How to Conjugate “-ar” Verbs in Portuguese

Introduction

Learning to conjugate verbs is one of the most essential skills for anyone studying Portuguese. Among the three main verb groups, -ar verbs are the most common and arguably the easiest to master. These verbs form the largest category in Portuguese and include everyday actions like falar (to speak), estudar (to study), and trabalhar (to work). Understanding how to conjugate -ar verbs will unlock your ability to communicate effectively in countless situations.

Understanding Portuguese Verb Groups

Portuguese verbs are divided into three conjugation groups based on their infinitive endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. The -ar group is by far the largest, containing approximately 90% of all Portuguese verbs. This makes learning -ar verb conjugations an incredibly valuable investment of your study time.

The infinitive form of a verb is its base form, the version you would find in a dictionary. When you conjugate a verb, you modify it to match the subject (who is performing the action) and the tense (when the action occurs). For -ar verbs, you remove the -ar ending and add specific endings depending on the subject and tense.

Let’s explore the most important tenses and how to conjugate -ar verbs in each one.

Present Tense Conjugation

The present tense, or presente do indicativo, is used to describe actions happening now, habitual actions, or general truths. This is typically the first tense learners master, and for good reason—it’s used constantly in everyday conversation.

Regular -ar Verb Endings in the Present Tense

To conjugate a regular -ar verb in the present tense, remove the -ar ending and add these endings:

eu (I) → -o
você/ele/ela (you/he/she) → -a
nós (we) → -amos
vocês/eles/elas (you plural/they) → -am

Notice that Portuguese has two forms for the second person. In this article, we focus on the você form, which is standard in modern conversational Portuguese and particularly common in most regions.

Example: Falar (to speak)

Let’s conjugate falar in the present tense:

eu falo (I speak)
você fala (you speak)
ele/ela fala (he/she speaks)
nós falamos (we speak)
vocês falam (you all speak)
eles/elas falam (they speak)

Common -ar Verbs in the Present Tense

Here are some frequently used -ar verbs conjugated in the present tense:

Estudar (to study):
Eu estudo português todos os dias. (I study Portuguese every day.)
Nós estudamos juntos na biblioteca. (We study together at the library.)

Trabalhar (to work):
Você trabalha muito. (You work a lot.)
Eles trabalham no centro da cidade. (They work in the city center.)

Morar (to live/reside):
Ela mora perto da praia. (She lives near the beach.)
Nós moramos em São Paulo. (We live in São Paulo.)

Comprar (to buy):
Eu compro frutas no mercado. (I buy fruits at the market.)
Vocês compram online? (Do you all buy online?)

Gostar (to like):
Eu gosto de café. (I like coffee.)
Eles gostam de viajar. (They like to travel.)

Preterite Tense Conjugation

The preterite tense, known as pretérito perfeito in Portuguese, describes completed actions in the past. When you want to talk about something that happened at a specific time and is finished, you use this tense.

Regular -ar Verb Endings in the Preterite

To form the preterite of regular -ar verbs, remove the -ar and add:

eu → -ei
você/ele/ela → -ou
nós → -amos
vocês/eles/elas → -aram

Note that the nós form is identical in both the present and preterite tenses. Context usually makes the meaning clear.

Example: Chegar (to arrive)

Chegar in the preterite:

eu cheguei (I arrived)
você chegou (you arrived)
ele/ela chegou (he/she arrived)
nós chegamos (we arrived)
vocês chegaram (you all arrived)
eles/elas chegaram (they arrived)

Using the Preterite in Context

Here are practical examples showing how the preterite is used:

Eu terminei o trabalho ontem. (I finished the work yesterday.)
Ela viajou para o Rio no mês passado. (She traveled to Rio last month.)
Nós estudamos muito para a prova. (We studied a lot for the test.)
Eles compraram uma casa nova. (They bought a new house.)
Você falou com o professor? (Did you speak with the teacher?)

Imperfect Tense Conjugation

The imperfect tense, or pretérito imperfeito, describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past, background information, or states of being. Think of it as the tense that paints the scene of what was happening or what used to happen regularly.

Regular -ar Verb Endings in the Imperfect

The imperfect is one of the most regular tenses in Portuguese. For -ar verbs, remove the -ar and add:

eu → -ava
você/ele/ela → -ava
nós → -ávamos
vocês/eles/elas → -avam

Example: Brincar (to play)

Brincar in the imperfect:

eu brincava (I used to play/was playing)
você brincava (you used to play/were playing)
ele/ela brincava (he/she used to play/was playing)
nós brincávamos (we used to play/were playing)
vocês brincavam (you all used to play/were playing)
eles/elas brincavam (they used to play/were playing)

Preterite vs. Imperfect: Understanding the Difference

One of the most challenging aspects for learners is knowing when to use the preterite versus the imperfect. Here’s a simple guideline:

Use the preterite for specific, completed actions:
Eu comprei este livro na semana passada. (I bought this book last week.)

Use the imperfect for habitual past actions or ongoing states:
Quando eu era criança, brincava no parque todos os dias. (When I was a child, I used to play in the park every day.)

