb you use with it.Recommend funciona quase como suggest: substantivo, -ing ou oração com that. Advise é diferente: é um dos verbos que aceitam pessoa + to. Então o problema não é a estrutura em si, mas com qual verbo você a usa.
| Verb | Example | Português |
|---|---|---|
| recommend + noun | I can recommend this book. | Eu recomendo este livro. |
| recommend + -ing | I recommend booking in advance. | Recomendo reservar com antecedência. |
| recommend (that) + base form | We recommend that guests arrive early. | Recomendamos que os hóspedes cheguem cedo. |
| advise + person + to | She advised me to see a doctor. | Ela me aconselhou a ir ao médico. |
| advise + -ing | They advise wearing comfortable shoes. | Eles aconselham usar sapatos confortáveis. |
| advise against + -ing | I’d advise against signing it. | Eu não aconselharia assinar isso. |
A quick trick
If you want person + to, choose a verb that accepts it: advise, tell, ask, encourage, want. She advised me to rest and She told me to rest are both perfect.Se você quer usar pessoa + to, escolha um verbo que aceite essa estrutura: advise, tell, ask, encourage, want. She advised me to rest e She told me to rest estão perfeitas.
B2 Insist: on, that, and two meanings
Insist takes on + -ing or a that-clause. Be careful: insist that has two meanings. When it means “demand”, it takes the base form. When it means “say firmly that something is true”, it takes a normal verb.Insist aceita on + -ing ou uma oração com that. Atenção: insist that tem dois sentidos. Quando significa “exigir”, usa a forma base. Quando significa “afirmar com firmeza que algo é verdade”, usa um verbo normal.
- My grandmother insisted on paying for lunch. (Minha avó fez questão de pagar o almoço.)
- The coach insists on everyone arriving on time. (O técnico faz questão de que todos cheguem no horário.)
- If you insist, I’ll stay a little longer. (Se você insiste, fico mais um pouco.)
- He insisted that we stay for dinner. (Ele insistiu para que a gente ficasse para o jantar.)
insist that = demand
Base form, the subjunctive.Forma base, o subjuntivo.
She insisted that he leave. (Ela exigiu que ele fosse embora.)
insist that = say it’s true
Normal verb in the right tense.Verbo normal, no tempo certo.
She insisted that he had left. (Ela afirmou com firmeza que ele tinha ido embora.)
Demand, request, require and propose
These formal verbs follow the same that + base form pattern. You find them in rules, contracts, news and university emails. The negative is not + base form, with no do.Esses verbos formais seguem a mesma estrutura de that + forma base. Eles aparecem em regulamentos, contratos, notícias e e-mails de universidades. A negativa é not + forma base, sem do.
| Verb | Example | Português |
|---|---|---|
| demand | The workers demanded that the company pay them. | Os trabalhadores exigiram que a empresa os pagasse. |
| request | We request that you not use your phone. | Pedimos que você não use o celular. |
| require | The school requires that every student wear a uniform. | A escola exige que todo aluno use uniforme. |
| propose | I propose that we vote now. | Proponho que a gente vote agora. |
Which verb takes which pattern?
| Verb | + -ing | + that + base form | + person + to |
|---|---|---|---|
| suggest | ✓ suggest going | ✓ suggest that he go | ✗ |
| recommend | ✓ recommend going | ✓ recommend that he go | rare, mainly British |
| insist | ✓ insist on going | ✓ insist that he go | ✗ |
| advise | ✓ advise going | ✓ advise that he go | ✓ advise him to go |
Common Mistakes
Avoid these
✗ He suggested me to buy a new laptop. ✓ He suggested that I buy a new laptop.Suggest não aceita pessoa + to.
✗ I suggest to take the train. ✓ I suggest taking the train.Sem pessoa, use suggest + -ing.
✗ She insisted to pay. ✓ She insisted on paying.Insist pede on + -ing.
✗ They recommended that he doesn’t drive. ✓ They recommended that he not drive.Na negativa do subjuntivo, use not + forma base, sem does.
✗ Can you suggest me a hotel? ✓ Can you suggest a hotel?Não coloque a pessoa logo depois de suggest. Se quiser incluí-la, use to: suggest a hotel to me.
✗ The doctor advised me resting. ✓ The doctor advised me to rest.Com pessoa, advise pede to + verbo.
Quick Summary
| Pattern | Example | Português |
|---|---|---|
| suggest + -ing | I suggest leaving now. | Sugiro sair agora. |
| suggest that + base form | I suggest that she wait. | Sugiro que ela espere. |
| recommend + -ing | I recommend trying the soup. | Recomendo provar a sopa. |
| recommend that + base form | We recommend that he apply. | Recomendamos que ele se candidate. |
| advise + person + to | They advised us to wait. | Eles nos aconselharam a esperar. |
| insist on + -ing | He insisted on helping. | Ele fez questão de ajudar. |
| insist that + base form | She insisted that I stay. | Ela insistiu para que eu ficasse. |
| negative | We ask that you not smoke. | Pedimos que você não fume. |
Practice Time
Quiz