Introduction
Many learners confuse ter and fazer when writing Brazilian Portuguese. These two verbs are common, irregular, and used in many expressions. This article explains their core meanings, frequent uses, common mistakes, and practical sentence patterns for everyday writing: messages, emails, short notes, and class exercises.
- Why ter and fazer cause trouble
- Common mistake 1: using ter for actions
- Common mistake 2: using fazer for possession or age
- Common mistake 3: incorrect past tense usage
- Common mistake 4: weather expressions and time with fazer
- Common mistake 5: idiomatic expressions and false friends
- Spelling, accents, and punctuation tips with ter and fazer
- Practical writing exercises for learners
- Common beginner pitfalls and quick fixes
- Sample short paragraphs a beginner might write
- Final tips for writing accuracy
- Conclusion
Why ter and fazer cause trouble
Ter and fazer are both high-frequency verbs but they behave differently. Ter primarily means to have or possess and is also used in some idiomatic constructions. Fazer means to do or to make and appears in weather expressions and many set phrases. Beginner learners often mix them because English uses have and do differently, and some Portuguese idioms do not map directly to English.
Key differences at a glance
Ter = ter indicates possession, existence, necessity in some expressions, and age. Examples: tenho, tem, tivemos. Fazer = fazer indicates action, creation, weather expressions, duration when followed by time expressions. Examples: faço, faz, fizemos.
Common mistake 1: using ter for actions
Mistake: writing Tenho um e-mail para amanhã when you want to say I have to do something or I made something. Ter does not replace fazer for actions. Use fazer or ter de/ter que for obligation.
Correct examples:
Eu preciso fazer o relatório hoje.
Ela fazia o trabalho cedo.
Ele tem que estudar para a prova.
Note: ter que + infinitive expresses obligation and is different from ter + noun.
Practical message patterns
Use these when writing texts or chat messages:
Preciso fazer isto até amanhã.
Você pode fazer uma cópia do documento?
Tenho que fazer compras hoje. (I have to do shopping today.)
Common mistake 2: using fazer for possession or age
Mistake: writing Eu faço dois filhos or Eu faço um carro when trying to say I have two children or I have a car. Fazer cannot be used for possession or age. Use ter for possession and ter … anos for age.
Correct examples:
Eu tenho dois filhos.
Nós temos um carro novo.
Ela tem 28 anos.
Note: age uses ter; do not translate I am 28 years old literally as eu sou 28 anos.
Beginner note on verb forms
Conjugate ter and fazer correctly in simple contexts learners use most. Present simple: eu tenho, tu tens, ele/ela tem, nós temos, vocês têm, eles/elas têm. Fazer present: eu faço, tu fazes, ele/ela faz, nós fazemos, vocês fazem, eles/elas fazem. Pay attention to irregular stems: fiz, fez for past of fazer; tive, teve for past of ter.
Common mistake 3: incorrect past tense usage
Mistake: using the wrong irregular past forms. For example: Eu fiz o trabalho ontem is correct, but many beginners write Eu fazer o trabalho ontem or Eu fizia o trabalho. Another error is mixing ter and fazer in past responsibility contexts.
Correct examples:
Eu fiz o relatório ontem. (I did/made the report yesterday.)
Ela teve uma reunião às 9h. (She had a meeting at 9.)
Nós tivemos um problema com o sistema. (We had a problem with the system.)
Quick past-tense cheat sheet
Fazer past: eu fiz, tu fizeste, ele/ela fez, nós fizemos, vocês fizeram, eles/elas fizeram.
Ter past: eu tive, tu tiveste, ele/ela teve, nós tivemos, vocês tiveram, eles/elas tiveram.
Common mistake 4: weather expressions and time with fazer
Mistake: using ter in weather phrases or to indicate duration. In Brazilian Portuguese, weather is usually fazer: Faz calor, Faz frio. Duration with an elapsed time often uses fazer in impersonal constructions: Faz duas semanas que eu estudei. Learners sometimes write Tem calor or Tem duas semanas que eu estudei, which can be heard but is less common or regional and can be confusing in formal writing.
Correct examples:
Hoje faz muito calor.
Faz três meses que comecei o curso.
Note: For present existence, tem can be used impersonally for there is/there are: Tem um problema no site. But for weather and elapsed time, prefer fazer and fazer + time expression.
Practical sentences for travel and daily life
Faz muito sol na praia hoje.
Faz cinco dias que estamos aqui. (We have been here for five days.)