The imperfect sets the scene, while the preterite describes what happened:

Eu caminhava na rua quando encontrei meu amigo. (I was walking on the street when I met my friend.)

Future Tense Conjugation

Portuguese has two ways to express future actions: the simple future and the informal future. Both are commonly used, though the informal future is more prevalent in everyday speech.

Informal Future with “Ir”

The most common way to express future actions in conversational Portuguese is using the verb ir (to go) plus the infinitive. This construction parallels the English going to future.

Structure: present tense of ir + infinitive verb

Eu vou falar com ele amanhã. (I’m going to speak with him tomorrow.)
Você vai estudar hoje à noite? (Are you going to study tonight?)
Nós vamos viajar nas férias. (We’re going to travel during vacation.)
Eles vão comprar um carro novo. (They’re going to buy a new car.)

Simple Future Tense

The simple future, or futuro do presente, is formed by keeping the entire infinitive and adding endings. This form is more common in formal writing and speech.

For -ar verbs, keep the infinitive and add:

eu → -ei
você/ele/ela → -á
nós → -emos
vocês/eles/elas → -ão

Example: Começar (to begin)

Começar in the simple future:

eu começarei (I will begin)
você começará (you will begin)
ele/ela começará (he/she will begin)
nós começaremos (we will begin)
vocês começarão (you all will begin)
eles/elas começarão (they will begin)

Examples in context:
Eu falarei com você depois. (I will speak with you later.)
O curso começará na próxima semana. (The course will begin next week.)
Nós viajaremos em dezembro. (We will travel in December.)

Present Subjunctive

The subjunctive mood expresses doubt, possibility, desire, or emotion. The presente do subjuntivo is used after certain conjunctions and expressions.

Regular -ar Verb Endings in Present Subjunctive

To form the present subjunctive of -ar verbs, take the first person present indicative form (eu form), remove the -o, and add:

eu → -e
você/ele/ela → -e
nós → -emos
vocês/eles/elas → -em

Example: Esperar (to hope/wait)

Esperar in the present subjunctive:

que eu espere
que você espere
que ele/ela espere
que nós esperemos
que vocês esperem
que eles/elas esperem

Common uses of the subjunctive:

Espero que você passe no exame. (I hope you pass the exam.)
É importante que nós estudemos todos os dias. (It’s important that we study every day.)
Talvez ela chegue mais tarde. (Maybe she’ll arrive later.)
Duvido que eles falem inglês. (I doubt they speak English.)

Imperative Mood

The imperative mood is used for commands, requests, or instructions. In Portuguese, there are different forms depending on whether you’re being formal or informal.

Affirmative Commands

For você (singular) and vocês (plural), the affirmative imperative uses the present subjunctive forms:

Falar:
Fale mais devagar, por favor. (Speak more slowly, please.)
Falem português na aula. (Speak Portuguese in class.)

Estudar:
Estude esta lição. (Study this lesson.)
Estudem para a prova. (Study for the test.)

Negative Commands

Negative commands always use the subjunctive form with não:

Não fale tão alto. (Don’t speak so loud.)
Não trabalhem demais. (Don’t work too much.)
Não esqueça seu passaporte. (Don’t forget your passport.)

Spelling Changes in -ar Verbs

Some -ar verbs undergo spelling changes to preserve pronunciation. These changes are predictable and follow consistent patterns.

Verbs Ending in -çar

Verbs ending in -çar change the ç to c before e. This happens in the first person preterite and throughout the present subjunctive.

Começar (to begin):
Preterite: Eu comecei (not começei)
Present subjunctive: que eu comece

Other examples: dançar (to dance), almoçar (to have lunch), alcançar (to reach)

Verbs Ending in -gar

Verbs ending in -gar add a u before e to maintain the hard g sound.

Chegar (to arrive):
Preterite: Eu cheguei
Present subjunctive: que eu chegue

Other examples: pagar (to pay), jogar (to play), entregar (to deliver)

Verbs Ending in -car

Verbs ending in -car change c to qu before e to preserve the hard c sound.

Ficar (to stay):
Preterite: Eu fiquei
Present subjunctive: que eu fique

Other examples: tocar (to touch/play an instrument), buscar (to search/fetch), explicar (to explain)

Reflexive -ar Verbs

Reflexive verbs indicate that the subject performs an action on itself. These verbs use reflexive pronouns: me, se, nos, se.

Common Reflexive -ar Verbs

Levantar-se (to get up):

Eu me levanto às sete horas. (I get up at seven o’clock.)
Ela se levanta cedo. (She gets up early.)
Nós nos levantamos tarde nos fins de semana. (We get up late on weekends.)

Chamar-se (to be called/named):

Eu me chamo João. (I’m called João/My name is João.)
Como você se chama? (What’s your name?)
Eles se chamam Pedro e Paulo. (They’re called Pedro and Paulo.)

Other common reflexive -ar verbs include: sentar-se (to sit down), preparar-se (to prepare oneself), lembrar-se (to remember), and esquecer-se (to forget).

