Identify the infinitive and the family
A dictionary lists the infinitive, such as falar, comer, or abrir. These endings identify three regular families. Remove the final two letters to find the basic stem, then add an ending appropriate to the subject. This method is a model for regular verbs, not a promise that every Portuguese verb follows it without changes. Very common verbs such as the two verbs for being require separate study. Learn a new verb with a useful present sentence and its complement, so you retain how it connects to the rest of a message.
Eu falo português.
I speak Portuguese.
The verb belongs to the first regular family and takes the speaker ending. The language name supplies what the speaker speaks. The explicit subject makes the person clear while the complete phrase gives the conjugation a practical meaning.
Eu como arroz.
I eat rice.
The second family verb takes its regular speaker form. The food is the object rather than the subject, so it does not determine the verb’s grammatical person. The sentence describes an eating habit in this neutral context.
Use the common ar pattern
For the subjects emphasized here, falar gives eu falo, você fala, ele fala, ela fala, nós falamos, and vocês falam or eles falam. The same regular pattern works with estudar and morar. The subject meaning we has a distinct form, while the everyday expression a gente takes the singular form. Practice each change inside a complete sentence. A name can replace a third person subject, and two names together require a plural form. Do not select the ending from the number of objects mentioned after the verb.
Você fala inglês.
You speak English.
The address word takes the same present form as a third person singular subject. It refers to the listener in meaning, but its grammatical agreement is not the traditional second person form. Learn this common Brazilian pair together.
Nós estudamos português.
We study Portuguese.
The regular first person plural ending matches a group that includes the speaker. The object is a language, so it does not control the verb. This pattern is distinct from the singular agreement used with the conversational we expression.
Follow a complete example
Build a sentence with this meaning: You speak English. Before looking at the answer, identify which information controls the grammatical choice.
- First, identify the message: You speak English. Keep that message fixed while comparing forms. A sentence can be grammatical yet communicate something different, so meaning is part of the decision.
- The address word takes the same present form as a third person singular subject. It refers to the listener in meaning, but its grammatical agreement is not the traditional second person form. Learn this common Brazilian pair together.
- Now read the complete sentence, Você fala inglês.. Check the words surrounding your choice as well as the choice itself. Explain what would change if the speaker, number, or intended message changed. Then cover this example and reconstruct the sentence from the English cue.
Você fala inglês. You speak English.
Compare er forms with the same subjects
The second family model is eu como, você come, nós comemos, and vocês comem, with the same forms for the corresponding third person subjects. Compare one person across families: você fala beside você come. Keeping the subject fixed makes the family vowel difference clear. The plural endings also have their own sounds; a written final m often signals nasal pronunciation rather than the English consonant you might expect. Use a native recording for pronunciation, but preserve the correct written form even when a familiar sound tempts you to spell by analogy.
Ela come arroz.
She eats rice.
The subject is singular third person, and the verb belongs to the second family. Its present ending differs from the corresponding first family form. The food remains an object and does not choose the ending.
Vocês comem aqui.
You eat here, addressing several people.
The plural address word takes third person plural agreement. The regular second family form marks that number. The location tells where the activity happens without changing who performs it.
References for this explanation
Use abrir as a clear ir model
The third family model is eu abro, você abre, nós abrimos, and vocês abrem. Some forms resemble the second family, so the first person plural is a useful point of comparison: comemos versus abrimos. The infinitive ending determines which vowel belongs in that form. Other verbs in the broad third family have irregular changes, so do not apply this model blindly to every new infinitive. Learn the basic pattern, then check the new verb’s speaker form and a plural form to discover whether the vocabulary item requires additional attention.
Eu abro a porta.
I open the door.
The regular third family verb takes its speaker form. The definite feminine noun phrase is the object. Its gender affects the article but has no effect on the verb’s person ending.
Nós abrimos a loja.
We open the store.
The first person plural ending preserves the vowel associated with the third family. The subject includes the speaker, and the store is what they open. Comparing this form with the eating verb exposes the family difference clearly.
