The Verb “Ter” in Portuguese: All Tenses

Introduction

The verb ter is one of the most essential and frequently used verbs in the Portuguese language. Meaning to have or to possess, this irregular verb appears in countless everyday conversations, from expressing ownership and describing characteristics to forming compound tenses. Mastering ter across all its tenses is fundamental for anyone learning Portuguese, as it opens doors to expressing yourself naturally and fluently in both formal and informal contexts.

Understanding the Verb Ter: Meaning and Basic Usage

At its core, ter translates to to have in English, but its applications extend far beyond simple possession. This versatile verb serves multiple grammatical and communicative functions that make it indispensable in Portuguese.

The primary meaning of ter involves possession or ownership. When you want to say you have something physical or abstract, ter is your go-to verb. For example:

Eu tenho um carro novo.
I have a new car.

Ela tem três irmãos.
She has three siblings.

Beyond possession, ter also expresses obligation when combined with que (that). This construction, ter que or ter de, means to have to or must:

Eu tenho que estudar hoje.
I have to study today.

Additionally, ter functions as an auxiliary verb in compound tenses, particularly the present perfect. This usage parallels the English have in structures like I have done or She has seen.

Present Tense: Presente do Indicativo

The present tense of ter is highly irregular, and memorizing these forms is crucial since you’ll use them constantly. The conjugation differs significantly from regular verb patterns, so dedicated practice is necessary.

Present Tense Conjugation

Eu tenho (I have)
Você/Ele/Ela tem (You have/He has/She has)
Nós temos (We have)
Vocês/Eles/Elas têm (You all have/They have)

Notice the circumflex accent on têm in the third person plural. This distinguishes it from tem (third person singular) and is essential for correct spelling and pronunciation.

Common Present Tense Uses

The present tense of ter describes current states, habitual actions, and general truths:

Nós temos uma casa na praia.
We have a house at the beach.

Ele tem 25 anos.
He is 25 years old.

Você tem tempo para conversar?
Do you have time to talk?

Notice how Portuguese uses ter to express age, where English uses to be. This idiomatic usage is one of many instances where ter extends beyond its literal translation.

Preterite Tense: Pretérito Perfeito

The preterite tense, or pretérito perfeito, describes completed actions in the past. This tense is straightforward in its application: use it when referring to specific events that happened and finished at a definite point in time.

Preterite Conjugation

Eu tive (I had)
Você/Ele/Ela teve (You had/He had/She had)
Nós tivemos (We had)
Vocês/Eles/Elas tiveram (You all had/They had)

These forms derive from the irregular stem tiv-, making them distinct from the present tense.

Practical Examples

Eu tive uma ideia incrível ontem.
I had an incredible idea yesterday.

Eles tiveram muitos problemas no trabalho.
They had many problems at work.

Nós tivemos uma festa maravilhosa.
We had a wonderful party.

The pretérito perfeito emphasizes the completion and definiteness of the action, distinguishing it from ongoing or habitual past actions.

Imperfect Tense: Pretérito Imperfeito

The pretérito imperfeito describes ongoing, habitual, or background actions in the past. Unlike the preterite, the imperfect doesn’t focus on when an action started or ended, but rather on its continuous or repeated nature.

Imperfect Conjugation

Eu tinha (I had/used to have)
Você/Ele/Ela tinha (You had/He had/She had)
Nós tínhamos (We had/used to have)
Vocês/Eles/Elas tinham (You all had/They had)

The stem tinh- remains consistent throughout, making this conjugation pattern more regular than the present tense.

When to Use the Imperfect

Use the imperfect when describing past situations, habitual actions, or setting the scene:

Quando eu era criança, tinha um cachorro.
When I was a child, I had a dog.

Eles tinham muito dinheiro naquela época.
They had a lot of money at that time.

Nós tínhamos aulas de português toda semana.
We used to have Portuguese classes every week.

The imperfect creates a sense of duration or repetition, contrasting with the completed action of the preterite.

Future Tense: Futuro do Presente

The simple future tense, or futuro do presente, expresses actions that will happen. While Portuguese speakers often use the present tense or the construction ir + infinitive for future actions in casual speech, the simple future remains important for formal contexts and written language.

Future Conjugation

Eu terei (I will have)
Você/Ele/Ela terá (You will have/He will have/She will have)
Nós teremos (We will have)
Vocês/Eles/Elas terão (You all will have/They will have)

These forms add specific endings to the infinitive ter, following a pattern common to future tense formation in Portuguese.

Future Tense in Context

Amanhã terei uma reunião importante.
Tomorrow I will have an important meeting.

Você terá tempo para me ajudar?
Will you have time to help me?

Nós teremos férias em julho.
We will have vacation in July.

In everyday conversation, many speakers prefer alternatives like vou ter (I’m going to have), but understanding the simple future enriches your comprehension and formal communication skills.

Conditional Tense: Futuro do Pretérito

The conditional mood, known as futuro do pretérito in Portuguese, expresses hypothetical situations, polite requests, or actions that would occur under certain conditions.

