Portguese Lesson 1: Conjugation
This lesson comes straight from Brasil. Many thanks to Erick Silva, you can visit his livemocha profile here.
Ok. Let's learn how to conjugate the verbs in Portuguese (Brazil) in the present and in the past simple
Passado Perfeito
First, let's try understand the principal part of a verb. Portuguese is derived from Latin, and with time letters have been added to the original words. Most verbs in Brasilian Portuguese are easy to distinguish, since they end in "er", "ir", and "ar." This may be familiar to learners of Spanish, and you'll be happy to know the conjugation follows similar patterns.
For example,
Portuguese Pronouns
Before we get to conjugating verbs it is important to know the pronouns in Portuguese, as they will be essential to know when to conjugate a verb in a certain instance. In English we have the words: I, you, he/she, we, ya'll/you all, and them/those people.
Here a short list of the equivalents of these in Portuguese:
This is by far not all of the pronouns in Portuguese, but a good sample of them, that you should be familiar with. Notice that feminine words end in "a" and the masculine in this case "e" and more often in "o". In Portguese, every word is associated with a gender (minus verbs and some other part of speech), but nouns and adjectives most commonly display this feature. Nevertheless, in Portguese as in English you should address someone according to their sex as either male or female. Portuguese has a formal and informal you usually the informal você is used when conjugationg verbs. However, you can address people more formally with a senhora(for a woman) and o senhor (for a man), and using the formal conjugation to show respect.
Conjugation
In Portuguese, every verb has a root and a conjugation on the end that specifies who is doing the action of the verb. An example root would be, fal from the verb falar. The roots of the verb from Latin's derivation never change, thus all you need to remember are the conjugations or the endings to put on the verb. The hard part comes when you need to conjugate the verb after the root, which is called conjugation. To conjugate a verb you compoud the root and an ending to specify who is doing the actions.
For example:
Abraçar -> Abraç + ar (to hug)
Conjugating(singular, present):
However, the patterns differ slightly from ar, er, and ir verbs. Here's a walk through...
AR Verbs: Now, we can apply the others topic. It's important to identify the second part's type, because it will help with the conjugation in the past tense. In the present, it's almost the same for the all types. Let's try to conjugate the verb "Amar" (to love). Step by step.
Explanation:
ER Verbs: OK, this group gets all the verbs finished by "ER". Let's do that with the verb "Entender" (To
understand).
Explanation:
IR Verbs: This group gets all the verbs finished by "IR". We will do that with the verb "Abrir"(To open).
Explanation:
1- In this type, the first person, singular, past, you just have to erase letter "R". In the present, we place "IR"
by "O", like in others examples.
OBS¹: I'll Let you work with that to discovery, using others examples. It's pratically the same. If you can't do that. Please, contact-me.
OBS: We have an exception here, when the Latin's derivation finishes with "I", the conjugation will modify just a little, like the verb "Sorrir"(To smile).
1°) Identifying: Sorri + R
Presente Passado Perfeito
Eu SorriO Eu sorri
Você Sorri Você sorriU
Ele Sorri Ele sorriU
Nós SorriMOS Nós SorriMOS
Vocês SorriEM Vocês SorriRAM
Eles SorriEM Vocês SorriRAM
Ok. Let's learn how to conjugate the verbs in Portuguese (Brazil) in the present and in the past simple
Passado Perfeito
First, let's try understand the principal part of a verb. Portuguese is derived from Latin, and with time letters have been added to the original words. Most verbs in Brasilian Portuguese are easy to distinguish, since they end in "er", "ir", and "ar." This may be familiar to learners of Spanish, and you'll be happy to know the conjugation follows similar patterns.
For example,
- gostar(to like) -> gost(latin's derivation) + ar(the infinitive form in Portuguese)..
- brincar(to play with a toy or with someone)-> brinc+ar,
- obedecer(to obey)->bbedec+er,
- abrir (to open)-> abr+ir.
Portuguese Pronouns
Before we get to conjugating verbs it is important to know the pronouns in Portuguese, as they will be essential to know when to conjugate a verb in a certain instance. In English we have the words: I, you, he/she, we, ya'll/you all, and them/those people.
Here a short list of the equivalents of these in Portuguese:
- eu - I
- tu/você - You (informal)
- ele/ela - he/she (also for formal address)
- vós - you all
- vocês eles elas - you plural, those boys, those girls
This is by far not all of the pronouns in Portuguese, but a good sample of them, that you should be familiar with. Notice that feminine words end in "a" and the masculine in this case "e" and more often in "o". In Portguese, every word is associated with a gender (minus verbs and some other part of speech), but nouns and adjectives most commonly display this feature. Nevertheless, in Portguese as in English you should address someone according to their sex as either male or female. Portuguese has a formal and informal you usually the informal você is used when conjugationg verbs. However, you can address people more formally with a senhora(for a woman) and o senhor (for a man), and using the formal conjugation to show respect.
