VERBOS REGULARES:  PRESENTE

 

            Regular verbs in Portuguese follow specific conjugation patterns.  The pattern types depend on how the infinitive of the verb ends.  Infinitives of regular verbs can end in -AR, -ER, or -IR.

Learn the examples below and you will be able to conjugate many other (regular) verbs in Portuguese.

 

                   -AR

        falAR,    'to speak

 

    -ER

    escrevER,    'to write'

 

       -IR

       assistIR,    'to watch''

 

Eu

Você

Ele/Ela

Nós

Vocês

Eles/Elas

falO

falA

falA

falAMOS

falAM

falAM

Eu

Você

          Ele/Ela

Nós

          Vocês

Eles/Elas

escrevO

escrevE

escrevE

escrevEMOS

escrevEM

escrevEM

Eu

Você

          Ele/Ela

Nós

          Vocês

Eles/Elas

assistO

assistE

assistE

assistIMOS

assistEM

assistEM

 

 

            In order to identify each verb pattern it is necessary to separate the stem from the ending of the verb.  In the examples above only the endings are in capital letters.  Thus, the stem of "falar" is "fal-", the stem of "escrever" is "escrev-", and the stem of "assistir" is "assist-". 

 

            When you conjugate the verb you keep the stem and add the personal ending of each case.

For instance, you want to say 'she sings.'  You know the verb 'to sing' in Portuguese is "cantar," which is a regular verb of the first type (-ar).  Thus, you take the stem (cant-) and add the appropriate personal ending for the third person 'she' (-a) and you make "ela canta," 'she sings.'

 

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