Conditional Conjugation

Eu teria (I would have)
Você/Ele/Ela teria (You would have/He would have/She would have)
Nós teríamos (We would have)
Vocês/Eles/Elas teriam (You all would have/They would have)

Using the Conditional

The conditional frequently appears in if-clauses and polite expressions:

Eu teria mais tempo se trabalhasse menos.
I would have more time if I worked less.

Você teria interesse em participar?
Would you have interest in participating?

Nós teríamos prazer em ajudá-lo.
We would have pleasure in helping you.

This tense adds nuance and politeness to your Portuguese, making requests sound less direct and more courteous.

Present Perfect: Pretérito Perfeito Composto

The pretérito perfeito composto combines the present tense of ter with a past participle. This compound tense describes actions that began in the past and continue into the present, or repeated actions up to now.

Formation and Usage

This tense follows the pattern: present tense of ter + past participle

Eu tenho estudado muito.
I have been studying a lot.

Ela tem trabalhado em casa.
She has been working at home.

Nós temos viajado frequentemente.
We have been traveling frequently.

Unlike English, where the present perfect can describe completed actions, the Portuguese pretérito perfeito composto emphasizes continuity or repetition up to the present moment. For single completed actions, Portuguese uses the simple preterite instead.

Past Perfect: Pretérito Mais-Que-Perfeito Composto

The past perfect, or pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto, describes actions that occurred before another past action. It’s formed with the imperfect of ter plus a past participle.

Structure and Examples

Pattern: imperfect of ter + past participle

Eu tinha terminado o trabalho quando ele chegou.
I had finished the work when he arrived.

Eles tinham saído antes da chuva.
They had left before the rain.

Nós tínhamos comido quando você ligou.
We had eaten when you called.

This tense establishes a clear sequence of past events, showing which action happened first. It’s essential for storytelling and detailed narratives.

Future Perfect: Futuro do Presente Composto

The futuro do presente composto expresses actions that will be completed before a specific future time. This compound tense uses the future of ter with a past participle.

Formation and Application

Pattern: future of ter + past participle

Eu terei terminado até amanhã.
I will have finished by tomorrow.

Ela terá chegado antes do jantar.
She will have arrived before dinner.

Nós teremos resolvido tudo na próxima semana.
We will have resolved everything next week.

This tense is less common in everyday speech but appears in formal writing and when precision about timing is necessary.

Conditional Perfect: Futuro do Pretérito Composto

The conditional perfect, or futuro do pretérito composto, describes hypothetical past actions. It combines the conditional of ter with a past participle.

Usage and Examples

Pattern: conditional of ter + past participle

Eu teria ajudado se soubesse.
I would have helped if I had known.

Ele teria vindo à festa.
He would have come to the party.

Nós teríamos comprado a casa.
We would have bought the house.

This tense expresses regret, missed opportunities, or speculation about past alternatives. It’s crucial for discussing what might have been.

Present Subjunctive: Presente do Subjuntivo

The subjunctive mood expresses doubt, desire, possibility, or subjectivity. The presente do subjuntivo of ter appears frequently after certain conjunctions and expressions of emotion or uncertainty.

Present Subjunctive Conjugation

Que eu tenha (that I have/may have)
Que você/ele/ela tenha (that you have/he has/she has)
Que nós tenhamos (that we have/may have)
Que vocês/eles/elas tenham (that you all have/they have)

Common Contexts

The present subjunctive appears after expressions like espero que (I hope that), é importante que (it’s important that), and talvez (maybe):

Espero que você tenha tempo.
I hope you have time.

É importante que eles tenham paciência.
It’s important that they have patience.

Talvez nós tenhamos sorte.
Maybe we’ll have luck.

Mastering the subjunctive is essential for expressing nuanced thoughts and emotions in Portuguese.

Imperfect Subjunctive: Pretérito Imperfeito do Subjuntivo

The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo expresses hypothetical situations in the past or polite formulations. It often appears in if-clauses paired with the conditional.

Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation

Se eu tivesse (if I had)
Se você/ele/ela tivesse (if you had/if he had/if she had)
Se nós tivéssemos (if we had)
Se vocês/eles/elas tivessem (if you all had/if they had)

Practical Applications

Se eu tivesse dinheiro, compraria uma casa.
If I had money, I would buy a house.

Se você tivesse tempo, poderia me ajudar?
If you had time, could you help me?

Se nós tivéssemos carro, iríamos viajar.
If we had a car, we would travel.

This tense is indispensable for expressing wishes, hypothetical scenarios, and contrary-to-fact statements.

Future Subjunctive: Futuro do Subjuntivo

The futuro do subjuntivo is unique to Portuguese and appears after certain conjunctions like quando (when), se (if), and assim que (as soon as) when referring to future possibilities.

Future Subjunctive Conjugation

Quando eu tiver (when I have)
Quando você/ele/ela tiver (when you have/when he has/when she has)
Quando nós tivermos (when we have)
Quando vocês/eles/elas tiverem (when you all have/when they have)

Usage Examples

Quando eu tiver dinheiro, vou viajar.
When I have money, I will travel.

Se você tiver problemas, me ligue.
If you have problems, call me.