References for this explanation
Keep nós and a gente agreement distinct
Both nós falamos and a gente fala can communicate we speak. The first uses a first person plural pronoun, while the second is an everyday expression with singular grammar. The number of people in the real situation does not override that construction. Likewise, você fala addresses one listener, and vocês falam addresses several. Brazilian use of tu and its accompanying forms varies by region and style; this lesson practices a consistent common set while leaving those additional patterns for focused study. Recognizing variation should not make the present models interchangeable at random.
A gente fala português.
We speak Portuguese, using the conversational we expression.
The expression refers to a group including the speaker but takes singular third person verb agreement in this standard model. Meaning and grammatical number therefore need separate attention. The same message with the plural pronoun would require a different ending.
Eles moram no Brasil.
They live in Brazil.
The third person plural subject requires the regular plural form. The location phrase includes a preposition and article contraction, but that separate grammar does not alter subject agreement. Several residents are being described.
Make negatives and questions without an English helper
For a neutral present negative, place não before the finite verb: Eu não como carne. A simple question can keep statement order with question intonation: Você mora aqui? English do appears in the translation, but Portuguese does not insert an equivalent helper into these patterns. The verb still agrees with its subject in a question or a negative. Build the affirmative sentence first, then change its function. This helps prevent the common mistake of leaving the main verb in its dictionary form merely because the English translation contains another verb.
Eu não como carne.
I do not eat meat.
The negative word precedes the speaker’s finite present form. The food remains the object, and no additional helper is needed. The sentence denies a habit without changing the underlying subject or verb family.
Você mora aqui?
Do you live here?
The singular address word takes its regular present form. Question intonation and punctuation turn the statement pattern into a question. The location word does not require an English style auxiliary or a change to the infinitive.
Try the reasoning with less help
Build a sentence with this meaning: I do not eat meat. Before looking at the answer, identify which information controls the grammatical choice.
- First, identify the message: I do not eat meat. Keep that message fixed while comparing forms. A sentence can be grammatical yet communicate something different, so meaning is part of the decision.
- The negative word precedes the speaker’s finite present form. The food remains the object, and no additional helper is needed. The sentence denies a habit without changing the underlying subject or verb family.
- Now read the complete sentence, Eu não como carne.. Check the words surrounding your choice as well as the choice itself. Explain what would change if the speaker, number, or intended message changed. Then cover this example and reconstruct the sentence from the English cue.
Compare your reasoning
Eu não como carne. I do not eat meat.
References for this explanation
Use context for present meaning and short replies
The present commonly describes routines and general situations. Brazilian Portuguese also uses a separate progressive construction for an activity in progress; do not create it by adding estar before an already conjugated present verb. For this lesson, practice clear routine cues and ordinary current situations. A short positive reply can repeat the verb: Você fala inglês? Falo. The answer changes viewpoint to the speaker and therefore changes the form. After studying the examples, create a routine with each family, ask a listener about it, and answer from that listener’s viewpoint before checking the model.
Você fala inglês? Falo.
Do you speak English? I do.
The reply repeats the activity with a speaker form because the person answering is now describing themself. A short response can omit an explicit subject when the exchange makes it clear. It should not mechanically copy the question’s ending.
Eu estudo português todos os dias.
I study Portuguese every day.
The regular speaker form combines with a repeated time expression to describe a routine. No extra finite state verb is needed. The subject, activity, and frequency together make the intended present meaning clear.
Notice the difference
Common mistakes
Keep the family vowel
Instead ofNós abremos a loja.
For this meaningNós abrimos a loja.
The infinitive belongs to the third family, so its first person plural form uses that family’s vowel. Compare it with a second family verb using the same subject. The contrast is easier to retain when only the family changes and the grammatical person remains fixed.
Do not combine two subject systems
Instead ofA gente falamos português.
For this meaningA gente fala português.
The conversational expression means we but takes singular agreement in the model practiced here. The plural ending belongs with the separate first person plural pronoun. Real world group size does not remove this grammatical distinction. Learn both complete pairs rather than mixing one subject with the other pair’s ending.
A negative still needs conjugation
Instead ofEu não comer carne.
For this meaningEu não como carne.
The finite verb continues to agree with the subject after the negative word. The infinitive is a dictionary form and belongs in other constructions. Start from the correct affirmative sentence and add the negative word without replacing its present form.
From understanding to using
Make your own example.
Try these without answer choices. Say your answer aloud or write it below, then compare your reasoning with the model.
