When talking about time in Portuguese, ontem is a crucial word to know. It means 'yesterday' and is an adverb, so it modifies verbs to tell you when something happened.
You'll often use it with past tense verbs, like the preterite or imperfect, to describe events that occurred on the day before today.
For example, if you want to say 'I worked yesterday,' you would say 'Eu trabalhei ontem.' Or, if you're talking about something that used to happen yesterday, you might say 'Ontem, eu sempre lia antes de dormir,' meaning 'Yesterday, I always used to read before sleeping.'
When talking about recent past events, use "ontem" to specify that something happened on the day before today. For example, if today is Tuesday, "ontem" refers to Monday. It's a simple and direct way to refer to the previous day.
You can use it at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. For instance, "Ontem eu fui ao mercado" (Yesterday I went to the market), or "Eu trabalhei muito ontem" (I worked a lot yesterday).
Remember that "ontem" is an adverb, so it doesn't change based on gender or number.
When discussing the past in Portuguese, ontem is a crucial adverb to know. It directly translates to "yesterday" in English. You'll use it to specify that an action or event occurred on the day before today.
For example, you might say "Eu comi pizza ontem" to mean "I ate pizza yesterday." It's a fundamental word for forming basic sentences about past events.
Ontem en 30 secondes
- Use 'ontem' to talk about the day before today.
- Essential for discussing past events.
- Always refers to a singular past day.
§ What 'Ontem' means
- DEFINITION
- In Portuguese, 'ontem' means 'yesterday'. It's an adverb of time, which means it tells you *when* something happened. You'll use it exactly like you use 'yesterday' in English.
When you're talking about something that happened on the day before today, you use 'ontem'. It's that simple. There are no complicated rules for gender or number because it's an adverb. This makes it a very straightforward word to learn and use right away.
Eu fui ao mercado ontem.
This sentence means, "I went to the market yesterday." Notice how 'ontem' just slots right in, often at the end of the sentence or phrase, just like in English. No fancy conjugation or agreement needed.
§ Common uses for 'Ontem'
You'll find yourself using 'ontem' constantly when discussing past events. Here are some typical situations:
- Talking about what you did:
Nós assistimos a um filme ontem à noite. (We watched a movie yesterday evening.)
- Asking about someone else's day:
O que você fez ontem? (What did you do yesterday?)
- Referring to past weather:
Estava chovendo muito ontem. (It was raining a lot yesterday.)
See? It's straightforward. Just remember that 'ontem' refers to the day immediately preceding the current day.
§ Placement of 'Ontem' in a sentence
Typically, 'ontem' can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence. Both are correct and common. The placement might slightly change the emphasis, but not the meaning.
- At the end (most common):
Eu trabalhei muito ontem. (I worked a lot yesterday.)
- At the beginning (for emphasis or flow):
Ontem, ela visitou a família dela. (Yesterday, she visited her family.)
Understanding 'ontem' is a fundamental step in being able to talk about the past in Portuguese. It's an essential building block for constructing more complex sentences and narratives about what has already happened.
§ What 'Ontem' Means
- Definition
- Yesterday
When you want to talk about the day before today, you use 'ontem' in Portuguese. It's a straightforward adverb that tells you when something happened.
Eu fui ao cinema ontem.
Translation hint: I went to the cinema yesterday.
Ela estudou português ontem à noite.
Translation hint: She studied Portuguese last night.
§ Related Time Words
It's useful to know 'ontem' alongside other common time adverbs. Here are a few you'll hear a lot:
Hoje: Today. This is the present day, simple as that.
Onde vamos hoje?
Translation hint: Where are we going today?
Amanhã: Tomorrow. This is the day after today.
Nós viajaremos amanhã.
Translation hint: We will travel tomorrow.
Anteontem: The day before yesterday. If you need to go back two days, this is your word.
Ele chegou anteontem.
Translation hint: He arrived the day before yesterday.
