Language/Portuguese/Grammar/Regular-Verbs
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| ◀️ Eating Customs — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Irregular Verbs ▶️ |
Welcome to your next step in mastering Portuguese! Today, we're diving into the fascinating world of regular verbs in the present tense. Understanding how to conjugate these verbs is crucial for building your communication skills in Portuguese. Once you grasp this concept, you'll be able to express your thoughts and actions more clearly.
In this lesson, we will cover the following topics:
What are Regular Verbs?
Regular verbs in Portuguese follow a predictable pattern when conjugated. They are categorized based on their endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. This consistency makes them much easier to learn than irregular verbs, which can change forms unpredictably. By understanding these patterns, you'll gain a strong foundation for using verbs in your conversations.
Conjugation Patterns
Let's break down the conjugation patterns for each type of regular verb ending.
Conjugating -ar Verbs
The -ar verbs are the most common in Portuguese. To conjugate a regular -ar verb in the present tense, you remove the -ar ending and add the appropriate endings based on the subject pronoun.
Here’s the pattern:
- Eu (I) - -o
- Tu (You, informal singular) - -as
- Ele/Ela/Você (He/She/You, formal singular) - -a
- Nós (We) - -amos
- Vós (You, informal plural) - -ais
- Eles/Elas/Vocês (They/You, formal plural) - -am
Here’s a table with an example using the verb "falar" (to speak):
| Portuguese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| eu falo | /ew ˈfa.lu/ | I speak |
| tu falas | /tu ˈfa.las/ | You speak (informal) |
| ele fala | /ˈe.li ˈfa.la/ | He speaks |
| ela fala | /ˈɛ.la ˈfa.la/ | She speaks |
| nós falamos | /nɔjs faˈla.mus/ | We speak |
| vós falais | /vɔjs faˈlais/ | You speak (plural, informal) |
| eles falam | /ˈɛ.lis ˈfa.lɐ̃w/ | They speak |
| elas falam | /ˈɛ.lɐs ˈfa.lɐ̃w/ | They (feminine) speak |
Conjugating -er Verbs
Now, let’s look at -er verbs. The pattern is slightly different but still consistent. Remove the -er ending and add the appropriate endings:
- Eu (I) - -o
- Tu (You, informal singular) - -es
- Ele/Ela/Você (He/She/You, formal singular) - -e
- Nós (We) - -emos
- Vós (You, informal plural) - -eis
- Eles/Elas/Vocês (They/You, formal plural) - -em
Here’s an example using the verb "comer" (to eat):
| Portuguese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| eu como | /ew ˈko.mu/ | I eat |
| tu comes | /tu ˈko.mes/ | You eat (informal) |
| ele come | /ˈe.li ˈko.mi/ | He eats |
| ela come | /ˈɛ.la ˈko.mi/ | She eats |
| nós comemos | /nɔjs koˈme.mus/ | We eat |
| vós comeis | /vɔjs koˈmejs/ | You eat (plural, informal) |
| eles comem | /ˈɛ.lis ˈko.mɐ̃w/ | They eat |
| elas comem | /ˈɛ.lɐs ˈko.mɐ̃w/ | They (feminine) eat |
Conjugating -ir Verbs
Finally, we have -ir verbs. The endings for these verbs are also distinct. Remove the -ir and add the appropriate endings:
- Eu (I) - -o
- Tu (You, informal singular) - -es
- Ele/Ela/Você (He/She/You, formal singular) - -e
- Nós (We) - -imos
- Vós (You, informal plural) - -is
- Eles/Elas/Vocês (They/You, formal plural) - -em
Here’s an example using the verb "assistir" (to watch):
| Portuguese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| eu assisto | /ew aˈs(is).tu/ | I watch |
| tu assistes | /tu aˈs(is).tes/ | You watch (informal) |
| ele assiste | /ˈe.li aˈs(is).tʃi/ | He watches |
| ela assiste | /ˈɛ.la aˈs(is).tʃi/ | She watches |
| nós assistimos | /nɔjs a.sisˈtʃi.mus/ | We watch |
| vós assistis | /vɔjs a.sisˈtʃis/ | You watch (plural, informal) |
| eles assistem | /ˈɛ.lis aˈs(is).tʃẽw/ | They watch |
| elas assistem | /ˈɛ.lɐs aˈs(is).tʃẽw/ | They (feminine) watch |
Practice Makes Perfect
Now that we've covered the basics of conjugating regular verbs in the present tense, it's time for you to practice! Below are exercises designed to reinforce what you've learned.
