Portuguese Phrase
E se eu não me sentir seguro?
Meaning
Literally, 'And if I don’t feel safe?'. It is a rhetorical question used to voice a concern about personal safety before deciding on a plan or action.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are about to agree to something (a trip, a meeting, a night out) and you want to raise a possible feeling of insecurity, either physical or emotional.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Eseeunãomesentirseguro?
E se
Conjunction meaning 'and if', used to introduce a hypothetical situation.
Negation – não
Placed before the verb to negate the action.
Reflexive pronoun – me
Indicates that the subject feels something about themselves; it precedes the infinitive.
Infinitive after a conditional clause
In spoken Portuguese the infinitive (sentir) can appear after 'se' to express a hypothetical; the formal subjunctive would be 'sinta'.
Adjective agreement – seguro
Matches the gender (masculine) and number (singular) of the speaker.
🗨In Conversation
Vamos ao parque à noite?
Shall we go to the park at night?
E se eu não me sentir seguro?
And if I don’t feel safe?
✕Common Mistakes
E se sentir eu não me sentir seguro?
The verb must follow the subject; 'eu sentir' is ungrammatical in this construction.
E se eu não me sentir segura?
Use the masculine form 'seguro' when the speaker is male; 'segura' is feminine.
E se eu não me sinto seguro?
In a hypothetical clause you need the infinitive or subjunctive, not the present indicative.
↔Alternatives
E se eu não me sentir protegido?
And if I don’t feel protected?
E se eu não me sentir à vontade?
And if I don’t feel comfortable?
E se eu não me sentir tranquilo?
And if I don’t feel at ease?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, safety concerns are often voiced politely. Using 'seguro' can refer to both physical safety (e.g., a dangerous neighborhood) and emotional security (e.g., feeling confident with a new group). When speaking with strangers, soften the question with a friendly tone or add 'por favor' to keep the conversation courteous.