All Tenses at a Glance | Portuguese (Portugal) Grammar

This page is a single-pane reference for every Portuguese tense and non-finite form. For each one you get: the formation formula, a regular conjugation (using falar, comer and partir), an irregular check (ser, estar, ir, ter), a one-line usage note, the CEFR level at which it is normally introduced, and a link to the teaching page. If you only learn one page by heart, make it this one.

How to read this page

Formation: the mechanical rule for building the tense from the stem or infinitive.
Endings: the six person-endings for eu / tu / ele-ela-você / nós / vós / eles-elas-vocês. (The vós column is given for completeness; in modern European Portuguese speech, vós is archaic or dialectal, and vocês replaces it.)
When used: a compact description of the main function. The dedicated page has depth and edge cases.

Indicative mood

The indicative is for facts, statements and direct questions — actions treated as real.

Present indicative (presente do indicativo)

Formation: drop -ar / -er / -ir, add endings.

Person	falar	comer	partir	ser	estar	ir	ter
eu	falo	como	parto	sou	estou	vou	tenho
tu	falas	comes	partes	és	estás	vais	tens
ele/ela/você	fala	come	parte	é	está	vai	tem
nós	falamos	comemos	partimos	somos	estamos	vamos	temos
vós	falais	comeis	partis	sois	estais	ides	tendes
eles/elas/vocês	falam	comem	partem	são	estão	vão	têm

When used: habitual actions, general truths, ongoing states, near-future plans. CEFR: A1. See present indicative overview.

Falo português todos os dias.

I speak Portuguese every day.

O comboio parte às seis em ponto.

The train leaves at six sharp.

Preterite (pretérito perfeito simples)

Formation: drop -ar / -er / -ir, add preterite endings.

Person	falar	comer	partir	ser / ir (same)	estar	ter
eu	falei	comi	parti	fui	estive	tive
tu	falaste	comeste	partiste	foste	estiveste	tiveste
ele/ela/você	falou	comeu	partiu	foi	esteve	teve
nós	falámos	comemos	partimos	fomos	estivemos	tivemos
vós	falastes	comestes	partistes	fostes	estivestes	tivestes
eles/elas/vocês	falaram	comeram	partiram	foram	estiveram	tiveram

Note: ser and ir are identical in the preterite — context disambiguates. Also, European Portuguese writes nós falámos with an acute accent to distinguish it from the present nós falamos. CEFR: A2. See preterite overview.

Ontem falei com a minha mãe ao telefone.

Yesterday I spoke with my mother on the phone.

Fomos ao Porto no fim de semana passado.

We went to Porto last weekend.

Imperfect (pretérito imperfeito do indicativo)

Formation: drop -ar / -er / -ir, add imperfect endings. Only four verbs are irregular: ser, ter, vir, pôr.

Person	falar	comer	partir	ser	ter	ir (regular!)
eu	falava	comia	partia	era	tinha	ia
tu	falavas	comias	partias	eras	tinhas	ias
ele/ela/você	falava	comia	partia	era	tinha	ia
nós	falávamos	comíamos	partíamos	éramos	tínhamos	íamos
vós	faláveis	comíeis	partíeis	éreis	tínheis	íeis
eles/elas/vocês	falavam	comiam	partiam	eram	tinham	iam

When used: habitual past, ongoing past, background description, polite requests. CEFR: A2. See imperfect overview.

Quando era pequena, passava os verões na praia.

When I was little, I used to spend the summers at the beach.

Queria um café e uma torrada, se faz favor.

I'd like a coffee and a piece of toast, please.

Pluperfect — simple form (pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples)

Formation: preterite stem (3rd plural minus -am) + pluperfect endings. Rare in speech, common in literature.

Person	falar	comer	partir	ser / ir	ter
eu	falara	comera	partira	fora	tivera
tu	falaras	comeras	partiras	foras	tiveras
ele/ela/você	falara	comera	partira	fora	tivera
nós	faláramos	comêramos	partíramos	fôramos	tivéramos
eles/elas/vocês	falaram	comeram	partiram	foram	tiveram

When used: past-before-past, mostly in literary or formal prose; in everyday speech, use the compound form below. CEFR: B2 (recognition). See simple pluperfect. (literary)

Quando cheguei, ela já partira.

When I arrived, she had already left. (literary register)

Pluperfect — compound form (pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto)

Formation: ter in the imperfect + past participle.

Person	falar	ser	ir	ter
eu	tinha falado	tinha sido	tinha ido	tinha tido
tu	tinhas falado	tinhas sido	tinhas ido	tinhas tido
ele/ela/você	tinha falado	tinha sido	tinha ido	tinha tido
nós	tínhamos falado	tínhamos sido	tínhamos ido	tínhamos tido
eles/elas/vocês	tinham falado	tinham sido	tinham ido	tinham tido

When used: the everyday "had done" of spoken and written Portuguese. CEFR: B1. See compound pluperfect.