Depois de amanhã: The day after tomorrow. For two days into the future.
A reunião é depois de amanhã.
Translation hint: The meeting is the day after tomorrow.
§ When to use 'Ontem' vs. phrases like 'Na semana passada'
'Ontem' is specific to a single day: yesterday. You use it when the action or event happened on that exact day. However, Portuguese also has phrases for more general past times.
Ontem: Use this ONLY for the day immediately preceding today.
Eu encontrei meus amigos ontem.
Translation hint: I met my friends yesterday.
Na semana passada: Last week. This refers to the entire previous week, not just a single day.
Nós fomos à praia na semana passada.
Translation hint: We went to the beach last week.
No mês passado: Last month. Refers to the entire previous month.
Ele visitou Portugal no mês passado.
Translation hint: He visited Portugal last month.
No ano passado: Last year. Refers to the entire previous year.
Eles aprenderam a cozinhar no ano passado.
Translation hint: They learned to cook last year.
§ Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake is trying to say 'the last day' or 'the past day' directly. While you might be tempted to translate literally, 'ontem' is the natural way to say 'yesterday'.
- Incorrect
- O dia passado
- Correct
- Ontem
Another common error for English speakers is to add a preposition before 'ontem', like 'em ontem' (in yesterday). 'Ontem' stands alone as the adverb of time.
- Incorrect
- Eu vi ele em ontem.
- Correct
- Eu vi ele ontem.
Translation hint: I saw him yesterday.
Just like in English where you say 'yesterday' and not 'on yesterday', in Portuguese you use 'ontem' directly.
How Formal Is It?
"Ontem, o congresso aprovou novas leis."
"Ontem fui ao supermercado."
"Ontem, o jogo foi show!"
"Ontem a gente brincou muito."
"Ontem, a festa bombou!"
Le savais-tu ?
Many Romance languages share similar words for 'yesterday' due to their common Latin root, like 'ayer' in Spanish and 'ieri' in Italian.
Exemples par niveau
Ontem eu fui ao supermercado.
Yesterday I went to the supermarket.
Simple past tense verb 'fui' (to go).
Onde você estava ontem?
Where were you yesterday?
Simple past tense verb 'estava' (to be).
Ontem choveu muito.
Yesterday it rained a lot.
Impersonal verb 'choveu' (it rained).
Nós estudamos juntos ontem à noite.
We studied together last night.
Simple past tense verb 'estudamos' (to study).
O que você comeu ontem?
What did you eat yesterday?
Simple past tense verb 'comeu' (to eat).
Eu vi um filme bom ontem.
I saw a good movie yesterday.
Simple past tense verb 'vi' (to see).
Ontem foi um dia divertido.
Yesterday was a fun day.
Simple past tense verb 'foi' (to be).
Eles não trabalharam ontem.
They didn't work yesterday.
Simple past tense verb 'trabalharam' (to work).
Ontem, enquanto lia um livro complexo sobre física quântica, deparei-me com uma teoria que me fez questionar tudo o que sabia.
Yesterday, while reading a complex book on quantum physics, I came across a theory that made me question everything I knew.
The past imperfect tense ('lia', 'deparei-me') is used to describe an ongoing action in the past and a completed action that occurred during it.
A decisão de expandir a empresa para o mercado asiático, tomada ontem após horas de deliberação, pode ter repercussões globais.
The decision to expand the company into the Asian market, made yesterday after hours of deliberation, could have global repercussions.
The past participle ('tomada') is used here as an adjective modifying 'decisão', indicating a completed action.
O discurso proferido ontem pelo presidente, embora elogiado por sua retórica, levantou preocupações sobre a implementação das propostas.
The speech delivered yesterday by the president, although praised for its rhetoric, raised concerns about the implementation of the proposals.
'Proferido' is the past participle of 'proferir' (to deliver, to utter), functioning as an adjective.