Conjugation
In Portuguese, every verb has a root and a conjugation on the end that specifies who is doing the action of the verb. An example root would be, fal from the verb falar. The roots of the verb from Latin's derivation never change, thus all you need to remember are the conjugations or the endings to put on the verb. The hard part comes when you need to conjugate the verb after the root, which is called conjugation. To conjugate a verb you compoud the root and an ending to specify who is doing the actions.
For example:
Abraçar -> Abraç + ar (to hug)
Conjugating(singular, present):
- Eu abraçO (I hug),
- Você abraçA (You hug),
- Ele(a) abraçA (He hugs).
However, the patterns differ slightly from ar, er, and ir verbs. Here's a walk through...
AR Verbs: Now, we can apply the others topic. It's important to identify the second part's type, because it will help with the conjugation in the past tense. In the present, it's almost the same for the all types. Let's try to conjugate the verb "Amar" (to love). Step by step.
- Identifying: Am + ar
-
Conjugating:
PresentPast
Eu amO Eu amEI
você amA você amOU
Ele(a) amA Ele(a) amOU
Nós amAMOS Nós amAMOS
vocês amAM Vocês amARAM
Eles(as) amAM Eles amARAM
Explanation:
- We didn't modify the root of the verb at all!
- The second and third person, singular and plural, are the same, in all cases, just with "você". Don't be afraid, we can discuss it other time.
- In the past, the first person was modified to "EI". Because it's a feature of this type. It's started with "O" in the three types;
- To form the second and third person, in singular, in the past, you get the verb in infinitive and place "AR" for "OU"
- To discover the first person in plural, just place the letter "R" in infinitive for "MOS"
- The first person in plural is the same in present and past.
- The second and third person in plural, we can form it just placing letter "R" with "M".
- The past form of the second and third person in plural are formated adding "RA" between A and M of the present form.
- Important: You can do that with all first type's verbs. (Minus some exception, most notably the verb estar(to be at a place)) Doing this, the others will be easier...
ER Verbs: OK, this group gets all the verbs finished by "ER". Let's do that with the verb "Entender" (To
understand).
-
Identifying: Entend+ER
- Conjugating:
Presente Passado Perfeito (Past Simple)
Eu EntendO Eu EntendI
Você entendE Você EntendEU
Ele(a) EntendE Ele(a) EntendEU
Nós EntendEMOS Nós EntendEMOS
Vocês EntendEM Vocês EntendERAM
Eles EntendEM Eles EntendERAM
Explanation:
- The first person it's finished by "O", so it's a general rule, with somes exception
- In the past, first person, we place letter "O" to letter "i", in this type.
- To get the second and the third form, in the present, we just erase letter "R" of infinitive form.
- To get the second and third person form, in singular, in the past, we just add "U"
- To form the first person in plural, we place "R" for "MOS"
- The first person in the plural is the same in the past
- To form the second and the third person, in plural, present, just place "R" by "M"
- To form the second and the third person, in plural, past, just put "RA" between "E" and "M"
- Important: Practice it a lot, when you will practice your Portuguese.
- We have an exception: the verb "ser"(to be someone or something).
IR Verbs: This group gets all the verbs finished by "IR". We will do that with the verb "Abrir"(To open).
-
Identifying: Abr + ir
-
Conjugating:
Presente: Passado Perfeito
Eu abrO Eu abrI
Você abrE Você abrIU
Ele abrE Ele abrIU
Nós AbrIMOS Nós abrIMOS
Vocês AbrEM Vocês abrIRAM
Eles AbrEM Eles abrIRAM
Explanation:
1- In this type, the first person, singular, past, you just have to erase letter "R". In the present, we place "IR"
by "O", like in others examples.
OBS¹: I'll Let you work with that to discovery, using others examples. It's pratically the same. If you can't do that. Please, contact-me.
OBS: We have an exception here, when the Latin's derivation finishes with "I", the conjugation will modify just a little, like the verb "Sorrir"(To smile).
1°) Identifying: Sorri + R
Presente Passado Perfeito
Eu SorriO Eu sorri
Você Sorri Você sorriU
Ele Sorri Ele sorriU
Nós SorriMOS Nós SorriMOS
Vocês SorriEM Vocês SorriRAM
Eles SorriEM Vocês SorriRAM
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