Common Irregular Verbs in Past Simple

In Portuguese, the past simple tense is used to talk about actions or events that happened in the past. While most Portuguese verbs follow regular patterns in forming the past simple, there are several common verbs that are irregular and require special attention. In this guide, we will focus on these common irregular verbs and learn how to use them in the past simple tense.

1. Verb "Ser" (to be)

The verb "ser" (to be) is highly irregular in the past tense. Here's how it is conjugated:

• Eu fui (I was)
• Tu foste (You were, informal)
• Ele/Ela/Você foi (He/She/You was/were, formal)
• Nós fomos (We were)
• Vós fostes (You were, plural, formal)
• Eles/Elas/Vocês foram (They/You were, plural)

Example:

• Eu fui ao mercado ontem. (I went to the market yesterday.)

Note: The verb "ser" is used to express permanent characteristics, identities, or professions.

2. Verb "Estar" (to be)

The verb "estar" (to be) is also irregular in the past tense. Here's how it is conjugated:

• Eu estive (I was)
• Tu estiveste (You were, informal)
• Ele/Ela/Você esteve (He/She/You was/were, formal)
• Nós estivemos (We were)
• Vós estivestes (You were, plural, formal)
• Eles/Elas/Vocês estiveram (They/You were, plural)

Example:

• Ela esteve doente na semana passada. (She was sick last week.)

Note: The verb "estar" is used to express temporary states or locations.

3. Verb "Ter" (to have)

The verb "ter" (to have) is irregular in the past tense. Here's how it is conjugated:

• Eu tive (I had)
• Tu tiveste (You had, informal)
• Ele/Ela/Você teve (He/She/You had, formal)
• Nós tivemos (We had)
• Vós tivestes (You had, plural, formal)
• Eles/Elas/Vocês tiveram (They/You had, plural)

Example:

• Nós tivemos uma ótima experiência no restaurante. (We had a great experience at the restaurant.)

Note: The verb "ter" is used to express possession or the occurrence of an event.

4. Verb "Fazer" (to do, to make)

The verb "fazer" (to do, to make) is irregular in the past tense. Here's how it is conjugated:

• Eu fiz (I did, made)
• Tu fizeste (You did, made, informal)
• Ele/Ela/Você fez (He/She/You did, made, formal)
• Nós fizemos (We did, made)
• Vós fizestes (You did, made, plural, formal)
• Eles/Elas/Vocês fizeram (They/You did, made, plural)

Example:

• Ela fez um bolo delicioso ontem. (She made a delicious cake yesterday.)

Note: The verb "fazer" is used to express actions or the creation of something.

5. Verb "Vir" (to come)

The verb "vir" (to come) is irregular in the past tense. Here's how it is conjugated:

• Eu vim (I came)
• Tu vieste (You came, informal)
• Ele/Ela/Você veio (He/She/You came, formal)
• Nós viemos (We came)
• Vós viestes (You came, plural, formal)
• Eles/Elas/Vocês vieram (They/You came, plural)

Example:

• Nós viemos de avião para a cidade. (We came by plane to the city.)

Note: The verb "vir" is used to express movement or arrival.

These common irregular verbs in the past simple tense are essential to master in order to communicate effectively in Portuguese. By familiarizing yourself with their conjugations and usage, you'll be able to express actions and events that occurred in the past with accuracy and clarity. Practice using these verbs in different contexts to solidify your understanding and improve your fluency in Portuguese.