Se tivéssemos agido ontem com mais determinação, talvez a crise diplomática não tivesse escalado a este ponto alarmante.
If we had acted yesterday with more determination, perhaps the diplomatic crisis would not have escalated to this alarming point.
This sentence uses the pluperfect subjunctive ('tivéssemos agido') and pluperfect conditional ('tivesse escalado') to express a hypothetical situation in the past.
A complexa teia de eventos que culminou na revelação chocante de ontem tem raízes profundas na história da organização.
The complex web of events that culminated in yesterday's shocking revelation has deep roots in the organization's history.
The past simple ('culminou') indicates a completed action in the past.
Apesar das promessas de ontem, a situação económica parece ter piorado significativamente, exigindo uma reavaliação urgente.
Despite yesterday's promises, the economic situation seems to have worsened significantly, requiring an urgent reevaluation.
'Piorado' is the past participle of 'piorar' (to worsen), used with 'ter' to form the compound perfect tense.
Foi ontem que, confrontados com a iminência de um desastre ecológico, os líderes mundiais finalmente concordaram em agir concertadamente.
It was yesterday that, confronted with the imminence of an ecological disaster, world leaders finally agreed to act concertedly.
The construction 'Foi... que...' emphasizes the time 'ontem'.
Os dados recolhidos ontem pelos cientistas sugerem uma mudança drástica nos padrões climáticos globais, com implicações sérias.
The data collected yesterday by scientists suggest a drastic change in global climate patterns, with serious implications.
'Recolhidos' is the past participle of 'recolher' (to collect), functioning as an adjective modifying 'dados'.
Ontem, ao cair da noite, o silêncio da floresta era quase palpável, quebrando apenas pelo sussurro do vento entre as árvores antigas.
Yesterday, at nightfall, the silence of the forest was almost palpable, broken only by the whisper of the wind among the ancient trees.
Se tivéssemos agido com mais cautela ontem, talvez a situação atual não fosse tão complexa e desafiadora como se apresenta.
If we had acted with more caution yesterday, perhaps the current situation wouldn't be as complex and challenging as it is.
Conditional perfect tense indicates hypothetical past actions.
Aquela decisão, tomada impulsivamente ontem, reverberou hoje com consequências que jamais poderíamos ter antecipado na ocasião.
That decision, made impulsively yesterday, reverberated today with consequences we could never have anticipated at the time.
Ontem, durante o debate acalorado, a profundidade das divergências ideológicas tornou-se manifesta, polarizando ainda mais a opinião pública.
Yesterday, during the heated debate, the depth of ideological divergences became manifest, further polarizing public opinion.
A complexidade da teoria que estudamos ontem exige uma releitura atenta e um aprofundamento contínuo para sua plena compreensão.
The complexity of the theory we studied yesterday requires careful re-reading and continuous deepening for its full understanding.
Mesmo após a exaustiva jornada de trabalho ontem, a satisfação de ter contribuído para um projeto tão significativo superava o cansaço.
Even after the exhaustive workday yesterday, the satisfaction of having contributed to such a significant project outweighed the fatigue.
A crítica que recebemos ontem, embora dura, foi construtiva e nos impulsionou a uma reflexão profunda sobre nossas práticas.
The criticism we received yesterday, though harsh, was constructive and prompted us to a deep reflection on our practices.
Se o tempo estivesse mais ameno ontem, teríamos aproveitado para explorar os recantos mais remotos da serra, uma oportunidade perdida.
If the weather had been milder yesterday, we would have taken the opportunity to explore the most remote corners of the mountain range, a lost opportunity.
Pluperfect subjunctive indicates a past hypothetical condition.
