A2 · Élémentaire Chapitre 6

Completed Past Actions

8 Règles totales
84 exemples
6 min
Règles dans ce chapitre Pratique rapide

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.

Ce que tu vas apprendre

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.

Guide du chapitre

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.

Exemples clés (8)

1

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

J'ai parlé avec mon chef sur Zoom hier.

Passé en portugais : Verbes réguliers en -ar
2

Você `postou` aquela foto no Instagram?

Tu as posté cette photo sur Instagram ?

Passé en portugais : Verbes réguliers en -ar
3

Eu escrevi uma mensagem para ele ontem.

J'ai écrit un message pour lui hier.

Passé Simple : Verbes Réguliers en -er (J'ai mangé, Il a bu)
4

Você bebeu todo o suco?

Tu as bu tout le jus ?

Passé Simple : Verbes Réguliers en -er (J'ai mangé, Il a bu)
5

Eu fui ao cinema ontem à noite.

Je suis allé au cinéma hier soir.

Ser et Ir au passé : même mot, sens différent (fui, foi)
6

O teste de ontem foi muito difícil.

L'examen d'hier était très difficile.

Ser et Ir au passé : même mot, sens différent (fui, foi)
7

Ontem eu tive um problema com o iFood e pedi reembolso.

Hier, j'ai eu un problème avec iFood et j'ai demandé un remboursement.

Avoir au passé : Utiliser 'Ter' (tive, teve, tivemos)
8

Nós tivemos muitos likes na foto que postamos hoje cedo.

On a eu beaucoup de likes sur la photo qu'on a postée tout à l'heure.

Avoir au passé : Utiliser 'Ter' (tive, teve, tivemos)

Conseils et astuces (4)

💡

Cherche les indices de temps

Quand tu vois des mots comme ontem (hier), ano passado (l'année dernière) ou «em 2020», c'est un grand panneau qui te dit d'utiliser le passé simple.
Eu viajei para Lisboa no ano passado.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passé Composé : Verbes réguliers en -AR (falei, comprou)
⚠️

Attention au 'Eu' !

Ne confonds pas 'falo' (présent) avec 'falei' (passé). Le 'i' à la fin indique que c'est fini :
Eu falei com ela ontem.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passé en portugais : Verbes réguliers en -ar
💡

Le secret de la prononciation

Le 'u' à la fin de la forme '-eu' (comme dans 'comeu') s'entend bien. Ça ressemble un peu au son 'é-ou' rapide.
Ele comeu o bolo todo.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passé Simple : Verbes Réguliers en -er (J'ai mangé, Il a bu)
🎯

Le jumeau 'Nós'

Retiens bien que Nós abrimos est identique au présent et au passé. Utilise ontem pour être clair.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Le passé avec les verbes en -ir (Pretérito Perfeito)

Vocabulaire clé (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

Erreurs courantes

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

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

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

Wrong: Nós comemos ontem.
Correct: 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).
Correct: Eu fui feliz (I was happy).

Règles dans ce chapitre (8)

1

Passé Composé : Verbes réguliers en -AR (falei, comprou)

A2
Le passé simple (prétérit) sert à parler d'actions terminées dans le passé, comme cocher des tâches faites sur ta liste d'hier.
11 exemples
2

Passé en portugais : Verbes réguliers en -ar

A2
Le Pretérito Perfeito est ton outil pour les actions finies et précises dans le passé.
Eu `falei` com o meu chefe pelo Zoom ontem.
11 exemples
3

Passé Simple : Verbes Réguliers en -er (J'ai mangé, Il a bu)

A2
Pour dire que t'as fait quelque chose au passé, on remplace la fin du verbe, comme transformer comer en comi.
Eu escrevi uma mensagem para ele ontem.
10 exemples
4

Le passé avec les verbes en -ir (Pretérito Perfeito)

A2
Utilise les terminaisons du passé «-i», -iu, -imos, -iram pour tes actions terminées.
Eu `abri` o aplicativo do Uber agora pouco.
10 exemples
5

Ser et Ir au passé : même mot, sens différent (fui, foi)

A2
Au passé, le mot fui est un caméléon : il peut vouloir dire je suis allé ou "j'ai été" selon le contexte.
Eu fui ao cinema ontem à noite.
10 exemples
6

Avoir au passé : Utiliser 'Ter' (tive, teve, tivemos)

A2
Retiens bien la racine irrégulière tiv-. C'est ton outil magique pour raconter tout ce que tu as eu, ressenti ou dû faire hier.
Ontem eu tive um problema com o iFood e pedi reemb...
10 exemples
7

Dormir au passé : Le verbe 'Dormir' (Passé composé/Simple)

A2
Utilise le Pretérito Perfeito de dormir pour des nuits terminées sans changer la racine : dormi, dormiu, dormimos.
Ontem eu dormi por dez horas seguidas.
12 exemples
8

Apprendre une nouvelle : Saber au prétérit (soube)

A2
Au prétérit, saber marque le moment précis où tu reçois une info — pense à "j'ai appris ou découverte".
Eu soube da festa pelo Instagram.
10 exemples

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

Pratique rapide (10)

Remplis le vide avec la bonne forme de 'ter' au passé.