Compound Tenses with -ar Verbs

Portuguese uses the auxiliary verb ter (to have) plus the past participle to form compound tenses. For regular -ar verbs, the past participle ends in -ado.

Present Perfect

The present perfect indicates actions that began in the past and continue to the present or have recently been completed.

Formation: present tense of ter + past participle

Eu tenho estudado muito. (I have been studying a lot.)
Você tem trabalhado demais. (You have been working too much.)
Nós temos falado todos os dias. (We have been talking every day.)

Past Perfect

The past perfect (pluperfect) describes an action that occurred before another past action.

Formation: imperfect tense of ter + past participle

Eu tinha terminado quando ela chegou. (I had finished when she arrived.)
Eles tinham viajado antes. (They had traveled before.)
Nós tínhamos comprado tudo. (We had bought everything.)

Tips for Mastering -ar Verb Conjugation

Practice with High-Frequency Verbs First

Focus your initial efforts on the most common -ar verbs. These include: estar (to be), falar (to speak), estudar (to study), trabalhar (to work), morar (to live), gostar (to like), comprar (to buy), chegar (to arrive), começar (to begin), and ficar (to stay). Once you master these, other verbs will follow naturally.

Create Conjugation Charts

Writing out complete conjugation charts helps solidify the patterns in your memory. Start with the present tense, then add one tense at a time. Review your charts regularly, and soon you’ll conjugate automatically without thinking.

Use Flashcards and Spaced Repetition

Digital flashcard apps using spaced repetition algorithms are highly effective for memorizing conjugations. Create cards with the infinitive on one side and conjugated forms on the other. Include complete sentences to learn verbs in context.

Read and Listen Extensively

Exposure to authentic Portuguese through reading articles, books, and listening to podcasts or music helps you internalize conjugation patterns naturally. Pay attention to verb forms as you encounter them, and try to identify the tense being used.

Practice Speaking Regularly

Active production is crucial for mastery. Practice speaking Portuguese whenever possible, even if it’s just talking to yourself. Describe your daily activities using different tenses: what you’re doing now, what you did yesterday, and what you’ll do tomorrow.

Don’t Fear Mistakes

Making mistakes is an essential part of language learning. Native speakers will appreciate your efforts to communicate in Portuguese, and errors help you identify areas that need more practice. The key is to learn from mistakes and continue practicing.

Cultural Notes on Verb Usage

Understanding when and how to use certain verbs involves cultural awareness as well as grammatical knowledge. For example, the verb gostar (to like) is constructed differently in Portuguese than in English. You say gostar de (to like of), so Eu gosto de música translates literally as I like of music.

Similarly, the verb ficar has multiple meanings depending on context. It can mean to stay (Vou ficar em casa – I’m going to stay home), to be located (A escola fica perto – The school is nearby), or to become (Ela ficou feliz – She became happy). This versatility makes ficar one of the most useful verbs in Portuguese.

The reflexive verb chamar-se (to call oneself) is the standard way to introduce yourself in Portuguese rather than using ser (to be) as in English. This reflects a different conceptual approach to naming and identity.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Confusing Present and Preterite “Nós” Forms

Since the nós form is identical in the present and preterite for -ar verbs, context is crucial. Adding time expressions clarifies meaning: Nós estudamos hoje (present) versus Nós estudamos ontem (preterite).

Forgetting Spelling Changes

Remember to apply spelling changes consistently with -çar, -gar, and -car verbs. These changes maintain proper pronunciation and are considered spelling errors if omitted.

Overusing the Simple Future

While grammatically correct, the simple future can sound overly formal in everyday conversation. The informal future with ir is more natural in most speaking situations.

Misusing Subject Pronouns

Portuguese often omits subject pronouns because verb endings clearly indicate the subject. While including pronouns isn’t wrong, overusing them can sound unnatural. Learn when pronouns are necessary for emphasis or clarity.

Building Your Vocabulary

As you learn conjugation patterns, simultaneously expand your vocabulary of -ar verbs. Here are essential categories:

Daily Activities: acordar (to wake up), tomar (to take/drink), jantar (to have dinner), descansar (to rest)

Communication: conversar (to converse), perguntar (to ask), responder (to answer), contar (to tell)

Movement: andar (to walk), viajar (to travel), voltar (to return), entrar (to enter)

Mental Activities: pensar (to think), lembrar (to remember), imaginar (to imagine), achar (to think/find)

Actions: ajudar (to help), criar (to create), ganhar (to win/earn), melhorar (to improve)

Conclusion

Mastering -ar verb conjugation is a fundamental milestone in your Portuguese learning journey. These verbs form the backbone of everyday communication, and their regular patterns make them accessible even to beginners. By understanding the key tenses—present, preterite, imperfect, future, and subjunctive—you gain the ability to express yourself across different time frames and contexts. Remember that language learning is a gradual process requiring consistent practice, patience, and exposure. Start with high-frequency verbs, practice regularly, and don’t hesitate to make mistakes. With dedication and the right approach, you’ll soon conjugate -ar verbs naturally and confidently, opening doors to fluent Portuguese communication.