2Module 6

The Past Tenses

Os Tempos do Passado

💡

Key Concept

Narrating the past is the defining skill that separates A1 from A2. European Portuguese has three past tenses you must control: Pretérito Perfeito, Imperfeito, and Perfeito Composto.

The Pretérito Perfeito describes completed actions ('what happened?'). The Imperfeito describes habitual actions and background descriptions ('what used to happen?'). The Perfeito Composto expresses actions that have been happening repeatedly up to now.

Key Phrase — Try saying it!

Ontem falei com o meu amigo.

1Pretérito Perfeito (Simple Past — Regular)

-AR verbs

Endings: -ei, -aste, -ou, -ámos, -aram

falar (to speak)

PronounFormMeaning
EufaleiI spoke
Tufalasteyou spoke
Ele/Elafalouhe/she spoke
Nósfalámoswe spoke
Eles/Elasfalaramthey spoke

-ER verbs

Endings: -i, -este, -eu, -emos, -eram

comer (to eat)

PronounFormMeaning
EucomiI ate
Tucomesteyou ate
Ele/Elacomeuhe/she ate
Nóscomemoswe ate
Eles/Elascomeramthey ate

-IR verbs

Endings: -i, -iste, -iu, -imos, -iram

partir (to leave)

PronounFormMeaning
EupartiI left
Tupartisteyou left
Ele/Elapartiuhe/she left
Nóspartimoswe left
Eles/Elaspartiramthey left

2Pretérito Perfeito (Simple Past — Irregular)

SER/IR

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elesfui/foste/foi/fomos/foramI was/went

TER

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elestive/tiveste/teve/tivemos/tiveramI had

FAZER

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elesfiz/fizeste/fez/fizemos/fizeramI did

VIR

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elesvim/vieste/veio/viemos/vieramI came

VER

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elesvi/viste/viu/vimos/viramI saw

PODER

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elespude/pudeste/pôde/pudemos/puderamI could

ESTAR

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elesestive/estiveste/esteve/estivemos/estiveramI was (temp)

DIZER

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elesdisse/disseste/disse/dissemos/disseramI said

3Pretérito Imperfeito (Imperfect — Regular)

-AR verbs

Endings: -ava, -avas, -ava, -ávamos, -avam

morar (to live)

PronounFormMeaning
EumoravaI used to live
Tumoravasyou used to live
Ele/Elamoravahe/she used to live
Nósmorávamoswe used to live
Eles/Elasmoravamthey used to live

-ER/-IR verbs

Endings: -ia, -ias, -ia, -íamos, -iam

viver (to live/reside)

PronounFormMeaning
EuviviaI used to live
Tuviviasyou used to live
Ele/Elaviviahe/she used to live
Nósvivíamoswe used to live
Eles/Elasviviamthey used to live

4Pretérito Imperfeito (Imperfect — Irregular)

SER

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elesera/eras/era/éramos/eramI was (habitual)

TER

PronounFormMeaning
Eu/Tu/Ele/Nós/Elestinha/tinhas/tinha/tínhamos/tinhamI had (habitual)

Pretérito Perfeito Composto

TER (present) + Past Participle. Expresses an action that has been happening repeatedly up to now. Does NOT match the English Present Perfect.

5Past Participles (Particípios Passados)

InfinitiveParticipleNote
falarfaladoRegular -ar
comercomidoRegular -er
partirpartidoRegular -ir
ser/irsidoIrregular
tertidoIrregular
fazerfeitoIrregular
virvindoIrregular
pôrpostoIrregular
vervistoIrregular
dizerditoIrregular
escreverescritoIrregular
abrirabertoIrregular

Time Expressions (Expressões Temporais)

yesterday
the day before yesterday
two days ago
passada
last week
mês passado
last month
passado
last year
era criança
when I was a child
repente
suddenly

Examples

Yesterday I spoke with Maria.
I ate rice at lunch.
Fui
I went to the cinema on Friday.
era criança, Hong Kong.
When I was a child, I lived in Hong Kong.
trabalhado
I have been working a lot this week.
mudou-se Dublin.
My family moved to Dublin.
fez
He made dinner yesterday.
vi festa.
I didn't see Pedro at the party.
disse estava
She said she was tired.
Before I lived in Porto, now I live in Lisbon.
We ate very well at the restaurant.
muitos festa.
Many friends came to the party.
tinha trabalhos
I had already done the homework.
cheguei estava chover.
When I arrived home, it was raining.
tinha mar.
He had never seen the sea.
jardim.
We used to live in a big house with a garden.
manhãs, tomava
Every morning, I used to have breakfast at seven.
Fizeste
You did a good job!
Estive passado.
I was in Portugal last summer.
Tive
I was very lucky.
Dissemos fomos
We said goodbye and left.
Vi-o
I saw him in the street yesterday.
Pudemos
We were able to leave earlier.
passada, trabalhei
Last week, I worked a lot.
passado, viajámos Paris.
Last year, we travelled to Paris.
comecei
Three years ago, I started studying Portuguese.
vez íamos
From time to time, we used to go to the countryside.
gostei
I always liked Portuguese music.
sabia
Before I didn't know how to cook, now I do.
estudado meses.
I have been studying Portuguese for six months.
Verbos Regulares: AR – ER - IRARERIRFalarComerAbrirEufaleicomiabriTufalastecomesteabristeEle/Ela/VocêfaloucomeuabriuNósfalámoscomemosabrimosEles/Elas/Vocêsfalaramcomeramabriram
Verbos Regulares: AR – ER - IRARERIREueiiiTuasteesteisteEle/Ela/VocêoueuiuNósámosemosimosEles/Elas/Vocêsarameramiram
Verbos Irregulares:SerIrEstarTerFazerPôrDizerEufuifuiestivetivefizpusdisseTufostefosteestivestetivestefizestepusestedissesteEle/Ela/VocêfoifoiestevetevefezpôsdisseNósfomosfomosestivemostivemosfizemospusemosdissemosEles/Elas/Vocêsforamforamestiveramtiveramfizerampuseramdisseram
Tempos do Passado — Summary of Past TensesPretérito Perfeito(completed actions)-AR verbs:-ei, -aste, -ou, -ámos, -aram-ER verbs:-i, -este, -eu, -emos, -eram-IR verbs:-i, -iste, -iu, -imos, -iramExample:Ontem comi peixe.(Yesterday I ate fish.)✔ One-time, completed actionPretérito Imperfeito(habitual / background)-AR verbs:-ava, -avas, -ava, -ávamos, -avam-ER/-IR:-ia, -ias, -ia, -íamos, -iamExample:Quando era criança, comia peixe.(When I was a child, I used to eat fish.)↻ Habitual or background actionWhen to Use Each TensePPerfeito:Completed action with a clear beginning/endOntem comi peixe.= Yesterday I ate fish.IImperfeito:Habitual, repeated, or background actionQuando era criança, comia peixe.= When I was a child, I used to eat fish.Finished action→Perfeito|Background / habitual→Imperfeito
Practice Time
PreviousIrregular VerbsNext LessonThe Future