Portuguese Verbs Basics Flashcards
This deck provides a rundown of the basic rules that govern Portuguese grammar and conjugation. You will learn about the main verb groups, subject pronouns, reflexive verbs and pronouns, impersonal verbs, and some irregular verbs -- like those that end in -POR. You will also learn some differences between Brazilian and European Portuguese, as well as the regular conjugation endings for the tenses presented in the other decks of this product.
What are the main subject pronouns used in Portuguese?
- eu (I)
- tu (the singular “you”)
- ele/ela (he/she)
- nós (we)
- vós (the plural “you”)
- eles/elas (they)
How is você used as a subject pronoun?
Você (or its plural form vocês) is an alternative for the second-person pronouns – tu and vós. However, although it technically refers to a second person (“you” or “you all”), it is used with third-person conjugations.
Example: Tu gostas de música” = Você gosta de música” = “You like music”
What are the usual formal and informal treatments in Brazilian Portuguese?
In Brazilian Portuguese, você is the standard informal treatment, and is replaced by o senhor/a senhora (“Sir”/”Madam”) in formal contexts. In very colloquial settings, tu may also be employed, in a grammatically incorrect but generally accepted construction, where it is actually used with third-person conjugations, instead of those for the second person.
Example: “Are you going to do that?”
Você vai fazer isso? [grammatically correct third-person conjugation]
Tu vai fazer isso? [grammatically incorrect third-person conjugation, but accepted informally]
The proper usage of tu in Brazilian Portuguese doesn’t sound natural in most contexts. In Portugal, however, tu is the standard informal treatment (with the proper second-person conjugations), while você is used formally.
What are the three main regular verb groups in Portuguese?
The three groups are as follows: those ending in -AR (1st conjugation), those ending in -ER (2nd conjugation), and those ending in -IR (3rd conjugation).
There are also several irregular verbs that differ in one or multiple forms and that require specific memorization. Verbs ending in -POR, such as pôr (to put), propor (to propose), or compor (to compose), form a particular group of verbs that, despite the differences in form, are traditionally included in the 2nd conjugation group by many linguists.
What are the four most commonly used auxiliary verbs?
- ser (to be)
- estar (to be)
- ter (to have)
- haver (to have)
In Portuguese, there are two forms of the past participle. What are they?
They are the regular and irregular past participles. The regular forms end in -ado or -ido while the irregular forms show more variation. Portuguese verbs can have both forms or only one of them.
Which auxiliary verbs should be used with the regular and irregular past participles, respectively?
Use regular past participles with ter or haver and irregular past participles with ser or estar.
Note, however, that when Portuguese speakers have to choose between a regular and an irregular past participle, many of them choose the irregular one – with any of those four auxiliary verbs, not just with ser or estar. This practice is grammatically incorrect, but very common.
Example: I had already paid them.
Eu já lhes tinha pagado. [grammatically correct]
Eu já lhes tinha pago. [technically incorrect, but commonly used]
The verbs ser and estar both mean “to be.” What is the basic difference between them?
The verbs ser and estar have the same basic meaning, but the former is used to refer to situations that are seen as intrinsic to the subject, permanent, or, at least, long-lasting. The latter, estar, refers to situations that are temporary.
Examples: She is a happy woman.
Ela é uma mulher feliz. [A long-lasting state.]
He is happy at this moment.
Ele está feliz neste momento. [A temporary state.]
Are subject pronouns mandatory in Portuguese conjugation?
No. Subject pronouns are frequently omitted whenever the subject is clear, because the verb forms themselves can indicate the subject.
In which circumstances is the indicative mood typically used?
To refer to factual or highly probable situations.
How do you conjugate -AR verbs in the present indicative?
Add the following endings to the stem of the verb:
- -o
- -as
- -a
- -amos
- -ais
- -am
Conjugate the verb falar (to speak) in the present tense.
- eu falo
- tu falas
- ele/ela/você fala
- nós falamos
- vós falais
- eles/elas/vocês falam
How do you conjugate -ER verbs in the present indicative?
Using the verb comer (to eat) as an example:
- como
- comes
- come
- comemos
- comeis
- comem
How do you conjugate -IR verbs in the present indicative?
Using the verb abrir (to open) as an example:
- abro
- abres
- abre
- abrimos
- abris
- abrem
How do you conjugate verbs ending in -POR in the present indicative?
Using the verb pôr (to put) as an example:
- ponho
- pões
- põe
- pomos
- pondes
- põem
The English and the Portuguese present perfect are structurally similar. However, are they identical in usage?
No. In terms of usage, the present perfect in English would be better matched with the Portuguese simple past. The Portuguese present perfect is actually an equivalent of the English present perfect continuous, describing an action that began in the past but hasn’t finished yet. Aside from the present perfect, Portuguese compound tenses are usually similar in all ways to their English counterparts.
How do you conjugate -AR verbs in the present perfect tense?
Take the present tense of the auxiliary verb (ter or haver) and add the past participle of the verb you are conjugating. If the verb has two forms for the past participle, use only the regular form.
Conjugate the verb falar in the present perfect tense.
- eu tenho falado
- tu tens falado
- ele/ela/você tem falado
- nós temos falado
- vós tendes falado
- eles/elas/vocês têm falado
How do you conjugate -ER verbs in the present perfect?
- tenho comido
- tens comido
- tem comido
- temos comido
- tendes comido
- têm comido
How do you conjugate -IR verbs in the present perfect?
- tenho aberto
- tens aberto
- tem aberto
- temos aberto
- tendes aberto
- têm aberto
Note that this is an irregular past participle. It is used in this case because the verb abrir is considered to have only this form of the past participle.
How do you conjugate verbs ending in -POR in the present perfect?
- tenho posto
- tens posto
- tem posto
- temos posto
- tendes posto
- têm posto
This is an irregular past participle.
How do you conjugate -AR verbs in the imperfect tense?
Add the following endings to the stem of the verb:
- -ava
- -avas
- -ava
- -ávamos
- -áveis
- -avam
Conjugate the verb falar in the imperfect tense.
- eu falava
- tu falavas
- ele/ela/você falava
- nós falávamos
- vós faláveis
- eles/elas/vocês falavam
How do you conjugate -ER verbs in the imperfect indicative?
- comia
- comias
- comia
- comíamos
- comíeis
- comiam