3Module 2
The Verb Ser
O Verbo Ser
Key Concept
Cantonese Speaker Tip
好消息！ 葡萄牙文可以省略主詞，同廣東話一樣！ 廣東話講「係葡萄牙人」就知道係「我」， 葡文一樣：“Sou português.” 因為 sou 已經代表「我」。
但記住：葡文 ser 每個人稱不同——sou/és/é/somos/são， 唔可以像廣東話唄「係」一個字通天下！
Ser is one of the most important verbs in Portuguese. It expresses permanent or inherent characteristics: who you are, where you are from, what you do, and what defines you. Unlike English, which has one verb 'to be', Portuguese distinguishes between ser (permanent traits) and estar (temporary states). The first-person form sou is especially common because Portuguese speakers routinely drop the pronoun eu — the verb ending alone tells the listener it is 'I' who is speaking.
Key Phrase — Try saying it!
Sou portuguesa. Sou professora.
Conjugation of Ser
Pronoun Dropping — Why “Sou” is Enough
In Portuguese, subject pronouns are frequently dropped because verb conjugation already indicates who is speaking. You can say 'Eu sou portuguesa,' but 'Sou portuguesa' is more natural and common in everyday speech. Each form of ser is unique, so there is never ambiguity about the subject.
When to Use Ser
Nationality & Origin
Use ser to express where you are from or your nationality. These are permanent characteristics.
I am Portuguese. (female)
I am Portuguese. (male)
She is French.
He is from Lisbon.
We are Portuguese.
Where are you from? (informal)
Profession & Occupation
Use ser to state your profession. Note: Portuguese does not use an article before professions after ser.
I am a teacher. (female)
I am a doctor. (male)
She is an engineer.
He is a lawyer.
We are students.
What do you do? I am a nurse. (female)
Identity & Characteristics
Use ser for defining characteristics: personality, physical traits, and marital status.
I am married. (male)
She is nice.
He is tall.
We are young.
I am single. (female)
They are intelligent.
Time & Date
Use ser for telling time and expressing dates.
It is three o'clock.
It is one o'clock.
It is ten in the morning.
Today is Monday.