Quando cheguei à estação, o comboio já tinha partido.

When I got to the station, the train had already left.

Present perfect (pretérito perfeito composto)

Formation: ter in the present + past participle. This is a false friend for English and Spanish speakers.

Person	falar	ser	ter
eu	tenho falado	tenho sido	tenho tido
tu	tens falado	tens sido	tens tido
ele/ela/você	tem falado	tem sido	tem tido
nós	temos falado	temos sido	temos tido
eles/elas/vocês	têm falado	têm sido	têm tido

When used: repeated or continuous action in a period stretching up to the present. NOT the English "I have eaten" (that is Portuguese preterite comi). CEFR: B1. See present perfect and especially the warning on vs Spanish present perfect.

Tenho trabalhado muito este mês.

I've been working a lot this month. (continuing up to now)

Future (futuro do indicativo)

Formation: full infinitive + future endings -ei / -ás / -á / -emos / -ão. Three verbs have contracted stems: fazer → far-, dizer → dir-, trazer → trar-.

Person	falar	ser	ir	ter	fazer	dizer
eu	falarei	serei	irei	terei	farei	direi
tu	falarás	serás	irás	terás	farás	dirás
ele/ela/você	falará	será	irá	terá	fará	dirá
nós	falaremos	seremos	iremos	teremos	faremos	diremos
eles/elas/vocês	falarão	serão	irão	terão	farão	dirão

When used: future prediction (formal / written). In speech, ir + infinitive is preferred. Also expresses probability in the present: "será que…" (I wonder if…). CEFR: A2-B1. See simple future and future of probability.

O ministro falará amanhã à imprensa.

The minister will speak to the press tomorrow. (formal)

Será que ela vem?

I wonder if she's coming. (probability use)

Future anterior (futuro anterior / futuro perfeito)

Formation: ter in the future + past participle.

Até ao fim do mês, terei terminado o projecto.

By the end of the month, I will have finished the project.

When used: an action completed before a future reference point. CEFR: B2. See future perfect.

Conditional (condicional simples / futuro do pretérito)

Formation: full infinitive + conditional endings -ia / -ias / -ia / -íamos / -iam. Same three contracted stems as the future: faria, diria, traria.

Person	falar	ser	ir	ter	fazer
eu	falaria	seria	iria	teria	faria
tu	falarias	serias	irias	terias	farias
ele/ela/você	falaria	seria	iria	teria	faria
nós	falaríamos	seríamos	iríamos	teríamos	faríamos
eles/elas/vocês	falariam	seriam	iriam	teriam	fariam

When used: hypotheticals, polite requests, future-in-the-past (reported speech), probability in the past. CEFR: B1. See conditional overview.

Gostaria de marcar uma consulta.

I'd like to book an appointment. (polite)

Se tivesse tempo, iria contigo.

If I had time, I'd go with you. (hypothetical)

Conditional perfect (condicional composto)

Formation: ter in the conditional + past participle.

Se soubesse, teria avisado a tempo.

If I'd known, I would have warned you in time.

When used: counterfactual past — things that would have happened but didn't. CEFR: B2. See conditional perfect.

Subjunctive mood

The subjunctive marks unreal, desired, doubted, or conditional events — actions that exist in the speaker's mind rather than in the real world.

Present subjunctive (presente do conjuntivo)

Formation: take the eu form of the present indicative, drop the -o, add subjunctive endings (opposite vowel rule): -ar verbs take -e endings; -er / -ir verbs take -a endings.

Person	falar	comer	partir	ser	estar	ir	ter
eu	fale	coma	parta	seja	esteja	vá	tenha
tu	fales	comas	partas	sejas	estejas	vás	tenhas
ele/ela/você	fale	coma	parta	seja	esteja	vá	tenha
nós	falemos	comamos	partamos	sejamos	estejamos	vamos	tenhamos
eles/elas/vocês	falem	comam	partam	sejam	estejam	vão	tenham

When used: after verbs of wish, emotion, doubt; after most impersonal expressions; in purpose, concession, and indefinite-antecedent clauses. Also as the polite imperative (coma, faça favor). CEFR: B1. See present subjunctive.

Espero que gostes do presente.

I hope you like the present.

É preciso que ele chegue a horas.

It's necessary that he arrive on time.

Imperfect subjunctive (pretérito imperfeito do conjuntivo)

Formation: take the 3rd plural preterite (e.g. falaram), drop -ram, add -sse / -sses / -sse / -ssemos / -ssem. No exceptions — once you know the preterite, you know the imperfect subjunctive.