Your turn 1
Write three routines: you speak Portuguese, eat rice, and open the store.
Compare with a model
Eu falo português. Eu como arroz. Eu abro a loja.
I speak Portuguese. I eat rice. I open the store.
The three infinitives belong to different regular families, but their speaker forms share the same final vowel. Each sentence keeps a meaningful complement, so the forms remain connected to communication. Now change the subject to we using the plural pronoun. The different family vowels become more visible in those plural forms, which makes the transformation a useful comparison.
- Did you preserve the requested meaning?
- Does the form match the person or noun in your message?
- Can you explain your choice before looking at the model?
Your turn 2
Ask whether someone lives here, answer yes from their viewpoint, and then say that your group studies Portuguese using a gente.
Compare with a model
Você mora aqui? Moro. A gente estuda português.
Do you live here? I do. We study Portuguese.
The question uses singular third person agreement with the address word. The short reply shifts to the speaker form. The final sentence refers to a group but uses singular grammar because of its subject expression. Explain the subject of each sentence before choosing an ending. This prevents translating every English you or we with one fixed Portuguese ending regardless of the actual construction.
- Did you preserve the requested meaning?
- Does the form match the person or noun in your message?
- Can you explain your choice before looking at the model?
Put it into practice
Make the next choice.
Choose a response and learn why it works. Your score reflects your first answer to each question. You can revisit anything you miss.
Choose an answer, then open the explanation to check your reasoning.
Question 1
Complete the sentence for this meaning: I speak Portuguese.
Eu ___ português.
- falo
- falar
Check the answer
Answer: falo
falo: The verb belongs to the first regular family and takes the speaker ending. The language name supplies what the speaker speaks. The explicit subject makes the person clear while the complete phrase gives the conjugation a practical meaning.
falar: This is the infinitive. The ordinary statement needs a finite present form that agrees with the speaker.
Question 2
Complete the sentence for this meaning: I eat rice.
Eu ___ arroz.
- comer
- como
Check the answer
Answer: como
comer: The dictionary form does not serve as the finite present verb in this ordinary statement with a speaker subject.
como: The second family verb takes its regular speaker form. The food is the object rather than the subject, so it does not determine the verb’s grammatical person. The sentence describes an eating habit in this neutral context.
Question 3
Complete the sentence for this meaning: You speak English.
Você ___ inglês.
- fala
- falo
Check the answer
Answer: fala
fala: The address word takes the same present form as a third person singular subject. It refers to the listener in meaning, but its grammatical agreement is not the traditional second person form. Learn this common Brazilian pair together.
falo: This is the speaker form. It does not agree with the explicit addressee subject used in the sentence.
Question 4
Complete the sentence for this meaning: We study Portuguese.
Nós ___ português.
- estuda
- estudamos
Check the answer
Answer: estudamos
estuda: That singular form would fit the conversational expression a gente, but it does not agree with the explicit subject shown here.
estudamos: The regular first person plural ending matches a group that includes the speaker. The object is a language, so it does not control the verb. This pattern is distinct from the singular agreement used with the conversational we expression.
Question 5
Complete the sentence for this meaning: She eats rice.
Ela ___ arroz.
- come
- coma
Check the answer
Answer: come
come: The subject is singular third person, and the verb belongs to the second family. Its present ending differs from the corresponding first family form. The food remains an object and does not choose the ending.
coma: This is not the ordinary present indicative form requested by the prompt. A form from another grammatical pattern cannot replace it here.
Question 6
Complete the sentence for this meaning: You eat here, addressing several people.
Vocês ___ aqui.
- come
- comem
Check the answer
Answer: comem
come: This is singular. The prompt addresses several people and requires the plural form in the standard pattern.
comem: The plural address word takes third person plural agreement. The regular second family form marks that number. The location tells where the activity happens without changing who performs it.
Question 7
Complete the sentence for this meaning: I open the door.
Eu ___ a porta.
- abro
- abre
Check the answer
Answer: abro
abro: The regular third family verb takes its speaker form. The definite feminine noun phrase is the object. Its gender affects the article but has no effect on the verb’s person ending.
abre: This is the singular form for another subject, including the common address word. It does not match the explicit speaker subject.
Question 8
Complete the sentence for this meaning: We open the store.
