The trick to learning the Portuguese present tense? See it as a pattern, or as a mathematical equation. Here is why.

Most verbs in the Portuguese language are regular, which means that they are all formed or conjugated according to a specific rule. Each tense has its own rules to follow which will lead to the conjugated verbs.

Before we begin you have to know that there are 3 types of verbs in Portuguese: The -AR verbs, -ER verbs and -IR verbs. You can easy recognise to what category the verb belongs to by looking at the last 2 letters of the infinitive (the unconjugated verb). Tomar, Levar and Mandar are -AR verbs. Aprender, Meter and Vender are examples of -ER verbs. And Assistir, Decidir and Insistir are examples of -IR verbs. Very simple!

Keep this in mind when you start to conjugate a Portuguese verb in the present tense because it will determine the outcome as there is a slight variation between the categories.

Let’s start with visualising the pattern.

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Portuguese present tense conjugation pattern:

Here is how the -AR, -ER and -IR verbs are conjugated in the present tense:

When you start this might seem daunting to learn, however the more and more you practice the more naturally it will come. However, these things take time. For visual learners it is great to have a formula like this at hand. It makes sure you don’t have to learn lines and lines or verbs, but that you can simply also remember the verbs and this pattern.

Now if this is how you conjugate the Portuguese present tense than it let’s check if this matches the outcome of a present tense conjugation chart:

Portuguese present tense conjugation chart for regular verbs

Portuguese present tense conjugation chart for irregular verbs

If only everything was according to 1 pattern, no exceptions in conjugation. However, also in the Portuguese language, there are irregular verbs that either vary slightly from the regular conjugation pattern. Sometimes there are even irregular verbs that have nothing whatsoever to do with the pattern. Here are a couple of examples of irregular verbs in Portuguese conjugated in the present tense:

Present tense in Portuguese

In conclusion the Present tense in Portuguese is easy to learn when it comes to regular verbs. Regarding irregular verbs it can be challenging because they are simply unpredictable. Keep practicing, keep at it and you will get there with a little dedication.

Meanwhile, have a look at these Portuguese conjugation charts that will help you visualise your goals to learn Portuguese verbs.