Person	falar	comer	partir	ser / ir	ter	fazer
eu	falasse	comesse	partisse	fosse	tivesse	fizesse
tu	falasses	comesses	partisses	fosses	tivesses	fizesses
ele/ela/você	falasse	comesse	partisse	fosse	tivesse	fizesse
nós	falássemos	comêssemos	partíssemos	fôssemos	tivéssemos	fizéssemos
eles/elas/vocês	falassem	comessem	partissem	fossem	tivessem	fizessem

When used: same triggers as the present subjunctive but in a past context; se + imperfect subjunctive for hypotheticals. CEFR: B1-B2. See imperfect subjunctive.

Se eu tivesse dinheiro, comprava um carro novo.

If I had money, I'd buy a new car.

Queria que ela fosse mais pontual.

I wanted her to be more punctual.

Future subjunctive (futuro do conjuntivo)

Formation: same stem as the imperfect subjunctive (3rd plural preterite minus -ram), plus personal infinitive endings: -r / -res / -r / -rmos / -rem. Huge functional presence in European Portuguese — far more than in Spanish.

Person	falar	comer	partir	ser / ir	ter	fazer
eu	falar	comer	partir	for	tiver	fizer
tu	falares	comeres	partires	fores	tiveres	fizeres
ele/ela/você	falar	comer	partir	for	tiver	fizer
nós	falarmos	comermos	partirmos	formos	tivermos	fizermos
eles/elas/vocês	falarem	comerem	partirem	forem	tiverem	fizerem

When used: after se, quando, logo que, assim que, enquanto and similar with a future reference; after relative clauses with an indefinite antecedent in the future. CEFR: B1. See future subjunctive and the contrast with Spanish usage (where this tense is archaic).

Quando chegares a casa, liga-me.

When you get home, call me.

Se puderes, traz o livro.

If you can, bring the book.

Present perfect subjunctive (pretérito perfeito composto do conjuntivo)

Formation: ter in the present subjunctive + past participle.

Espero que já tenhas comido.

I hope you've already eaten.

When used: completed action in a present-subjunctive context. CEFR: B2. See compound subjunctive tenses.

Pluperfect subjunctive (pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto do conjuntivo)

Formation: ter in the imperfect subjunctive + past participle.

Se tivesse estudado mais, teria passado no exame.

If I had studied more, I would have passed the exam.

When used: counterfactual past in se-clauses, subordinate clauses in a past context. CEFR: B2. See pluperfect subjunctive.

Future perfect subjunctive (futuro perfeito do conjuntivo)

Formation: ter in the future subjunctive + past participle.

Quando tiveres terminado, avisa-me.

When you've finished, let me know.

When used: action completed before a future reference point in a subjunctive-triggering clause. CEFR: B2.

Imperative mood

The imperative gives direct orders, requests and instructions. It has only second person true forms — the tu and vós affirmative. Everything else (você, nós, vocês and all negatives) borrows the present subjunctive.

Person	falar	comer	partir	ser	ir	ter
tu (affirmative)	fala	come	parte	sê	vai	tem
tu (negative)	não fales	não comas	não partas	não sejas	não vás	não tenhas
você / o senhor	fale	coma	parta	seja	vá	tenha
nós (let's)	falemos	comamos	partamos	sejamos	vamos	tenhamos
vocês	falem	comam	partam	sejam	vão	tenham

Formation rule: tu affirmative = 3rd person singular of the present indicative (fala, come, parte). All other forms = present subjunctive. CEFR: A2. See imperative overview.

Fala mais devagar, por favor.

Speak more slowly, please.

Não te preocupes, tudo se resolve.

Don't worry, everything works out.

Non-finite forms

Non-finite forms have no tense of their own — they carry only aspectual and voice information. They are the building blocks for compound tenses and many periphrases.

Impersonal infinitive (infinitivo impessoal)

Formation: the dictionary form — falar, comer, partir, ser, ter, ir. Unchanged by person.

Viver é aprender todos os dias.

To live is to learn every day.

When used: general statements, after prepositions, after modal verbs (poder, dever, querer). CEFR: A1. See impersonal vs personal infinitive.

Personal infinitive (infinitivo pessoal)

Formation: the infinitive + personal infinitive endings: -Ø / -es / -Ø / -mos / -em. Regular verbs in 1sg and 3sg look identical to the impersonal infinitive.

Person	falar	ser	ir	ter	fazer
eu	falar	ser	ir	ter	fazer
tu	falares	seres	ires	teres	fazeres
ele/ela/você	falar	ser	ir	ter	fazer
nós	falarmos	sermos	irmos	termos	fazermos
eles/elas/vocês	falarem	serem	irem	terem	fazerem

When used: when the subject of the infinitive is different from (or needs emphasis compared to) the main verb's subject. This is unique to Portuguese among major Romance languages. CEFR: B1. See personal infinitive overview.

Para chegarmos a tempo, temos de sair agora.

