1Module 6

Irregular Verbs

Verbos Irregulares

💡

Key Concept

Many common Portuguese verbs are irregular in the present tense, especially in the first person singular (eu). These verbs are grouped by their infinitive ending (-ar/-er and -ir) and must be memorized individually.

Irregular verbs do not follow the standard conjugation patterns. The most common irregularities appear in the first person singular (eu) form. For example, 'fazer' (to do/make) becomes 'faço', not 'fazo'. Many of these verbs are among the most frequently used in Portuguese, so mastering them is essential. The verbs 'sair' (to go out), 'cair' (to fall), and 'haver' (there is/are) have special conjugation patterns.

Key Phrase — Try saying it!

Eu faço o jantar todos os dias.

1Verbos irregulares terminados em -ar e -er

Irregular verbs ending in -ar and -er

ver(to see)
EuvejoI see
Tuvêsyou see
Ele/Ela/Vocêhe/she sees
Nósvemoswe see
Eles/Elas/Vocêsvêemthey see
ler(to read)
EuleioI read
Tulêsyou read
Ele/Ela/Vocêhe/she reads
Nóslemoswe read
Eles/Elas/Vocêslêemthey read
fazer(to do / to make)
EufaçoI do/make
Tufazesyou do/make
Ele/Ela/Vocêfazhe/she does/makes
Nósfazemoswe do/make
Eles/Elas/Vocêsfazemthey do/make
dizer(to say / to tell)
EudigoI say
Tudizesyou say
Ele/Ela/Vocêdizhe/she says
Nósdizemoswe say
Eles/Elas/Vocêsdizemthey say
trazer(to bring)
EutragoI bring
Tutrazesyou bring
Ele/Ela/Vocêtrazhe/she brings
Nóstrazemoswe bring
Eles/Elas/Vocêstrazemthey bring
saber(to know)
EuseiI know
Tusabesyou know
Ele/Ela/Vocêsabehe/she knows
Nóssabemoswe know
Eles/Elas/Vocêssabemthey know
poder(to be able to / can)
EupossoI can
Tupodesyou can
Ele/Ela/Vocêpodehe/she can
Nóspodemoswe can
Eles/Elas/Vocêspodemthey can
querer(to want)
EuqueroI want
Tuqueresyou want
Ele/Ela/Vocêquerhe/she wants
Nósqueremoswe want
Eles/Elas/Vocêsqueremthey want
pôr(to put)
EuponhoI put
Tupõesyou put
Ele/Ela/Vocêpõehe/she puts
Nóspomoswe put
Eles/Elas/Vocêspõemthey put
dar(to give)
EudouI give
Tudásyou give
Ele/Ela/Vocêhe/she gives
Nósdamoswe give
Eles/Elas/Vocêsdãothey give

2Verbos irregulares terminados em -ir

Irregular verbs ending in -ir

pedir(to ask for / to order)
EupeçoI ask for
Tupedesyou ask for
Ele/Ela/Vocêpedehe/she asks for
Nóspedimoswe ask for
Eles/Elas/Vocêspedemthey ask for
ouvir(to hear / to listen)
EuoiçoI hear
Tuouvesyou hear
Ele/Ela/Vocêouvehe/she hears
Nósouvimoswe hear
Eles/Elas/Vocêsouvemthey hear
dormir(to sleep)
EudurmoI sleep
Tudormesyou sleep
Ele/Ela/Vocêdormehe/she sleeps
Nósdormimoswe sleep
Eles/Elas/Vocêsdormemthey sleep
subir(to go up / to climb)
EusuboI go up
Tusobesyou go up
Ele/Ela/Vocêsobehe/she goes up
Nóssubimoswe go up
Eles/Elas/Vocêssobemthey go up
ir(to go)
EuvouI go
Tuvaisyou go
Ele/Ela/Vocêvaihe/she goes
Nósvamoswe go
Eles/Elas/Vocêsvãothey go
vir(to come)
EuvenhoI come
Tuvensyou come
Ele/Ela/Vocêvemhe/she comes
Nósvimoswe come
Eles/Elas/Vocêsvêmthey come

3Verbos sair, cair e haver

Verbs sair, cair, and haver

sair(to go out / to leave)
EusaioI go out
Tusaisyou go out
Ele/Ela/Vocêsaihe/she goes out
Nóssaímoswe go out
Eles/Elas/Vocêssaemthey go out
cair(to fall)
EucaioI fall
Tucaisyou fall
Ele/Ela/Vocêcaihe/she falls
Nóscaímoswe fall
Eles/Elas/Vocêscaemthey fall
haver(there is / there are)
Eu---(not used)
Tu---(not used)
Ele/Ela/Vocêthere is / there are
Nós---(not used)
Eles/Elas/Vocês---(not used)

Examples

I watch television at night.
jornal
Do you read the newspaper in the morning?
She makes dinner every day.
verdade.
We tell the truth.
I bring lunch from home.
Do you know where the station is?
I can't go today.
They want to learn Portuguese.
I set the table before dinner.
presentes Natal.
We give presents at Christmas.
I order a coffee, please.
I listen to music on the metro.
She sleeps eight hours per night.
escadas.
We go up the stairs.
They go to work in the morning.
I come from Lisbon.
He leaves home at eight o'clock.
folhas
The leaves fall in Autumn.
There is a lot of traffic in the city.
muitos carros
There are many cars on the street.
I leave work at six.
jornal
They read the newspaper every day.
notícias importantes.
Ana knows the most important news.
enquanto
Ana makes dinner while her husband sets the table.
After dinner, they watch television.
deitam-se
They listen to music and go to bed at midnight.
I want to go to the cinema today.
We should study more.
festa?
Can you come to my party?
segunda.
The teacher says the exam is on Monday.
Verbos Irregulares — Summary of Key Irregular VerbsInfinitiveEu FormMeaningfazerfaçoI do / makedizerdigoI saytrazertragoI bringsaberseiI knowpoderpossoI canquererqueroI wantpôrponhoI putdardouI givevervejoI seelerleioI readMost irregular verbs only change in the EU (1st person) form. Other forms follow regular patterns.
Practice Time