Simple Past Tense

In Portuguese, the Simple Past Tense (Pretérito Perfeito Simples) is used to talk about completed actions or events that happened in the past. It is commonly used in storytelling or when recounting past experiences. In this guide, you will learn how to form and use the Simple Past Tense in Portuguese.

Forming the Simple Past Tense

To form the Simple Past Tense in Portuguese, you generally need to take the infinitive form of the verb and add the appropriate ending. The endings vary depending on the verb group to which the verb belongs. There are three verb groups in Portuguese: -ar, -er, and -ir.

• For verbs ending in -ar, remove the -ar and add the following endings:
  • Eu: -ei
  • Tu: -aste
  • Ele/Ela/Você: -ou
  • Nós: -amos
  • Vós: -astes
  • Eles/Elas/Vocês: -aram

Example: The verb falar (to speak)

Eu falei (I spoke)
Tu falaste (You spoke)
Ele/Ela/Você falou (He/She/You spoke)
Nós falamos (We spoke)
Vós falastes (You all spoke)
Eles/Elas/Vocês falaram (They/You all spoke)

• For verbs ending in -er, remove the -er and add the following endings:
  • Eu: -i
  • Tu: -este
  • Ele/Ela/Você: -eu
  • Nós: -emos
  • Vós: -estes
  • Eles/Elas/Vocês: -eram

Example: The verb beber (to drink)

Eu bebi (I drank)
Tu bebeste (You drank)
Ele/Ela/Você bebeu (He/She/You drank)
Nós bebemos (We drank)
Vós bebestes (You all drank)
Eles/Elas/Vocês beberam (They/You all drank)

• For verbs ending in -ir, remove the -ir and add the following endings:
  • Eu: -i
  • Tu: -iste
  • Ele/Ela/Você: -iu
  • Nós: -imos
  • Vós: -istes
  • Eles/Elas/Vocês: -iram

Example: The verb partir (to leave)

Eu parti (I left)
Tu partiste (You left)
Ele/Ela/Você partiu (He/She/You left)
Nós partimos (We left)
Vós partistes (You all left)
Eles/Elas/Vocês partiram (They/You all left)

Using the Simple Past Tense

Now that you know how to form the Simple Past Tense, let's see how we can use it in sentences:

1. To talk about a specific past action:

   • Ontem, eu comprei um livro. (Yesterday, I bought a book.)

2. To describe an event that happened in the past:

   • Quando eu era criança, eu adorava brincar no parque. (When I was a child, I loved playing in the park.)

3. To narrate a series of past actions:

   • Ele entrou na sala, pegou sua mochila e saiu. (He entered the room, grabbed his backpack, and left.)

4. To express habitual actions in the past:

   • Todo dia ela caminhava no parque. (Every day she used to walk in the park.)

5. To express an interrupted action in the past:

   • Eu estava cozinhando quando o telefone tocou. (I was cooking when the phone rang.)

Remember that when using the Simple Past Tense, it's important to consider the context and the specific verb conjugation for each subject pronoun. Practice forming and using the Simple Past Tense in different situations to become more comfortable with its usage.

Congratulations! You have learned how to discuss past events using the Simple Past Tense in Portuguese. Keep practicing and expanding your vocabulary to further enhance your language skills.