Exercises
1. Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense:
- (falar) Eu ________
- (comer) Nós ________
- (assistir) Eles ________
2. Fill in the blanks with the correct conjugation of the verb in parentheses:
- Eu ________ (falar) com minha amiga.
- Eles ________ (comer) pizza todos os sábados.
- Nós ________ (assistir) a um filme hoje à noite.
3. Translate the following sentences into Portuguese:
- I eat bread.
- She speaks Portuguese.
- We watch television.
4. Identify the subject pronoun and the verb in the following sentences:
- Tu comes maçã.
- Eles falam inglês.
- Eu assisto ao jogo.
5. Create your own sentences using the following verbs:
- (falar) __________
- (comer) __________
- (assistir) __________
6. Match the subject pronouns with the correct verb endings:
- (a) Eu - (i) -amos
- (b) Tu - (ii) -o
- (c) Ele - (iii) -a
- (d) Nós - (iv) -es
7. Rewrite the following sentences, changing the subject pronoun:
- Eu falo espanhol. (Change to "tu")
- Ela come maçã. (Change to "eles")
- Nós assistimos ao filme. (Change to "vós")
8. Conjugate the following sentences in the negative form:
- Eu ________ (falar) português.
- Eles ________ (comer) carne.
- Nós ________ (assistir) ao jogo.
9. Choose the correct verb form to complete the sentences:
- Tu ________ (falar) muito rápido.
- Ela ________ (comer) sorvete.
- Nós ________ (assistir) a uma série.
10. Fill in the chart with the correct conjugations for the verb "cantar" (to sing):
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Eu | ________ |
| Tu | ________ |
| Ele/Ela/Você | ________ |
| Nós | ________ |
| Vós | ________ |
| Eles/Elas/Vocês | ________ |
Solutions and Explanations
1. Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense:
- (falar) Eu falo
- (comer) Nós comemos
- (assistir) Eles assistem
2. Fill in the blanks with the correct conjugation of the verb in parentheses:
- Eu falo (falar) com minha amiga.
- Eles comem (comer) pizza todos os sábados.
- Nós assistimos (assistir) a um filme hoje à noite.
3. Translate the following sentences into Portuguese:
- I eat bread. Eu como pão.
- She speaks Portuguese. Ela fala português.
- We watch television. Nós assistimos televisão.
4. Identify the subject pronoun and the verb in the following sentences:
- Tu comes maçã. (Pronoun: Tu, Verb: comes)
- Eles falam inglês. (Pronoun: Eles, Verb: falam)
- Eu assisto ao jogo. (Pronoun: Eu, Verb: assisto)
5. Create your own sentences using the following verbs:
- (falar) Eu falo com meu irmão.
- (comer) Nós comemos arroz.
- (assistir) Eles assistem a um filme.
6. Match the subject pronouns with the correct verb endings:
- (a) Eu - (ii) -o
- (b) Tu - (iv) -es
- (c) Ele - (iii) -a
- (d) Nós - (i) -amos
7. Rewrite the following sentences, changing the subject pronoun:
- Eu falo espanhol. → Tu falas espanhol.
- Ela come maçã. → Eles comem maçã.
- Nós assistimos ao filme. → Vós assistis ao filme.
8. Conjugate the following sentences in the negative form:
- Eu não falo (falar) português.
- Eles não comem (comer) carne.
- Nós não assistimos (assistir) ao jogo.
9. Choose the correct verb form to complete the sentences:
- Tu falas (falar) muito rápido.
- Ela come (comer) sorvete.
- Nós assistimos (assistir) a uma série.
10. Fill in the chart with the correct conjugations for the verb "cantar" (to sing):
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Eu | canto |
| Tu | cantas |
| Ele/Ela/Você | canta |
| Nós | cantamos |
| Vós | cantais |
| Eles/Elas/Vocês | cantam |
In conclusion, mastering regular verbs in the present tense is a significant milestone in your journey to fluency in Portuguese. With practice and application, you will soon find yourself expressing your thoughts and actions with confidence! Keep practicing, and don't hesitate to revisit this lesson whenever you need a refresher.
Videos
Regular Verbs Simple Past | Learn Portuguese #19 - YouTube
Conjugating Regular Portuguese Verbs - YouTube
Other Lessons
| ◀️ Eating Customs — Previous Lesson | Next Lesson — Irregular Verbs ▶️ |