Expressions idiomatiques
"De ontem a hoje"
From yesterday to today; in a very short time
De ontem a hoje, tudo mudou.
neutral"Como se fosse ontem"
As if it were yesterday; something that feels recent or vivid in memory
Parece que foi ontem que nos conhecemos.
neutral"Ficar para ontem"
To be left for yesterday; something that should have been done already
Este trabalho ficou para ontem, preciso terminá-lo.
informal"É coisa de ontem"
It's a thing of yesterday; something old-fashioned or outdated
Essa moda é coisa de ontem, ninguém usa mais.
informal"Não foi ontem"
It wasn't yesterday; it's been a long time
Não foi ontem que a vi pela última vez.
neutral"Nem de ontem nem de amanhã"
Neither from yesterday nor from tomorrow; something that is always true or relevant
Essa verdade é nem de ontem nem de amanhã, é eterna.
formal"Ter sido ontem"
To have been yesterday; something that happened very recently
Parece ter sido ontem que ele se casou.
neutral"Deixar para ontem"
To leave for yesterday; to postpone something indefinitely
Ele deixou o problema para ontem e agora é tarde demais.
informal"Não é de ontem"
It's not from yesterday; it's an old habit or problem
Essa mania dele não é de ontem, já vem de longa data.
neutral"Entre ontem e hoje"
Between yesterday and today; in a very short period, often implying a sudden change
Entre ontem e hoje, a situação mudou drasticamente.
neutralOrigine du mot
Latin 'ante diem'
Sens originel : before the day
Indo-European, RomanceContexte culturel
When talking about the past in Portuguese, 'ontem' is one of the most fundamental words you'll use. It's essential for recounting daily events or telling stories. You'll hear it frequently in casual conversation and see it often in written Portuguese.
Teste-toi 48 questions
The correct order is Subject (Eu) + Verb (trabalhei) + Adverb of time (ontem).
The correct order is Subject (Ela) + Verb (foi) + Preposition + Noun (ao mercado) + Adverb of time (ontem).
The correct order is Subject (Nós) + Verb (estudamos) + Object (português) + Adverb of time (ontem).
___, eu fui ao supermercado e comprei frutas frescas.
The sentence talks about an action that already happened: 'fui' (went) and 'comprei' (bought). 'Ontem' means yesterday, fitting the past tense.
Nós estudamos português até tarde ___, porque tínhamos uma prova.
The phrase 'até tarde' (late) and 'tínhamos uma prova' (had a test) indicate a past event, so 'ontem à noite' (yesterday evening) is the correct choice.
A que horas você chegou em casa ___?
The verb 'chegou' (arrived) is in the past tense, making 'ontem' (yesterday) the appropriate adverb for when the action occurred.
Ela não pôde vir à festa ___, mas virá hoje.
The contrast 'não pôde vir à festa' (couldn't come to the party) and 'virá hoje' (will come today) clearly points to 'ontem' (yesterday) as the past event.
O jogo de futebol foi emocionante ___.
The verb 'foi' (was) is in the past tense, indicating that the game happened in the past. 'Ontem' (yesterday) correctly identifies this timeframe.
Eu comprei um livro novo ___.
The verb 'comprei' (bought) is in the past tense, so 'ontem' (yesterday) accurately describes when the purchase took place.
The typical word order in Portuguese is subject-verb-object-adverb. 'Ontem' (yesterday) is an adverb of time.
The adverb 'ontem' (yesterday) usually comes at the end of the sentence or after the verb.
Here, 'de ontem' acts as an adjective phrase modifying 'jantar' (dinner).
___, fui ao cinema com amigos. (Yesterday, I went to the cinema with friends.)
The sentence clearly indicates a past action, so 'Ontem' (Yesterday) is the correct adverb.
Ela me ligou ___. (She called me yesterday.)
'Ontem' refers to the day before today, fitting the past action of calling.
Nós estudamos português ___ por três horas. (We studied Portuguese yesterday for three hours.)
The past tense 'estudamos' (we studied) requires an adverb indicating past time, which is 'ontem'.
Eu não consegui ir à festa ___. (I couldn't go to the party yesterday.)
The phrase 'não consegui ir' (I couldn't go) implies a past event, making 'ontem' the appropriate choice.
