The Portuguese language, like many other Romance languages, has different verb tenses to express actions that occur at different times. One of the most fundamental tenses is the Present Tense (Presente), which is used to talk about actions that are happening right now, habitual actions, general truths, and future events. In this explanation, we will explore how the Portuguese Present Tense is formed and conjugated for different categories of verbs.
Regular Verbs in the Present Tense:
Regular verbs in Portuguese are conjugated by removing the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir) and adding the appropriate verb endings for each person. Let’s take a closer look at the conjugation patterns for each category of verbs.
-AR Verbs:
Verbs that end in -ar belong to the -AR category. Here’s the conjugation pattern for regular -AR verbs in the Present Tense, using the example verb “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 all speak, informal plural – mostly used in Portugal)
Eles/Elas/Vocês falam (They/You all speak, formal plural)
Example sentences:
Eu falo português. (I speak Portuguese.)
Ela fala com os amigos todos os dias. (She speaks with her friends every day.)
Nós falamos sobre o filme. (We speak about the movie.)
-ER Verbs:
Verbs that end in -er belong to the -ER category. Let’s look at the conjugation pattern for regular -ER verbs in the Present Tense, using the example verb “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 all eat, informal plural – mostly used in Portugal)
Eles/Elas/Vocês comem (They/You all eat, formal plural)
Example sentences:
Eu como frutas todos os dias. (I eat fruits every day.)
Ela come no restaurante. (She eats at the restaurant.)
Nós comemos peixe para o jantar. (We eat fish for dinner.)
-IR Verbs:
Verbs that end in -ir belong to the -IR category. Let’s explore the conjugation pattern for regular -IR verbs in the Present Tense, using the example verb “partir” (to leave):
Eu parto (I leave)
Tu partes (You leave, informal singular)
Ele/Ela/Você parte (He/She/You leave, formal singular)
Nós partimos (We leave)
Vós partis (You all leave, informal plural – mostly used in Portugal)
Eles/Elas/Vocês partem (They/You all leave, formal plural)
Example sentences:
Eu parto amanhã de manhã. (I leave tomorrow morning.)
Ele parte para o trabalho cedo. (He leaves for work early.)
Nós partimos daqui às seis horas. (We leave from here at six o’clock.)
Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense:
While regular verbs in Portuguese follow a predictable pattern for conjugation, some verbs are irregular and do not conform to these patterns. Here are a few common irregular verbs and their conjugations in the Present Tense:
Ser (to be):
Eu sou (I am)
Tu és (You are, informal singular)
Ele/Ela/Você é (He/She/You are, formal singular)
Nós somos (We are)
Vós sois (You all are, informal plural – mostly used in Portugal)
Eles/Elas/Vocês são (They/You all are, formal plural)
Example sentences:
Eu sou brasileiro. (I am Brazilian.)
Ele é um bom amigo. (He is a good friend.)
Nós somos felizes juntos. (We are happy together.)
Ter (to have):
Eu tenho (I have)
Tu tens (You have, informal singular)
Ele/Ela/Você tem (He/She/You have, formal singular)
Nós temos (We have)
Vós tendes (You all have, informal plural – mostly used in Portugal)
Eles/Elas/Vocês têm (They/You all have, formal plural)
Example sentences:
Eu tenho um carro novo. (I have a new car.)
Ela tem muitos livros em casa. (She has many books at home.)
Nós temos uma reunião amanhã. (We have a meeting tomorrow.)
Ir (to go):
Eu vou (I go)
Tu vais (You go, informal singular)
Ele/Ela/Você vai (He/She/You go, formal singular)
Nós vamos (We go)
Vós ides (You all go, informal plural – mostly used in Portugal)
Eles/Elas/Vocês vão (They/You all go, formal plural)
Example sentences:
Eu vou ao cinema hoje à noite. (I am going to the movies tonight.)
Ele vai à praia aos fins de semana. (He goes to the beach on weekends.)
Nós vamos viajar no próximo mês. (We are going to travel next month.)
Conclusion:
The Portuguese Present Tense is a crucial verb tense that allows us to express actions happening in the present, habitual actions, general truths, and future events. Regular verbs in Portuguese are conjugated by removing the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir) and adding the appropriate verb endings for each person. However, some verbs are irregular and have their own unique conjugation patterns. By familiarizing yourself with these conjugation patterns and practicing with example sentences, you can start using the Portuguese Present Tense effectively in your conversations.
Originally posted 2023-07-16 18:20:55.