Portuguese Phrase
Depende da política que eles têm.
Meaning
The sentence means 'It depends on the policy they have.' It points out that the outcome or decision is contingent upon the specific rules or guidelines that the group follows.
When to use
Use this phrase when explaining why a result varies based on different organizational or institutional policies, such as in work, school, or government contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Dependedapolíticaqueelestêm
Depender de + noun
The verb 'depender' is followed by the preposition 'de' and a noun or noun phrase to indicate dependence.
Contraction da = de + a
In Portuguese, the preposition 'de' contracts with the feminine singular definite article 'a' to form 'da'.
Relative pronoun que
The word 'que' introduces a relative clause describing the noun that precedes it.
Eles (they) + têm (have)
The third‑person plural present of 'ter' is 'têm', indicating possession or existence of a policy.
Política (policy) – feminine noun
Remember that 'política' is feminine, so it takes the article 'a' (da) and agreement in adjectives.
🗨In Conversation
Quero saber se posso trabalhar de casa.
I want to know if I can work from home.
Depende da política que eles têm.
It depends on the policy they have.
✕Common Mistakes
Depende de a política que eles têm.
The preposition 'de' contracts with the article 'a' to form 'da'.
Depende da política que eles tem.
Make sure to include the circumflex accent on 'têm' to indicate the third‑person plural of 'ter'.
Depende da política que eles tem.
Subject‑verb agreement: 'eles' requires 'têm', not 'tem'.
↔Alternatives
Depende da regra que eles seguem.
It depends on the rule they follow.
Depende da norma que eles adotam.
It depends on the norm they adopt.
Depende da política que a empresa estabelece.
It depends on the policy the company establishes.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, 'política' can refer to both governmental policies and internal company rules. When speaking formally, use the full phrase; in casual conversation, Brazilians often shorten it to 'Depende da política deles' or simply 'Depende da política'.