Learning a new language can be both an exciting and challenging experience, and Portuguese is no exception. One of the key aspects of mastering Portuguese is understanding its verb tenses. Verb tenses are essential for conveying the time and nature of an action, and in Portuguese, there are several tenses to familiarize yourself with. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of Portuguese verb tenses, helping you to navigate their complexities and use them correctly in everyday conversation.
Present Tense (Presente)
The present tense in Portuguese is used to describe actions that are happening now or habitual actions. It is equivalent to the simple present tense in English.
Conjugation: Regular verbs in Portuguese are divided into three conjugation groups based on their infinitive endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. Here’s how you conjugate regular verbs in the present tense:
1. **-ar verbs (e.g., falar – to speak):**
– Eu falo (I speak)
– Tu falas (You speak – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você fala (He/She/You speak – formal singular)
– Nós falamos (We speak)
– Vós falais (You speak – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês falam (They/You speak – plural)
2. **-er verbs (e.g., comer – to eat):**
– Eu como (I eat)
– Tu comes (You eat – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você come (He/She/You eat – formal singular)
– Nós comemos (We eat)
– Vós comeis (You eat – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês comem (They/You eat – plural)
3. **-ir verbs (e.g., abrir – to open):**
– Eu abro (I open)
– Tu abres (You open – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você abre (He/She/You open – formal singular)
– Nós abrimos (We open)
– Vós abris (You open – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês abrem (They/You open – plural)
Past Tenses
In Portuguese, there are several past tenses that you need to be aware of: the Preterite (Pretérito Perfeito), Imperfect (Pretérito Imperfeito), and Pluperfect (Pretérito Mais-que-Perfeito).
Preterite (Pretérito Perfeito)
The preterite tense is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. It is akin to the simple past tense in English.
Conjugation:
1. **-ar verbs (e.g., falar – to speak):**
– Eu falei (I spoke)
– Tu falaste (You spoke – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você falou (He/She/You spoke – formal singular)
– Nós falamos (We spoke)
– Vós falastes (You spoke – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês falaram (They/You spoke – plural)
2. **-er verbs (e.g., comer – to eat):**
– Eu comi (I ate)
– Tu comeste (You ate – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você comeu (He/She/You ate – formal singular)
– Nós comemos (We ate)
– Vós comestes (You ate – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês comeram (They/You ate – plural)
3. **-ir verbs (e.g., abrir – to open):**
– Eu abri (I opened)
– Tu abriste (You opened – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você abriu (He/She/You opened – formal singular)
– Nós abrimos (We opened)
– Vós abristes (You opened – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês abriram (They/You opened – plural)
Imperfect (Pretérito Imperfeito)
The imperfect tense is used for actions that were ongoing or habitual in the past, similar to “used to” or “was/were …ing” in English.
Conjugation:
1. **-ar verbs (e.g., falar – to speak):**
– Eu falava (I used to speak / I was speaking)
– Tu falavas (You used to speak / You were speaking – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você falava (He/She/You used to speak / was speaking – formal singular)
– Nós falávamos (We used to speak / We were speaking)
– Vós faláveis (You used to speak / You were speaking – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês falavam (They/You used to speak / were speaking – plural)
2. **-er verbs (e.g., comer – to eat):**
– Eu comia (I used to eat / I was eating)
– Tu comias (You used to eat / You were eating – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você comia (He/She/You used to eat / was eating – formal singular)
– Nós comíamos (We used to eat / We were eating)
– Vós comíeis (You used to eat / You were eating – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês comiam (They/You used to eat / were eating – plural)
3. **-ir verbs (e.g., abrir – to open):**
– Eu abria (I used to open / I was opening)
– Tu abrias (You used to open / You were opening – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você abria (He/She/You used to open / was opening – formal singular)
– Nós abríamos (We used to open / We were opening)
– Vós abríeis (You used to open / You were opening – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês abriam (They/You used to open / were opening – plural)
Pluperfect (Pretérito Mais-que-Perfeito)
The pluperfect tense is used to describe actions that had been completed before another action in the past. It is equivalent to the past perfect tense in English.
Conjugation:
1. **-ar verbs (e.g., falar – to speak):**
– Eu falara (I had spoken)
– Tu falaras (You had spoken – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você falara (He/She/You had spoken – formal singular)
– Nós faláramos (We had spoken)
– Vós faláreis (You had spoken – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês falaram (They/You had spoken – plural)
2. **-er verbs (e.g., comer – to eat):**
– Eu comera (I had eaten)
– Tu comeras (You had eaten – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você comera (He/She/You had eaten – formal singular)
– Nós comêramos (We had eaten)
– Vós comêreis (You had eaten – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês comeram (They/You had eaten – plural)
3. **-ir verbs (e.g., abrir – to open):**
– Eu abrira (I had opened)
– Tu abriras (You had opened – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você abrira (He/She/You had opened – formal singular)
– Nós abríramos (We had opened)
– Vós abríreis (You had opened – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês abriram (They/You had opened – plural)
Future Tenses
Portuguese has two main future tenses: the Future Simple (Futuro do Presente) and the Future Subjunctive (Futuro do Subjuntivo).
Future Simple (Futuro do Presente)
The future simple tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. It is similar to the simple future tense in English.
