Portuguese conjugation explanation

Preterite vs. imperfect

<p>The <strong>preterite</strong> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Pretérito Perfeito</span>) and the <strong>imperfect</strong> (<span style="font-style: italic;">Pretérito Imperfeito</span>) tenses are both used to describe actions in the past. However, their usage is quite different. Let's have a closer look at these two tenses. </p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Preterite</div>

The preterite is used when referring to an action <strong>completed in the past</strong> (an action that had a definite beginning and a definite end). The action can be:

<ul>

<li>

<div>a single event:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eu <strong>despertei</strong> de um sonho. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I awoke from a dream.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>part of a chain of events:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ele <strong>tirou</strong> a chave do bolso e <strong>destrancou</strong> a porta. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He took his key out of his pocket and unlocked the door.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>an action repeated a specific number of times:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ele <strong>esteve</strong> em Londres três vezes. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He has been to London three times.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>an action specifically stating the beginning and end of the action:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Ela</strong> viveu de 1963 a 2013. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She lived from 1963 to 2013.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<p>Expressions that are usually used with the preterite:</p>

<ul>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">ontem</span> (yesterday)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">ontem à noite</span> (last night)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">anteontem</span> (the day before yesterday)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">há dois dias</span> (two days ago)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">na semana passada</span> (last week)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">no mês passado</span> (last month)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">no ano passado</span> (last year)</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Imperfect</div>

<p>Using the imperfect tense implies that the past action <strong>did not have a definite beginning or a definite end</strong>. It can be used to describe:</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div>a habitual or repeated action:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ele <strong>escrevia</strong> para mim às vezes. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He wrote to me from time to time.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eu <strong>dormia</strong> no chão. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I used to sleep on the floor.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>two simultaneous actions:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Enquanto <strong>lia</strong> a carta, ela <strong>parecia</strong> triste. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She looked sad while she read the letter.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>a background action that sets the stage for other actions:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ele fez isso enquanto <strong>estava</strong> bêbedo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He did it while he was drunk.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>a condition or state:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">O ônibus <strong>estava</strong> quente e cheio. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The bus was hot and crowded.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>someone or something:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">A cama <strong>estava</strong> muito dura. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The bed was too hard.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>time and age:</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><strong>Era</strong> por volta das dez horas. (<span style="font-style: italic;">It was close to 10 o'clock.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Na época <strong>tínhamos</strong> apenas quinze anos. (<span style="font-style: italic;">At the time, we were just fifteen years old.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<p>Expressions that are usually used with the imperfect:</p>

<ul>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">frequentemente</span> (often)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">às vezes</span> (sometimes)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">enquanto</span> (while)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">de vez em quando</span> (every once in a while)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">todos os dias</span> (every day)</li>

<li><span style="font-style: italic;">raramentre</span> (rarely)</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Preterite conjugations</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the preterite tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-ar</span> verbs</strong> using the verb <span style="font-style: italic;">achar</span>:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/2/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito Perfeito</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span>achei

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span>achaste

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span>achou

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>achamos <img src="/static/main/images/flags/brazil.png" title="Brazilian"></span>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>achámos <img src="/static/main/images/flags/portugal.png" title="European"></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>achastes

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span>acharam

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the preterite tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-er</span> verbs</strong> using the verb <span style="font-style: italic;">dever</span>:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/2/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito Perfeito</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span>devi

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span>deveste

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span>deveu

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>devemos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>devestes

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span>deveram

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the preterite tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-ir</span> verbs</strong> using the verb <span style="font-style: italic;">partir</span>:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/2/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito Perfeito</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span>parti

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span>partiste

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span>partiu

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>partimos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>partistes

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span>partiram

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>For irregular conjugations, click on the tense name in one of the conjugation tables to open the preterite tense guide.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Imperfect conjugations</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the imperfect tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-ar</span> verbs</strong> using the verb <span style="font-style: italic;">achar</span>:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/3/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito Imperfeito</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span>achava

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span>achavas

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span>achava

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>achávamos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>acháveis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span>achavam

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the imperfect tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-er</span> verbs</strong> using the verb <span style="font-style: italic;">dever</span>:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/3/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito Imperfeito</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span>devia

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span>devias

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span>devia

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>devíamos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>devíeis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span>deviam

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>Regular conjugation in the imperfect tense for <strong><span style="font-style: italic; white-space: nowrap;">-ir</span> verbs</strong> using the verb <span style="font-style: italic;">partir</span>:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/3/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito Imperfeito</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span>partia

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span>partias

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span>partia

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>partíamos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>partíeis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span>partiam

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>For irregular conjugations, click on the tense name in one of the conjugation tables to open the imperfect tense guide.</p>