To talk about an action that started in the past and continues or repeats into the present, use the Portuguese present perfect (Pretérito Perfeito Composto).
Unlike the English present perfect (often used for a single completed action, like "I have visited Portugal"), the Portuguese version is closer to the English present perfect continuous ("I have been visiting"). It implies repetition, habit, or ongoing effort.
Forming the Pretérito Perfeito Composto
Combine the present tense of ter with the past participle of the main verb (usually ending in -ado for -ar verbs, or -ido for -er and -ir verbs).
- eu tenho
- -ado/-ido
- tu tens
- -ado/-ido
- ele/ela/você tem
- -ado/-ido
- nós temos
- -ado/-ido
- eles/elas/vocês têm
- -ado/-ido
Notice how these translate to "have been doing" rather than just "have done":
| I have been molding the clay lately. | Tenho moldado o barro ultimamente. |
| You have been perfecting your skill. | Tu tens aperfeiçoado a tua habilidade. |
| She has been firing the clay in the oven. | Ela tem cozido o barro no forno. |
Habitual Actions
Because this tense implies repeated actions, it often pairs with words like ultimamente (lately) or frequentemente (frequently).
| We have been visiting the pottery workshop frequently. | Temos visitado a olaria frequentemente. |
| We have been washing the apron frequently. | Temos lavado o avental frequentemente. |
| He has been creating handmade pieces with a lot of dedication. | Ele tem criado peças artesanais com muita dedicação. |
Plural Agreement
When expressions like a maioria de (most of) are followed by a plural noun, the auxiliary verb ter is typically conjugated in the plural (têm):
| Most of the potters have been firing the pieces. | A maioria dos oleiros têm cozido as peças. |
| Most of the colleagues have been improving the skill. | A maioria dos colegas têm melhorado a habilidade. |