Conjugation:
1. **-ar verbs (e.g., falar – to speak):**
– Eu falarei (I will speak)
– Tu falarás (You will speak – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você falará (He/She/You will speak – formal singular)
– Nós falaremos (We will speak)
– Vós falareis (You will speak – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês falarão (They/You will speak – plural)
2. **-er verbs (e.g., comer – to eat):**
– Eu comerei (I will eat)
– Tu comerás (You will eat – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você comerá (He/She/You will eat – formal singular)
– Nós comeremos (We will eat)
– Vós comereis (You will eat – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês comerão (They/You will eat – plural)
3. **-ir verbs (e.g., abrir – to open):**
– Eu abrirei (I will open)
– Tu abrirás (You will open – informal singular)
– Ele/Ela/Você abrirá (He/She/You will open – formal singular)
– Nós abriremos (We will open)
– Vós abrireis (You will open – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês abrirão (They/You will open – plural)
Future Subjunctive (Futuro do Subjuntivo)
The future subjunctive tense is used in dependent clauses to express actions that will happen in the future, often under conditions or in hypothetical scenarios. It doesn’t have a direct equivalent in English but is crucial for expressing uncertainty or conditions.
Conjugation:
1. **-ar verbs (e.g., falar – to speak):**
– Quando eu falar (When I speak)
– Quando tu falares (When you speak – informal singular)
– Quando ele/ela/você falar (When he/she/you speak – formal singular)
– Quando nós falarmos (When we speak)
– Quando vós falardes (When you speak – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Quando eles/elas/vocês falarem (When they/you speak – plural)
2. **-er verbs (e.g., comer – to eat):**
– Quando eu comer (When I eat)
– Quando tu comeres (When you eat – informal singular)
– Quando ele/ela/você comer (When he/she/you eat – formal singular)
– Quando nós comermos (When we eat)
– Quando vós comerdes (When you eat – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Quando eles/elas/vocês comerem (When they/you eat – plural)
3. **-ir verbs (e.g., abrir – to open):**
– Quando eu abrir (When I open)
– Quando tu abrires (When you open – informal singular)
– Quando ele/ela/você abrir (When he/she/you open – formal singular)
– Quando nós abrirmos (When we open)
– Quando vós abrirdes (When you open – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Quando eles/elas/vocês abrirem (When they/you open – plural)
Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood in Portuguese is used to express wishes, doubts, uncertainty, or hypothetical situations. It includes the Present Subjunctive (Presente do Subjuntivo) and the Past Subjunctive (Pretérito Imperfeito do Subjuntivo).
Present Subjunctive (Presente do Subjuntivo)
The present subjunctive is used for actions that are desired, doubtful, or hypothetical. It often follows verbs of wishing, emotion, doubt, or necessity.
Conjugation:
1. **-ar verbs (e.g., falar – to speak):**
– Que eu fale (That I speak)
– Que tu fales (That you speak – informal singular)
– Que ele/ela/você fale (That he/she/you speak – formal singular)
– Que nós falemos (That we speak)
– Que vós faleis (That you speak – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Que eles/elas/vocês falem (That they/you speak – plural)
2. **-er verbs (e.g., comer – to eat):**
– Que eu coma (That I eat)
– Que tu comas (That you eat – informal singular)
– Que ele/ela/você coma (That he/she/you eat – formal singular)
– Que nós comamos (That we eat)
– Que vós comais (That you eat – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Que eles/elas/vocês comam (That they/you eat – plural)
3. **-ir verbs (e.g., abrir – to open):**
– Que eu abra (That I open)
– Que tu abras (That you open – informal singular)
– Que ele/ela/você abra (That he/she/you open – formal singular)
– Que nós abramos (That we open)
– Que vós abrais (That you open – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Que eles/elas/vocês abram (That they/you open – plural)
Past Subjunctive (Pretérito Imperfeito do Subjuntivo)
The past subjunctive is used for hypothetical situations or actions that were desired, doubted, or uncertain in the past.
Conjugation:
1. **-ar verbs (e.g., falar – to speak):**
– Se eu falasse (If I spoke)
– Se tu falasses (If you spoke – informal singular)
– Se ele/ela/você falasse (If he/she/you spoke – formal singular)
– Se nós falássemos (If we spoke)
– Se vós falásseis (If you spoke – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Se eles/elas/vocês falassem (If they/you spoke – plural)
2. **-er verbs (e.g., comer – to eat):**
– Se eu comesse (If I ate)
– Se tu comesses (If you ate – informal singular)
– Se ele/ela/você comesse (If he/she/you ate – formal singular)
– Se nós comêssemos (If we ate)
– Se vós comêsseis (If you ate – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Se eles/elas/vocês comessem (If they/you ate – plural)
3. **-ir verbs (e.g., abrir – to open):**
– Se eu abrisse (If I opened)
– Se tu abrisses (If you opened – informal singular)
– Se ele/ela/você abrisse (If he/she/you opened – formal singular)
– Se nós abríssemos (If we opened)
– Se vós abrísseis (If you opened – formal plural, mostly archaic)
– Se eles/elas/vocês abrissem (If they/you opened – plural)
Conclusion
Mastering Portuguese verb tenses is crucial for effective communication in the language. While the numerous tenses and conjugations can seem daunting at first, practice and exposure will make them more intuitive over time. Use this guide as a reference to help you understand and practice the various verb tenses. Remember, consistency and patience are key in language learning, so keep practicing and immersing yourself in Portuguese, and you will see significant improvement in your proficiency. Boa sorte (Good luck)!