Tem uma fila grande no caixa. (There is a big line at the cashier.)
Common mistake 5: idiomatic expressions and false friends
Mistake: translating idioms word-for-word. Some expressions with ter and fazer do not match English idioms. For instance, ter saudade means to miss someone, not to have a saudade. Fazer sentido means to make sense. Using ter instead of fazer in these contexts changes meaning or sounds unnatural.
Correct examples:
Eu tenho saudade da minha família. (I miss my family.)
Isso não faz sentido. (That doesn’t make sense.)
Ele tem sorte. (He is lucky / He has luck.)
Everyday writing examples: messages and emails
Short message to a friend: Estou chegando, faço o almoço e te ligo. (I am arriving, I will make lunch and call you.)
Text confirming plans: Tenho que trabalhar até as 18h, depois faço uma chamada. (I have to work until 6pm, then I’ll make a call.)
Simple email: Olá, tenho o arquivo em anexo. Fiz algumas alterações no documento. Obrigado. (Hi, I have the file attached. I made some changes to the document. Thanks.)
Spelling, accents, and punctuation tips with ter and fazer
Spelling: both verbs are short but irregular. Pay attention to accentuation in conjugations: têm (vocês/eles present) has a circumflex in written form when plural for ter: vocês têm, eles têm. Do not confuse têm with tem (third person singular) which has no accent. For fazer, no accent marks appear in the plain conjugations you will use often.
Punctuation: in short written messages, use commas and periods as in English. In Portuguese, question marks and exclamation points are the same as English. When writing polite emails, include a greeting and closing: Olá João, atenciosamente, Maria.
Examples focusing on common punctuation scenarios
Correct: Olá, Maria. Tenho uma dúvida sobre o agendamento. (Hello, Maria. I have a question about the schedule.)
Correct: Fiz o pagamento; por favor, confirme o recebimento. (I made the payment; please confirm receipt.)
Incorrect: Tenho que? estudar (wrong punctuation and word order).
Practical writing exercises for learners
Exercise 1: Write five short chat messages using ter to describe possession or necessity. Example: Tenho uma reunião às 14h.
Exercise 2: Write five short replies using fazer for actions and weather. Example: Faço o relatório agora. Faz frio aqui.
Exercise 3: Correct these sentences: Eu faço 25 anos. / Ela tem frio hoje. / Fizemos uma festa ontem e temos muitas fotos. Provide corrected versions and brief reasons.
Model answers: Eu tenho 25 anos. (age uses ter) / Ela está com frio hoje. or Ela tem frio hoje is acceptable in spoken Brazilian Portuguese; prefer estar com frio for formal writing. / Fizemos uma festa ontem e temos muitas fotos. (mix is fine: fizemos = we made, temos = we have)
Common beginner pitfalls and quick fixes
Pitfall: Translating directly from English I have to do = Eu tenho para fazer. Fix: Use tenho que + infinitive: Eu tenho que fazer.
Pitfall: Using fazer for existence: Faz uma mesa aqui. Fix: Use há or tem for there is/there are in many contexts: Tem uma mesa aqui or Há uma mesa aqui.
Pitfall: Missing accents leads to wrong meaning: vocês tem vs vocês têm. Fix: Remember plural has circumflex: vocês têm.
Sample short paragraphs a beginner might write
Message to a host after a stay: Obrigado pela hospedagem. Tive uma ótima experiência e fiz muitas fotos. Até a próxima. (Thank you for the hospitality. I had a great experience and took many photos. See you next time.)
Simple travel note: Hoje temos passeio ao centro. Faz sol e estou animado. Vou fazer fotos e depois te conto. (Today we have a tour to the city center. It’s sunny and I’m excited. I will take photos and later I’ll tell you.)
Final tips for writing accuracy
When in doubt, decide whether the sentence expresses possession/existence/age (use ter) or action/creation/weather/duration (use fazer). Learn common set phrases with each verb. Memorize irregular past forms. Proofread short messages for tense and accent errors before sending.
Practice targeted drills: convert English sentences into Portuguese choosing ter or fazer deliberately, then compare to native examples or check with a teacher or language app for feedback.
Conclusion
Ter and fazer are essential but different. Focus on their main roles: ter for possession, age, existence; fazer for actions, weather, elapsed time, and creation. Use the practical sentence patterns and exercises in this article to avoid the most common mistakes when writing messages, emails, and short paragraphs in Brazilian Portuguese.