Nós ___ a loja.
- abremos
- abrimos
Check the answer
Answer: abrimos
abremos: This imports the second family vowel into a third family verb. The infinitive identifies the correct regular pattern.
abrimos: The first person plural ending preserves the vowel associated with the third family. The subject includes the speaker, and the store is what they open. Comparing this form with the eating verb exposes the family difference clearly.
Question 9
Complete the sentence for this meaning: We speak Portuguese, using the conversational we expression.
A gente ___ português.
- fala
- falamos
Check the answer
Answer: fala
fala: The expression refers to a group including the speaker but takes singular third person verb agreement in this standard model. Meaning and grammatical number therefore need separate attention. The same message with the plural pronoun would require a different ending.
falamos: This ending belongs with the first person plural pronoun. It does not match the conversational expression practiced in this sentence.
Question 10
Complete the sentence for this meaning: They live in Brazil.
Eles ___ no Brasil.
- mora
- moram
Check the answer
Answer: moram
mora: This is a singular form. The explicit plural subject requires plural agreement in the standard written model.
moram: The third person plural subject requires the regular plural form. The location phrase includes a preposition and article contraction, but that separate grammar does not alter subject agreement. Several residents are being described.
Question 11
Complete the sentence for this meaning: I do not eat meat.
Eu ___ carne.
- não como
- não comer
Check the answer
Answer: não como
não como: The negative word precedes the speaker’s finite present form. The food remains the object, and no additional helper is needed. The sentence denies a habit without changing the underlying subject or verb family.
não comer: The ordinary statement still needs a conjugated form. Negation does not make the infinitive suitable as its only verb.
Question 12
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Do you live here?
Você ___ aqui?
- morar
- mora
Check the answer
Answer: mora
morar: The infinitive lacks the finite form required by this ordinary question. The subject still controls agreement.
mora: The singular address word takes its regular present form. Question intonation and punctuation turn the statement pattern into a question. The location word does not require an English style auxiliary or a change to the infinitive.
Question 13
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Do you speak English? I do.
Você fala inglês? ___.
- Falo
- Fala
Check the answer
Answer: Falo
Falo: The reply repeats the activity with a speaker form because the person answering is now describing themself. A short response can omit an explicit subject when the exchange makes it clear. It should not mechanically copy the question’s ending.
Fala: That retains the question’s singular third person form. The requested self report needs the speaker form instead.
Question 14
Complete the sentence for this meaning: I study Portuguese every day.
Eu ___ português todos os dias.
- estou estudo
- estudo
Check the answer
Answer: estudo
estou estudo: This stacks two finite forms and does not create a correct progressive construction. The ordinary present already expresses the requested routine.
estudo: The regular speaker form combines with a repeated time expression to describe a routine. No extra finite state verb is needed. The subject, activity, and frequency together make the intended present meaning clear.
Keep the conversation going
What to practice next
Return to the production tasks after a break. Reconstruct your sentences without the models, compare the meaning and form, and repair any error by explaining its cause. Then use one sentence in a short exchange of your own.
Sources and editorial notes
By Loquus ·
Source checked with AI assistance
These original explanations synthesize the cited sources. They have not been certified by an independent human language specialist. Regional usage and context are described where they affect the answer. Report a correction in the discussion below.
- University of Texas, Orlando Kelm: Regular verbs
- Dicionário Priberam: Present conjugation of falar
- Dicionário Priberam: Present conjugation of comer
- Dicionário Priberam: Present conjugation of abrir
- Dicionário Priberam: Present conjugation of morar
- Dicionário Priberam: falar
- Dicionário Priberam: comer
- Dicionário Priberam: abrir
- Dicionário Priberam: morar
- Dicionário Priberam: estudar
- Dicionário Priberam: não
- Ciberdúvidas, Fernando Pestana: A gente, nós e nosso
Learning research behind the practice
Worked examples, retrieval practice, and later review inform the activities. These studies do not establish the effectiveness of this specific lesson.
- Karpicke and Roediger: The critical importance of retrieval for learning
- Butler and Roediger: Feedback enhances the positive effects and reduces the negative effects of multiple choice testing
- Institute of Education Sciences: Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning
- Rittle Johnson and Star: Compared to what?