Ontem eu ___ uma ideia incrível para o meu canal.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tive
Pour 'Eu' au passé, la forme correcte est 'tive'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Avoir au passé : Utiliser 'Ter' (tive, teve, tivemos)

Remplis le blanc avec la forme correcte du passé simple.

Ontem, eu _______ muito para a prova. (estudar)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: estudei
Pour le pronom 'eu' (je), la terminaison régulière du passé simple en -ar est '-ei'. 'Estudar' devient 'estudei'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passé Composé : Verbes réguliers en -AR (falei, comprou)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans cette phrase sur un secret découvert.

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós sabiamos do segredo na semana passada.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós soubemos do segredo na semana passada.
Comme cela s'est passé 'la semaine dernière', on utilise 'soubemos' pour marquer la découverte.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Apprendre une nouvelle : Saber au prétérit (soube)

Choisis la phrase correcte.

Which sentence correctly describes a single action yesterday?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela falou com a amiga ontem.
'Ontem' (hier) indique une action passée spécifique et terminée, ce qui nécessite le passé simple 'falou'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passé Composé : Verbes réguliers en -AR (falei, comprou)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Eles compraram um carro novo na semana passada.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eles compraram um carro novo na semana passada.
La phrase originale est correcte ! Pour 'eles' (ils), la terminaison du passé simple en -ar est '-aram', donc 'comprar' devient 'compraram'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Passé Composé : Verbes réguliers en -AR (falei, comprou)

Complète avec la forme correcte pour 'Eu' (Je).

Eu ___ ao supermercado agora mesmo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: fui
Pour 'Eu', on utilise toujours la forme 'fui'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ser et Ir au passé : même mot, sens différent (fui, foi)

Quel verbe est utilisé ici ?

Identifie le sens de 'fomos' dans : 'Nós fomos alunos dessa escola.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ser (Être)
Puisque 'alunos' (élèves) est un rôle/nom, on décrit ce que nous ÉTIONS.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ser et Ir au passé : même mot, sens différent (fui, foi)

Complète la phrase avec la bonne forme de 'dormir' au passé.

Ontem eu ___ cedo porque estava cansado.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dormi
Pour la première personne (Eu) au passé, on ajoute '-i' à la racine 'dorm-'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dormir au passé : Le verbe 'Dormir' (Passé composé/Simple)

Trouve et corrige l'erreur dans cette phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ela dormi muito bem na noite passada.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela dormiu muito bem na noite passada.
Pour 'Ela', la terminaison correcte des verbes en '-ir' au passé est '-iu'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dormir au passé : Le verbe 'Dormir' (Passé composé/Simple)

Corrige l'erreur dans la phrase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ela fui para casa cedo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela foi para casa cedo.
Avec 'Ela', il faut utiliser la 3ème personne du singulier 'foi'. 'Fui' est réservé à 'Eu'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ser et Ir au passé : même mot, sens différent (fui, foi)

Score: /10

Questions fréquentes (6)

Il sert pour les actions qui ont commencé et se sont terminées dans le passé. Pense à des événements uniques, comme eu comprei (j'ai acheté) ou ela falou (elle a parlé).
Tu enlèves le -ar de l'infinitif et tu ajoutes une terminaison spécifique pour chaque pronom. Pour eu, c'est -ei ; pour ele/ela/você, c'est -ou ; pour nós, c'est -amos ; et pour
eles/elas/vocês
, c'est -aram.
On l'utilise pour des actions terminées à un moment précis. C'est un événement fini comme :
Eu comprei um carro.
Enlève le '-ar' et ajoute '-ei'. Ça devient :
Eu falei com ela.
C'est le passé simple pour une action qui est terminée et bien précise. Par exemple : Eu comi (J'ai mangé).
Non, c'est un verbe régulier. Tu gardes 'com-' et tu changes juste la fin. Eu comi, Ele comeu.
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Shortcuts: Object Pronouns
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Describing the Past & Looking Ahead
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