A2 · Grundkenntnisse Kapitel 6

Completed Past Actions

8 Gesamtregeln
84 Beispiele
6 Min.
Regeln in diesem Kapitel Schnelle Übung

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Unlock your ability to tell stories by mastering the Pretérito Perfeito for completed actions.

  • Conjugate regular verbs ending in -ar, -er, and -ir in the past.
  • Navigate irregular verbs like ser, ir, ter, and saber.
  • Narrate finished events and personal anecdotes with confidence.
Master the past, own your story.

Was du lernen wirst

Ready to tell your own stories in Portuguese? You've already got a handle on the present, and now it's time to dive into the exciting world of 'Completed Past Actions'! This chapter is your key to mastering the *Pretérito Perfeito*, the essential past tense for talking about things you've finished, done, and dusted. Imagine vividly recounting your amazing weekend trip, sharing what you ate for dinner last night, or telling a friend about that captivating movie you *saw*. That's exactly the kind of confident narration you'll achieve! We'll begin by conquering the regular verbs – those ending in -AR, -ER, and -IR. You'll discover the straightforward patterns to transform them into past actions, making it effortless to say 'I spoke,' 'you ate,' or 'they left.' Then, we'll tackle some crucial irregulars that are indispensable for natural, everyday conversations. Ever wondered how to distinguish between 'I went' and 'I was' when they share the same form ('fui')? We'll demystify 'ser' and 'ir' in the past! You'll also learn to express what you *had* or *felt* with the versatile verb 'ter' (like, 'I had a great time!'). Plus, we'll cover how to talk about *sleeping* and, perhaps most importantly, how you *found out* something with the unique past form of 'saber'. By the end of this chapter, you'll be confidently narrating past events, sharing personal anecdotes, and connecting with native Portuguese speakers on a whole new, dynamic level. Get ready to become a past-tense pro, ready to chat about yesterday, last week, or even last year!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Conjugate regular verbs in the past tense.

Kapitel-Leitfaden

Overview

Welcome to the exciting world of completed past actions in Portuguese! As an A2 Portuguese grammar learner, you've mastered the present, and now it's time to unlock a new dimension: telling stories about what's already happened. This chapter introduces you to the Pretérito Perfeito, the cornerstone tense for discussing events that are finished, done, and dusted.
Imagine confidently sharing details about your last vacation, describing a delicious meal you cooked, or recounting a memorable experience – that's the power you're about to gain.
The Pretérito Perfeito is absolutely essential for natural conversation, allowing you to narrate past events with clarity and precision. It's how you'll move beyond simply stating facts to truly engaging in dynamic storytelling. By understanding its structure and common uses, you'll be able to express everything from what you did yesterday to significant life events, connecting more deeply with native speakers.
Get ready to transform your ability to communicate and become a pro at discussing Portuguese past tense.

How This Grammar Works

The Pretérito Perfeito is your go-to tense for talking about completed past actions in Portuguese. We'll start with the regular verbs, which follow predictable patterns. For -AR verbs, like falar (to speak), you drop the -AR and add specific endings: eu falei (I spoke), você/ele/ela falou (you/he/she spoke), nós falamos (we spoke), vocês/eles/elas falaram (you all/they spoke).
For example: Eu falei com a Maria ontem. (I spoke with Maria yesterday.)
Next, we have -ER verbs, such as comer (to eat). The endings here are slightly different: eu comi (I ate), você/ele/ela comeu (you/he/she ate), nós comemos (we ate), vocês/eles/elas comeram (you all/they ate). An example: Ele comeu pizza no jantar. (He ate pizza for dinner.) Finally, -IR verbs, like partir (to leave/depart), largely follow the -ER pattern: eu parti (I left), você/ele/ela partiu (you/he/she left), nós partimos (we left), vocês/eles/elas partiram (you all/they left).
For instance: Nós partimos cedo. (We left early.)
Beyond the regulars, some crucial irregular verbs pop up frequently. The verbs ser (to be) and ir (to go) are famously irregular and share the exact same conjugations in the Pretérito Perfeito: eu fui (I was/I went), você/ele/ela foi (you/he/she was/went), nós fomos (we were/went), vocês/eles/elas foram (you all/they were/went). Context is key to distinguishing their meaning!
For example: Eu fui ao mercado. (I went to the market.) vs. Eu fui feliz. (I was happy.) The verb ter (to have) also has an irregular past: eu tive (I had), você/ele/ela teve (you/he/she had), nós tivemos (we had), vocês/eles/elas tiveram (you all/they had). As in: Nós tivemos um bom tempo. (We had a good time.) Dormir (to sleep) is a regular -IR verb in the past, so it follows the pattern: eu dormi (I slept), ele dormiu (he slept).
Lastly, saber (to know/to find out) is irregular in the past when it means found out: eu soube (I found out), você/ele/ela soube (you/he/she found out). Example: Eu soube a notícia ontem. (I found out the news yesterday.) Mastering these forms will greatly enhance your A2 Portuguese fluency.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Eu fala com ele ontem.
✓ Correct:
Eu falei com ele ontem.
*Explanation:* Learners sometimes forget to conjugate the verb for the past tense, using the present tense form instead. Remember to apply the specific Pretérito Perfeito endings.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Eu estive ao cinema.
    (Meaning
    I went to the cinema
    )
✓ Correct:
Eu fui ao cinema.
*Explanation:* While estive is the past of estar (to be, temporary), fui is used for both ser (to be) and ir (to go) in the Pretérito Perfeito. For I went, you must use fui.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    Ela tem um bom dia.
    (Meaning
    She had a good day
    )
✓ Correct:
Ela teve um bom dia.
*Explanation:* Ter (to have) is an irregular verb in the Pretérito Perfeito. Its correct past tense form is teve (for ela/ele/você), not tem (present tense).

