Portuguese beginner guide to verbs ending in “Ar”, “Er”, and “Ir”

Introduction

Learning Brazilian Portuguese verbs is easier when you start with regular verbs ending in -ar, -er, and -ir. This beginner guide explains how these verb groups work, shows simple conjugation patterns, and gives practical everyday examples in Brazilian Portuguese so you can start speaking and reading right away.

Why focus on -ar, -er, -ir verbs?

In Brazilian Portuguese most verbs belong to three regular groups identified by their infinitive endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. Once you learn one pattern for each group, you can conjugate hundreds of verbs. This makes learning predictable and boosts confidence for beginners.

What is an infinitive?

The infinitive is the basic verb form, like falar, comer, and abrir. The infinitive tells you which conjugation pattern to use. For regular verbs, remove the ending and add the present tense endings for each pronoun.

Present tense: the most useful starting point

For beginners the present indicative is the most practical tense. It covers actions happening now, habitual actions, and simple future meaning. Learn one verb from each group and their endings, then apply them to many verbs.

Regular -ar verbs: example falar

Take falar (to speak). Remove -ar to get the stem falar -> fal-. Add present endings: -o, -a, -amos, -am. Conjugation:

eu falo

você/ele/ela fala

nós falamos

vocês/eles/elas falam

Examples you might see or use:

Eu falo português todos os dias.
Translation: I speak Portuguese every day.

Você fala inglês?
Translation: Do you speak English?

Nós falamos com o garçom no restaurante.
Translation: We speak with the waiter at the restaurant.

Regular -er verbs: example comer

Take comer (to eat). Remove -er to get com-. Add present endings: -o, -e, -emos, -em. Conjugation:

eu como

você/ele/ela come

nós comemos

vocês/eles/elas comem

Useful examples:

Eu como arroz e feijão.
Translation: I eat rice and beans.

Ela come às oito da noite.
Translation: She eats at eight in the evening.

Vocês comem rápido?
Translation: Do you all eat quickly?

Regular -ir verbs: example abrir

Take abrir (to open). Remove -ir to get abr-. Add present endings: -o, -e, -imos, -em. Conjugation:

eu abro

você/ele/ela abre

nós abrimos

vocês/eles/elas abrem

Everyday examples:

Eu abro a janela.
Translation: I open the window.

Ele abre a loja às nove.
Translation: He opens the shop at nine.

Nós abrimos o presente juntos.
Translation: We open the gift together.

Common pronouns and useful notes

Brazilian Portuguese often uses você instead of tu in casual speech. Você takes third-person verb forms. Learn these pronouns:

eu = I

você = you (singular, informal/formal)

ele/ela = he/she

nós = we

vocês = you (plural)

eles/elas = they

Tip for beginners: use você + third-person conjugation to start, because it matches common spoken Brazilian usage.

Practical verbs list for beginners

Here are common regular verbs to practice by group. First appearance uses strong formatting.

Group -ar: falar, estudar, trabalhar, viajar, comprar

falar example: Eu falo com a professora.

estudar example: Eu estudo português à noite.

trabalhar example: Ele trabalha no centro.

viajar example: Nós viajamos no feriado.

comprar example: Você compra pão no mercado?

Group -er: comer, beber, aprender, vender, correr

comer example: Eles comem no restaurante.

beber example: Eu bebo água.

aprender example: Ela aprende rápido.

vender example: Ele vende frutas.

correr example: Nós corremos no parque.

Group -ir: abrir, assistir, partir, decidir, subir

abrir example: Abre a porta, por favor.

assistir example: Eu assisto TV à noite.

partir example: O ônibus parte às sete.

decidir example: Eu decido amanhã.

subir example: Eles sobem as escadas.

Common phrases and short dialogues

Short, realistic exchanges help you memorize patterns. All examples below use present tense regular verbs.

Você fala inglês?
Sim, eu falo um pouco.

O que vocês comem hoje?
Nós comemos salada e peixe.

Quando a loja abre?
A loja abre às dez.

Por que ela estuda tanto?
Ela estuda para um exame.

Signs, menus, and forms you might encounter

Verb forms appear on signs and menus. Recognizing endings makes reading easier.

Entrada – Abrir às 9h
Meaning: Opens at 9am

Menu – Comer e Beber
Meaning: Eat and Drink

Formulário – Assinar e Enviar
Meaning: Sign and Submit

Top beginner tips for learning verb endings

1. Focus on patterns, not memorization of each verb. Learn the endings for each group and apply them to stems.

2. Start with present tense and pronouns eu, você, ele/ela, nós, vocês, eles/elas.

3. Practice with common verbs you use daily, for example falar, comer, abrir, estudar, trabalhar.

4. Listen to Brazilian Portuguese: songs, podcasts, and simple videos. Hearing conjugations in context helps reinforce patterns.

5. Use flashcards that show the infinitive on one side and a conjugated sentence on the other.

Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them

Mistake 1: Mixing tú and você. In Brazil, você is more common in informal conversation. Use você if you are unsure.

Mistake 2: Forgetting the stem change for irregular verbs. This guide focuses on regular verbs, but know that verbs like ser, estar, ir, ter are irregular and must be learned separately.

Mistake 3: Overusing eu for every sentence. Practice different pronouns so your speech sounds natural.

Mistake 4: Translating word-for-word from English. Portuguese word order and reflexive use differ. Learn short phrases and their translations instead of direct word-for-word mappings.

Quick practice exercise

Take three verbs, one from each group: falar, comer, abrir. Conjugate for eu, você, nós, eles and write simple sentences about your daily routine.

Sample answers:

Eu falo com meu amigo.
Você come no almoço?
Nós abrimos a janela.
Eles falam português.

Useful verbs for basic tasks and interactions

Learning verbs that appear in everyday settings helps functional communication.

At a restaurant: pedir (to order), pagar (to pay), comer (to eat), beber (to drink), servir (to serve).

At a store: comprar (to buy), vender (to sell), abrir (to open), fechar (to close), experimentar (to try on) – note experimentar is -ar.

When traveling: viajar (to travel), chegar (to arrive), partir (to depart), esperar (to wait), mostrar (to show).

How to move beyond regular verbs

After comfortable use of regular -ar, -er, -ir verbs in the present, add: simple past (pretérito perfeito) for completed actions, and common irregular verbs such as ser, estar, ter, ir. Learn high-frequency irregulars gradually while practicing regular patterns.

Resources and next steps

Use graded readers, language apps that focus on conjugation drills, and simple dialogues from Brazilian Portuguese beginner courses. Practice forming short sentences about your daily life using verbs in this guide. Record yourself and compare to native pronunciation.

Conclusion

Begin with regular verbs ending in -ar, -er, and -ir to build a strong foundation in Brazilian Portuguese. Learn the present tense endings, practice common daily verbs like falar, comer, and abrir, and use short, realistic sentences and signs to reinforce learning. With focused practice you will quickly recognize patterns and start communicating in simple, practical situations.