For us to get there on time, we have to leave now.

É melhor tu fazeres isso sozinho.

It's better for you to do this alone.

Compound infinitive (infinitivo composto)

Formation: ter in the infinitive + past participle. Has both impersonal (ter falado) and personal (teres falado) variants.

Ele admite ter mentido.

He admits having lied.

Agradeço por me teres ajudado.

Thank you for having helped me.

When used: expressing completed action before the main verb's time. CEFR: B2.

Gerund (gerúndio)

Formation: drop -ar / -er / -ir, add -ando / -endo / -indo.

Verb	Gerund
falar	falando
comer	comendo
partir	partindo
ser	sendo
ir	indo
ter	tendo
pôr	pondo

When used: less frequent in European Portuguese than in Brazilian Portuguese. European Portuguese prefers estar a + infinitive for the progressive. The gerund still appears in adverbial uses ("while / by / having…"). CEFR: A2-B1. See gerund overview and the crucial contrast with Brazilian progressive.

Saiu de casa cantando.

She left the house singing. (adverbial gerund)

Estou a trabalhar agora.

I'm working now. (European progressive uses estar a + infinitive, NOT estou trabalhando)

Compound gerund (gerúndio composto)

Formation: tendo + past participle.

Tendo acabado o trabalho, saiu.

Having finished the work, he left.

When used: adverbial clauses expressing prior completion. CEFR: B2.

Past participle (particípio passado)

Formation: regular verbs add -ado (to -ar) or -ido (to -er / -ir). A significant set has irregular participles.

Verb	Participle
falar	falado
comer	comido
partir	partido
ser	sido
ir	ido
ter	tido
fazer (irreg.)	feito
dizer (irreg.)	dito
ver (irreg.)	visto
pôr (irreg.)	posto
abrir (irreg.)	aberto
escrever (irreg.)	escrito

When used: compound tenses (invariable after ter), passive voice (agrees with the subject), and as an adjective (agrees with the noun). CEFR: A2. See past participle overview and double participles.

Tenho escrito muitos e-mails esta semana.

I've been writing lots of emails this week. (invariable after ter)

A carta foi escrita à mão.

The letter was written by hand. (agrees with carta)

Present participle as adjective

Formation: drop -ar / -er / -ir, add -ante / -ente / -inte. No longer productive as a verbal form — these survive only as adjectives and nouns (interessante, corrente, seguinte).

Uma ideia interessante.

An interesting idea.

See present participle as adjective.

Quick cross-reference: which tense for which job?

To express	Use
Habit / general truth	present indicative
Completed past event	preterite (falei)
Past habit / description	imperfect (falava)
Past-before-past	compound pluperfect (tinha falado)
Repeated action up to now	present perfect compound (tenho falado)
Near future / everyday future	ir + infinitive (vou falar)
Formal future / prediction	simple future (falarei)
Polite request	imperfect or conditional (queria / gostaria)
Hypothetical "if"	imperfect subjunctive (se tivesse)
Future "when / if"	future subjunctive (quando tiver)
"I want you to…"	present subjunctive (quero que vás)
"If I had done… I would have…"	pluperfect subjunctive + conditional perfect
Ongoing action now (EU-PT)	estar a + infinitive (estou a falar)

Common mistakes

❌ Nós falamos ontem.

Wrong without the accent: reads as present tense.

✅ Nós falámos ontem.

Correct: European Portuguese marks the preterite 1pl with an acute accent.

❌ Se eu terei tempo, ajudo-te.

Wrong: future indicative is not used after se.

✅ Se eu tiver tempo, ajudo-te.

Correct: future subjunctive after se referring to the future.

❌ Tenho comido o bolo todo ontem.

Wrong: the present perfect compound means repeated/ongoing action, not a single completed event.

✅ Comi o bolo todo ontem.

Correct: the preterite is the default past in Portuguese.

❌ Estou trabalhando agora.

Wrong in European Portuguese: this is the Brazilian pattern.

✅ Estou a trabalhar agora.

Correct: European Portuguese uses estar a + infinitive.

❌ Quero que tu vais.

Wrong: querer que requires the subjunctive.

✅ Quero que tu vás.

Correct: present subjunctive of ir after querer que.

Key takeaways

Portuguese has three moods (indicative, subjunctive, imperative) and three non-finite forms (infinitive, gerund, participle).
The future subjunctive is alive and obligatory in European Portuguese — forgetting it is the single most noticeable Spanish-speaker error.
The personal infinitive is unique to Portuguese among major Romance languages — when the infinitive has its own subject, mark it.
In European Portuguese, progressive = estar a + infinitive, never the gerund.
The present perfect compound (tenho feito) is NOT equivalent to English or Spanish present perfect — it's for repeated/ongoing action.
For each tense on this page, a dedicated teaching page exists — use this reference as a map.