Real Conversations

A

A

O que você fez no fim de semana? (What did you do on the weekend?)
B

B

Eu fui à praia e nadei muito. Depois, comi um peixe delicioso. (I went to the beach and swam a lot. Afterwards, I ate a delicious fish.)
A

A

Você soube da festa da Maria? (Did you find out about Maria's party?)
B

B

Sim, eu soube ontem. Nós fomos e nos divertimos muito! (Yes, I found out yesterday. We went and had a lot of fun!)
A

A

Onde vocês dormiram na viagem? (Where did you all sleep on the trip?)
B

B

Nós dormimos em um hotel pequeno, mas foi muito confortável. (We slept in a small hotel, but it was very comfortable.)

Quick FAQ

Q

How do I know when to use the Pretérito Perfeito in Portuguese?

You use the Pretérito Perfeito for actions that started and finished in the past, often at a specific, completed time (e.g., yesterday, last week). It focuses on the completion of the action.

Q

Are there many irregular verbs in the Portuguese past tense?

Yes, Portuguese has a fair number of irregular verbs in the Pretérito Perfeito, but the most common ones (like ser, ir, ter, saber, fazer) are crucial to learn early on for A2 Portuguese communication.

Q

How do I say I went and I was in Portuguese A2?

Both I went and I was are translated as eu fui in the Pretérito Perfeito. You distinguish their meaning through context. For example, Eu fui ao parque (I went to the park) vs. Eu fui estudante (I was a student).

Q

What's the past tense of fazer (to do/make)?

The past tense of fazer is irregular: eu fiz, você/ele/ela fez, nós fizemos, vocês/eles/elas fizeram.

Cultural Context

In everyday Portuguese conversations, the Pretérito Perfeito is used constantly. It's the primary way to share stories, recount experiences, and discuss recent events. Whether you're in Portugal or Brazil, native speakers use this tense to chat about their day, their weekend, or what they did on their last holiday.
There are generally no significant regional differences in the conjugation or usage of the simple Pretérito Perfeito, making it a universally understood and vital part of your A2 Portuguese toolkit. Mastering it allows for truly engaging dialogue.

Wichtige Beispiele (8)

1

Eu `falei` com o meu chefe pelo Zoom ontem.

Ich habe gestern mit meinem Chef über Zoom gesprochen.

Portugiesische Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -ar Verben
2

Você `postou` aquela foto no Instagram?

Hast du das Foto auf Instagram gepostet?

Portugiesische Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -ar Verben
3

Eu escrevi uma mensagem para ele ontem.

Ich habe ihm gestern eine Nachricht geschrieben.

Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -er Verben (Ich aß, Er trank)
4

Você bebeu todo o suco?

Hast du den ganzen Saft getrunken?

Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -er Verben (Ich aß, Er trank)
5

Eu `abri` o aplicativo do Uber agora pouco.

Ich habe die Uber-App gerade eben geöffnet.

Vergangenheit mit -ir Verben (Pretérito Perfeito)
6

Ela `decidiu` cancelar a assinatura da Netflix.

Sie beschloss, das Netflix-Abonnement zu kündigen.

Vergangenheit mit -ir Verben (Pretérito Perfeito)
7

Eu fui ao cinema ontem à noite.

Ich bin gestern Abend ins Kino gegangen.

Ser und Ir in der Vergangenheit: Ein Wort, zwei Bedeutungen (fui, foi)
8

O teste de ontem foi muito difícil.

