Language/Portuguese/Grammar/Regular-Verbs

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Portuguese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Unit 7: Verbs - Past Tense → Regular Verbs

Introduction

Welcome to Unit 7 of the "Complete 0 to A1 Portuguese Course"! In this unit, we will delve into the past tense of regular verbs. Being able to properly conjugate verbs in the past tense is essential for expressing actions that have already happened in Portuguese. By the end of this lesson, you will have a solid understanding of how to conjugate regular verbs in the past tense and be able to use them in sentences with confidence.

Regular Verbs in the Past Tense

In Portuguese, regular verbs are those that follow a predictable pattern when conjugated. The past tense of regular verbs is formed by adding specific endings to the verb stem, depending on the subject pronoun. Let's take a look at the conjugation of regular verbs in the past tense for each subject pronoun:

Eu (I)

To conjugate regular verbs in the past tense for the subject pronoun "eu" (I), we add the ending "-ei" to the verb stem:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Falar	[faˈlaɾ]	Spoke
Comer	[koˈmeɾ]	Ate
Beber	[beˈbeɾ]	Drank

Tu (You, informal)

To conjugate regular verbs in the past tense for the subject pronoun "tu" (you, informal), we add the ending "-aste" to the verb stem:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Falar	[faˈlaɾ]	Spoke
Comer	[koˈmeɾ]	Ate
Beber	[beˈbeɾ]	Drank

Ele/Ela/Você (He/She/You, formal)

To conjugate regular verbs in the past tense for the subject pronouns "ele" (he), "ela" (she), and "você" (you, formal), we add the ending "-ou" to the verb stem:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Falar	[faˈlaɾ]	Spoke
Comer	[koˈmeɾ]	Ate
Beber	[beˈbeɾ]	Drank

Nós (We)

To conjugate regular verbs in the past tense for the subject pronoun "nós" (we), we add the ending "-ámos" to the verb stem:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Falar	[faˈlaɾ]	Spoke
Comer	[koˈmeɾ]	Ate
Beber	[beˈbeɾ]	Drank

Vós (You all)

To conjugate regular verbs in the past tense for the subject pronoun "vós" (you all), we add the ending "-astes" to the verb stem:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Falar	[faˈlaɾ]	Spoke
Comer	[koˈmeɾ]	Ate
Beber	[beˈbeɾ]	Drank

Eles/Elas/Vocês (They)

To conjugate regular verbs in the past tense for the subject pronouns "eles" (they), "elas" (they), and "vocês" (you all), we add the ending "-aram" to the verb stem:

Portuguese	Pronunciation	English
Falar	[faˈlaɾ]	Spoke
Comer	[koˈmeɾ]	Ate
Beber	[beˈbeɾ]	Drank

Now that you have learned the conjugation of regular verbs in the past tense for each subject pronoun, let's practice using them in sentences.

Practice Sentences

In this section, we will provide you with some practice sentences to reinforce your understanding of regular verbs in the past tense. Try to translate the sentences into English and check your answers with the provided translations.

• Eu falei com o meu amigo ontem. (I spoke to my friend yesterday.)
• Tu comeste toda a pizza sozinho? (Did you eat the whole pizza by yourself?)
• Ele bebeu um copo de água depois do jantar. (He drank a glass of water after dinner.)
• Nós falamos sobre o filme durante o jantar. (We talked about the movie during dinner.)
• Vós comestes todas as sobremesas da festa. (You all ate all the desserts at the party.)
• Eles beberam cerveja na praia. (They drank beer at the beach.)

Summary

In this lesson, we have learned how to conjugate regular verbs in the past tense. Remember to add the appropriate endings to the verb stem depending on the subject pronoun. By mastering the conjugation of regular verbs in the past tense, you will be able to express actions that have already happened in Portuguese with ease and accuracy.

Keep practicing and soon you will be able to use regular verbs in the past tense naturally in conversations. In the next lesson, we will explore the conjugation of irregular verbs in the past tense.

Table of Contents - Portuguese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Unit 1: Greetings and Basic Phrases

• Greetings
• Basic Phrases

  ---

Unit 2: Verbs - Present Tense

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Ser and Estar

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Unit 3: Family and Descriptions

• Family Members
• Physical Descriptions
• Personality Descriptions

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Unit 4: Verbs - Future and Conditional Tenses

• Future Tense
• Conditional Tense

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Unit 5: Portuguese-Speaking Countries and Cultures

• Brazil
• Portugal
• Cape Verde
• Angola

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Unit 6: Food and Drink

• Food
• Drink
• Eating Customs

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Unit 7: Verbs - Past Tense

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs

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Unit 8: Travel and Transportation

• Air Travel
• Ground Transportation
• Transportation Customs

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Unit 9: Indefinite Pronouns and Prepositions

• Indefinite Pronouns
• Prepositions

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Unit 10: Health and Emergencies

• Medical Vocabulary
• Emergency Services

Other Lessons

• Time
• Nouns
• Future Tense
• Irregular Verbs
• Articles
• Gender
• Questions
• Conditional Tense
• How to Use Have

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