que seja

Portuguese

Adverb

que seja (not comparable)

1. (postpositive) modifies a quantity in negative or potential contexts (possibilities, necessities, wishes) to express that the quantity is small but would be sufficient: even; only

   Peço que me dês vinte e cinco centavos que sejam, que tenho fome.

   I ask you to give me only twenty-five cents if that is all you can give me, for I am hungry.

   Um descuido que seja porá tudo a perder.

   Only one mistake will put everything at risk.

   Ele não tem um par de sapatos que seja.

   He does not have even one pair of shoes.

Usage notes

• Although this phrase is adverbial, in that it modifies numerals, it consists of the relative pronoun que and the verb ser in the present subjunctive. Formally, the subject of the verb is the relative pronoun que which in turn modifies the noun quantified by the numeral (lit. “that may be”) and conjugation must be accordingly: hence the forms que sejam (plural), que fosse and que fossem.
• Used other than as an idiom it means “so be it”, “may it be”.

Pronoun

que seja

1. whatever (whatever it is: expresses both uncertainty and indifference towards the nature of something)

   A mim não importa se o meu médico é comunista ou o que seja.

   It does not matter to me if my doctor is a communist or whatever.