Der Test gestern war sehr schwer.

Ser und Ir in der Vergangenheit: Ein Wort, zwei Bedeutungen (fui, foi)

Tipps & Tricks (4)

💡

Achte auf Zeitmarker

Wörter wie ontem (gestern) oder ano passado (letztes Jahr) sind wie Wegweiser für die Vergangenheit:
Eu trabalhei muito ontem.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Vergangenheitsform: Regelmäßige -AR-Verben (falei, comprou)
⚠️

Achtung bei 'Eu'!

Verwechsle nicht falo (jetzt) mit falei (damals). Das i am Ende von falei zeigt an, dass es vorbei ist:
Eu falei com ela.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesische Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -ar Verben
💡

Aussprache-Tipp

Das 'u' in der '-eu' Endung (wie 'comeu') ist ein starker Vokal. Es klingt wie das 'ew' in Englisch 'new'. Nicht verschlucken! Você comeu? (Hast du gegessen?)
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -er Verben (Ich aß, Er trank)
🎯

Das 'Nós'-Doppel

Denk daran, 'Nós abrimos' ist im Präsens und in der Vergangenheit dasselbe. Wörter wie 'ontem' (gestern) helfen, Verwechslungen zu vermeiden:
Nós abrimos a janela ontem.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Vergangenheit mit -ir Verben (Pretérito Perfeito)

Wichtige Vokabeln (7)

ontem yesterday falar to speak comer to eat partir to leave/depart ter to have dormir to sleep saber to know/find out

Real-World Preview

calendar

Recounting a weekend

Review Summary

  • -ei, -aste, -ou, -ámos, -aram
  • -i, -este, -eu, -emos, -eram
  • -i, -iste, -iu, -imos, -iram

Häufige Fehler

You used the present tense instead of the preterite. Remember to add the -ei ending for 'eu'.

Wrong: Eu fala no passado.
Richtig: Eu falei no passado.

This is identical in present and past! Ensure context clarifies it.

Wrong: Nós comemos ontem.
Richtig: Nós comemos ontem.

Confusing 'ser' and 'ir'. Both are 'fui' in the past, so rely on the adjective or location context.

Wrong: Eu fui feliz (I went happy).
Richtig: Eu fui feliz (I was happy).

Regeln in diesem Kapitel (8)

1

Vergangenheitsform: Regelmäßige -AR-Verben (falei, comprou)

A2
Das Pretérito ist für abgeschlossene Aktionen, wie ein Haken auf deiner To-Do-Liste von gestern: falei, comprou, estudaram.
11 Beispiele
2

Portugiesische Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -ar Verben

A2
Das Pretérito Perfeito ist deine Zeitform für abgeschlossene Handlungen. Es geht um einmalige Ereignisse in der Vergangenheit, die schon fertig sind.
Eu `falei` com o meu chefe pelo Zoom ontem.
11 Beispiele
3

Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -er Verben (Ich aß, Er trank)

A2
Um zu sagen, dass du etwas in der Vergangenheit getan hast, tauschst du bei -er Verben die Endung aus (wie comer zu comi).
Eu escrevi uma mensagem para ele ontem.
10 Beispiele
4

Vergangenheit mit -ir Verben (Pretérito Perfeito)

A2
Für abgeschlossene Handlungen in der Vergangenheit, nutze die -ir Pretérito Endungen: «-i», -iu, -imos, -iram.
Eu `abri` o aplicativo do Uber agora pouco.
10 Beispiele
5

Ser und Ir in der Vergangenheit: Ein Wort, zwei Bedeutungen (fui, foi)

A2
Im einfachen Präteritum kann 'fui' beides heißen: ich ging oder ich war, je nachdem, was im Satz steht. Super cool, oder?
Eu fui ao cinema ontem à noite.
10 Beispiele
6

Haben in der Vergangenheit: Das Verb 'Ter' (tive, teve)

A2
Meistere den unregelmäßigen 'tiv-'-Stamm, um alles zu beschreiben, was du gestern hattest, gefühlt oder tun musstest. Es ist dein Schlüssel zur Vergangenheit!
Ontem eu tive um problema com o iFood e pedi reemb...
10 Beispiele
7

Schlafen in der Vergangenheit: Das Verb 'Dormir' (Präteritum)

A2
Nutze das Pretérito von dormir für abgeschlossene Aktionen ohne Vokalwechsel wie dormi oder dormiu.
Ontem eu dormi por dez horas seguidas.
12 Beispiele
8

Herausfinden: Saber im Pretérito Perfeito (soube)

A2
Im Pretérito bedeutet saber den Moment, in dem du eine Info bekommst – also herausfinden oder erfahren.
Eu soube da festa pelo Instagram.
10 Beispiele

Next Steps

You've conquered the past! Keep narrating your day to yourself in Portuguese to lock in these new skills.