O jogo de futebol foi emocionante ___. (The football game was exciting yesterday.)
The verb 'foi' (was) signifies a past event, so 'ontem' is needed.
Você viu a Maria ___? (Did you see Maria yesterday?)
The question 'Você viu?' (Did you see?) refers to a past encounter, making 'ontem' the correct adverb.
Choose the best translation for: 'Ontem fomos ao cinema, mas hoje preferimos ficar em casa.'
'Ontem' directly translates to 'yesterday', indicating an action in the past, contrasting with 'hoje' (today).
Which sentence correctly uses 'ontem' in a past context?
'Fui' is the past tense of 'ir' (to go), which correctly aligns with 'ontem' (yesterday). The other options use future or present tenses inappropriately.
Complete the sentence with the most appropriate word: '___ choveu muito, então não pudemos sair.'
The phrase 'não pudemos sair' (we couldn't go out) indicates a past event, making 'Ontem' (Yesterday) the correct choice.
The sentence 'Ontem vamos à festa.' is grammatically correct in Portuguese.
'Ontem' refers to the past, so the verb 'vamos' (present tense of 'ir' - to go) should be in a past tense form like 'fomos' (we went).
In the sentence 'Eu estudei muito ontem para a prova de hoje.', 'ontem' correctly modifies the verb 'estudei'.
'Ontem' specifies when the studying occurred, fitting perfectly with the past tense verb 'estudei' (I studied).
If you want to say 'The day before yesterday' in Portuguese, you can simply use 'ontem'.
While 'ontem' means 'yesterday', 'the day before yesterday' is 'anteontem' in Portuguese. Using just 'ontem' would be incorrect.
The typical sentence structure in Portuguese places the adverb of time (Ontem) at the beginning, followed by the verb, and then the rest of the sentence components.
Start with the adverb 'Ontem', followed by the verb 'choveu' and then the adverbs 'muito fortemente' describing how it rained.
The order is adverb of time, verb, indefinite article, adjective, and then the noun.
This sentence describes a scheduled meeting that was postponed. 'Ontem' (yesterday) refers to when it was originally planned.
This sentence talks about an unexpected incident that occurred last night. 'Ontem à noite' (last night) specifies the time.
This sentence explains why someone couldn't go to the cinema yesterday, despite promising to. 'Ontem' (yesterday) is the reference point for the promise.
This sentence refers to a profound debate about the nature of consciousness that took place yesterday. The order follows a standard Portuguese sentence structure, starting with the adverb of time, followed by the verb 'ser' (to be) in the past tense, and then the subject and its complements.
The sentence discusses how yesterday's events highlighted the convergence of philosophical and scientific theories on complex issues. 'Ontem' starts the sentence, followed by the verb 'evidenciar' (to evidence/highlight) in the past, and then the object of the verb and its modifiers.
This sentence describes a speech delivered yesterday that challenged preconceived notions about the role of art in society. It begins with 'Ontem', followed by the passive voice construction 'foi proferido' (was delivered), and then the subject 'um discurso' and its descriptive clause.
/ 48 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Remember 'ontem' is how you say 'yesterday' in Portuguese, a very common word for talking about the past.
- Use 'ontem' to talk about the day before today.
- Essential for discussing past events.
- Always refers to a singular past day.
Contenu associé
Expressions liées
Plus de mots sur daily_life
à noite
A2at night; during the period from sunset to sunrise.
a par de
C1Aware of; abreast of; in addition to.
a propósito
B2By the way; incidentally; speaking of that.
à tarde
A2in the afternoon; during the period from noon to evening.
abastecimento
C1The action of supplying something with something else; provision of goods.
abotoar
B2To fasten (clothing) with buttons.
abranger
C1To cover, encompass, or include a wide range of things.
abre
B1Opens (third person singular of 'abrir').
Abril
A1April
Abrir
A1To open