Assim que nós tivermos notícias, avisaremos.
As soon as we have news, we’ll notify you.

This tense might seem unusual to English speakers, but it’s essential for natural Portuguese expression, especially in conditional and temporal clauses.

Imperative Mood: Imperativo

The imperativo gives commands, instructions, or suggestions. Portuguese has both affirmative and negative imperative forms, and they differ slightly in formation.

Affirmative Imperative

Tenha! (Have! – formal you singular)
Tenhamos! (Let’s have!)
Tenham! (Have! – you plural or formal)

Negative Imperative

Não tenha! (Don’t have! – formal you singular)
Não tenhamos! (Let’s not have!)
Não tenham! (Don’t have! – you plural or formal)

Imperative in Use

Tenha paciência!
Have patience!

Não tenham medo!
Don’t be afraid!

Tenhamos cuidado!
Let’s be careful!

Note that Portuguese uses ter in many expressions where English might use a different verb, such as ter medo (to be afraid) or ter cuidado (to be careful).

Common Expressions with Ter

Beyond its grammatical functions, ter appears in numerous fixed expressions and idioms that are essential for natural-sounding Portuguese. These phrases often don’t translate literally into English.

Physical and Emotional States

Ter fome (to be hungry)
Ter sede (to be thirsty)
Ter sono (to be sleepy)
Ter frio (to be cold)
Ter calor (to be hot)
Ter medo (to be afraid)
Ter vergonha (to be ashamed)
Ter sorte (to be lucky)

Examples in context:

Eu tenho fome. Vamos almoçar?
I’m hungry. Shall we have lunch?

Eles têm muito calor no verão.
They’re very hot in summer.

Responsibility and Obligation

Ter que/Ter de (to have to, must)
Ter razão (to be right)
Ter certeza (to be sure)

Você tem razão sobre isso.
You’re right about that.

Eu tenho certeza de que vai dar certo.
I’m sure it will work out.

Other Useful Expressions

Ter lugar (to take place)
Ter cuidado (to be careful)
Ter pressa (to be in a hurry)
Ter jeito (to have a knack for something)

A reunião terá lugar amanhã.
The meeting will take place tomorrow.

Ela tem jeito para línguas.
She has a knack for languages.

Learning these expressions will significantly improve your conversational Portuguese and help you sound more like a native speaker.

Ter vs. Haver: Understanding the Difference

Portuguese learners often encounter confusion between ter and haver, especially since both can translate to to have in English. Understanding their distinct uses is important for proper Portuguese.

Use ter for possession and in personal expressions:

Eu tenho um livro.
I have a book.

Use haver for existence (similar to there is/there are):

Há um livro na mesa.
There is a book on the table.

In modern conversational Portuguese, especially in certain regions, ter sometimes replaces haver in existential constructions, though this is considered informal:

Tem um livro na mesa. (informal)
There’s a book on the table.

However, in formal writing and educated speech, maintaining the distinction between ter (possession) and haver (existence) is important.

Tips for Mastering Ter in All Tenses

Learning all the tenses and uses of ter requires dedicated practice and exposure. Here are strategies to help you master this essential verb:

Focus on the most common tenses first. The present, preterite, and imperfect tenses account for the majority of everyday usage. Once you’re comfortable with these, expand to the subjunctive and compound tenses.

Practice with real-life contexts. Instead of memorizing conjugation tables in isolation, create sentences about your own life and experiences. This personal connection helps retention.

Pay attention to fixed expressions. Many phrases with ter don’t translate literally, so learning them as complete units is more effective than translating word-by-word.

Listen to native speakers. Portuguese music, podcasts, and videos expose you to ter in natural contexts, helping you internalize proper usage and pronunciation.

Write regularly. Keep a journal in Portuguese using different tenses of ter. Describe what you have, what you had, and what you will have.

Don’t fear mistakes. Using ter incorrectly is part of the learning process. Native speakers will understand your meaning even if the tense isn’t perfect, and corrections help you improve.

Regional Variations and Informal Usage

Portuguese varies significantly across different regions, and the use of ter reflects some of these differences. While the conjugations remain the same, preferences for certain constructions can vary.

In informal conversation, particularly in some areas, speakers often prefer simpler tenses over compound ones. Instead of eu terei feito (I will have done), you might hear eu vou ter feito (I’m going to have done).

The distinction between ter que and ter de for expressing obligation varies by region. Both are correct and interchangeable, though some areas favor one over the other.

In very casual speech, verb forms can be shortened or modified. While learning, stick to standard forms, but be aware that native speakers might use variations in relaxed settings.

Understanding these variations helps you comprehend different speakers and contexts, even though your own speech should prioritize clarity and standard forms as you learn.

Conclusion

The verb ter stands as a cornerstone of Portuguese grammar, essential for expressing possession, forming compound tenses, and conveying countless everyday situations. From its irregular present tense forms to its subjunctive moods, mastering ter across all tenses empowers you to communicate with precision and authenticity. Remember that fluency comes through consistent practice and real-world application. Embrace each tense as a tool that expands your expressive range in Portuguese.