Write a short paragraph about your last vacation.

Continue to: Describing the Past & Looking Ahead

Schnelle Übung (10)

Welcher Satz sagt korrekt 'Er hat das Auto verkauft'?

Wähle die richtige Vergangenheitsform:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ele vendeu o carro.
'Vende' ist Präsens. 'Vendeu' ist die korrekte Präteritumform für 'Ele' (Endung auf -eu).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -er Verben (Ich aß, Er trank)

Fülle die Lücke mit der richtigen Form von 'comer' (essen) aus.

Ontem à noite, eu ___ uma salada.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: comi
Für 'Eu' (Ich) ist die Endung bei regelmäßigen -er Verben immer '-i'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -er Verben (Ich aß, Er trank)

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler bei der Vergangenheitsverpflichtung.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ela teve trabalhar no domingo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela teve que trabalhar no domingo.
Du brauchst das Wort 'que' nach 'teve', um eine Verpflichtung zu zeigen.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Haben in der Vergangenheit: Das Verb 'Ter' (tive, teve)

Welcher Satz ist richtig?

Wähle den korrekten Satz in der Vergangenheitsform:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela decidiu viajar hoje.
Die dritte Person Singular Endung für -ir Verben ist -iu, angefügt an den Stamm 'decid-'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Vergangenheit mit -ir Verben (Pretérito Perfeito)

Fülle die Lücke mit der korrekten Vergangenheitsform von 'falar' (sprechen).

Ontem, eu ___ com a Maria.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: falei
Da der Satz 'Ontem' (gestern) sagt, brauchst du die Vergangenheitsform. Für 'Eu' ist die Endung '-ei'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesische Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -ar Verben

Korrigiere den Fehler.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ela fui para casa cedo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela foi para casa cedo.
'Ela' (Sie) erfordert die dritte Person Singular Form 'foi'. 'Fui' ist für 'Eu'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ser und Ir in der Vergangenheit: Ein Wort, zwei Bedeutungen (fui, foi)

Fülle die Lücke mit der richtigen Form von 'abrir' aus.

Ontem, eu ___ a porta para o entregador.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: abri
Für 'Eu' fügen wir die Endung -i an den Stamm 'abr-' an.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Vergangenheit mit -ir Verben (Pretérito Perfeito)

Ergänze mit der richtigen Form für 'Eu' (Ich).

Eu ___ ao supermercado agora mesmo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fui
Für 'Eu' (Ich) ist die Form immer 'fui'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ser und Ir in der Vergangenheit: Ein Wort, zwei Bedeutungen (fui, foi)

Fülle die Lücke mit der korrekten Vergangenheitsform von 'ter'.

Ontem eu ___ uma ideia incrível para o meu canal.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tive
Für 'Eu' in der Vergangenheit ist 'tive' die richtige Form.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Haben in der Vergangenheit: Das Verb 'Ter' (tive, teve)

Finde und korrigiere den Fehler im Satz über die Vergangenheit.

Find and fix the mistake:

Você comprou o pão hoje de manhã?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Você comprou o pão hoje de manhã?
Der Satz ist bereits korrekt. 'Você' nimmt die '-ou'-Endung in der Vergangenheit.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portugiesische Vergangenheit: Regelmäßige -ar Verben

Score: /10

Häufige Fragen (6)

Für Aktionen, die in der Vergangenheit begonnen und geendet haben. Denk an einmalige Events wie eu comprei (ich kaufte).
Nimm das -ar weg und häng die passende Endung an. Für 'eu' ist es -ei, für 'ele/ela' ist es -ou.
Es wird für Handlungen verwendet, die zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt in der Vergangenheit abgeschlossen wurden. Denk daran als ein 'fertiges' Ereignis:
Eu comi pizza ontem.
Du entfernst das '-ar' und fügst '-ei' hinzu. Es wird zu 'falei':
Eu falei com ele.
Es ist die einfache Vergangenheitsform, die für Handlungen verwendet wird, die zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt in der Vergangenheit begonnen und beendet wurden. Stell dir vor, du erzählst, was du gestern gemacht hast: Eu comi (Ich aß).
Nein, 'comer' ist regelmäßig. Du behältst den 'com-' Stamm bei und änderst nur die Endung. Unregelmäßige Verben wie 'ser' oder 'ir' ändern sich komplett.
Eu comi, tu comeste, ele comeu
– der Stamm 'com-' bleibt!
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