B1 · 中級 チャプター 32

Past Tense Mastery: Preterite and Imperfect

20 トータルルール
206 例文
10 分
このチャプターのルール クイック練習

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of storytelling in Portuguese by distinguishing between completed actions and ongoing past backgrounds.

  • Identify the difference between Preterite (snapshot) and Imperfect (video).
  • Conjugate irregular verbs like 'fazer', 'pôr', and 'vir' in the past.
  • Describe past habits, states, and interrupted events fluently.
Master your past, tell your story.

学べること

Distinguish between snapshot (pretérito perfeito) and background (imperfeito) past tenses with all verb types.

Learning Objectives

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

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Narrate a past sequence using both Preterite and Imperfect tenses correctly.

チャプターガイド

Overview

Mastering the past tense in Portuguese is a cornerstone of effective communication, opening up a world of storytelling, personal anecdotes, and historical recounting. This chapter focuses on the two primary past tenses: the Pretérito Perfeito (Preterite) and the Pretérito Imperfeito (Imperfect). Understanding their distinct roles is crucial for anyone aspiring to B1 proficiency.
The Preterite, often referred to as the snapshot tense, is used for completed actions that happened at a specific point in the past. It’s about singular, definite events with a clear beginning and end. In contrast, the Imperfect acts as the video or background tense, describing ongoing actions, habitual events, descriptions of past states, or setting the scene for another action.
By the end of this chapter, you will confidently distinguish between these tenses, using them to create nuanced and accurate narratives.
You will learn to navigate the complexities of specific verbs like ter (tinha) for past possession, querer (queria for polite requests and past desires vs. quis for trying/deciding), and common irregulars such as trazer (trouxe), fazer (fez), estar (esteve/estava), ver (viu), ir (fui/ia), ouvir (ouviu/ouvia), pôr (pôs), dizer (disse), vir (veio), and dar (deu). Moreover, you will master the art of describing past habits, states, and the dynamic interplay between ongoing and interrupting actions.

How This Grammar Works

The core of past tense mastery in Portuguese lies in understanding the fundamental difference between the Pretérito Perfeito (Preterite) and the Pretérito Imperfeito (Imperfect).
Pretérito Perfeito (Snapshot / Completed Actions)
Use the Preterite for actions that were completed at a specific time in the past. Think of it as a single snapshot of an event.
* Regular Verbs:
* -AR verbs (e.g., falar): você falou (you spoke)
* -ER verbs (e.g., comer): você comeu (you ate)
* -IR verbs (e.g., abrir): você abriu (you opened)
* Key Irregular Verbs (from the chapter list):
* Trazer (to bring): trouxe
* Você trouxe os documentos ontem? (Did you bring the documents yesterday?)
* Ler (to read): leu
* Ele leu um livro interessante no fim de semana. (He read an interesting book last weekend.)
* Fazer (to do/make): fez
* Você fez o jantar na semana passada. (You made dinner last week.)
* Estar (to be/to be somewhere): esteve
* Você esteve em casa à noite? (Were you home last night?)
* Ver (to see): viu
* Você viu aquele filme novo? (Did you see that new movie?)
* Pôr (to put): pôs
* Ele pôs a mala no chão. (He put the suitcase on the floor.)
* Dizer (to say/tell): disse
* Você me disse a verdade. (You told me the truth.)
* Vir (to come): veio
* Ele veio de carro para a festa. (He came by car to the party.)
* Poder (to be able to/managed to): pôde
* Você pôde terminar o trabalho a tempo. (You managed to finish the work on time.)
* Querer (to want/tried): quis (often implies a specific attempt or decision)
* Você quis ajudar, mas não conseguiu. (You tried to help, but couldn't.)
* Dar (to give): deu
* Ele te deu um presente de aniversário. (He gave you a birthday present.)
* Ir (to go): fui (same as ser in preterite, context is key)
* Você foi ao mercado. (You went to the market.)
Pretérito Imperfeito (Background / Ongoing / Habitual Actions / Descriptions)
Use the Imperfect for actions that were ongoing, habitual, or for describing past states and conditions. Think of it as the video playing in the background or repeated actions.
* Regular Verbs:
* -AR verbs (e.g., falar): você falava (you used to speak/were speaking)
* -ER verbs (e.g., comer): você comia (you used to eat/were eating)
* -IR verbs (e.g., abrir): você abria (you used to open/were opening)
* Key Irregular Verbs (from the chapter list):
* Ter (to have): tinha
* Você tinha muitos brinquedos quando era criança. (You used to have many toys when you were a child.)
* Querer (to want/past desires/polite requests): queria
* Eu queria um café, por favor. (I would like a coffee, please - polite request)
* Você queria morar no campo naquela época. (You wanted to live in the countryside at that time.)
* Ir (to go): ia
* Você ia à escola a pé todos os dias. (You used to go to school on foot every day.)
* Ouvir (to hear): ouvia (for continuous or habitual hearing)
* Eu ouvia música enquanto trabalhava. (I was listening to music while I worked.)
* Estar (to be/past states): estava
* A casa estava vazia quando chegamos. (The house was empty when we arrived.)
* Você estava trabalhando quando te liguei. (You were working when I called you.)
Interrupted Actions: This is a classic scenario where both tenses shine. The Imperfect sets the scene (ongoing action), and the Preterite describes the interrupting action.
* Eu andava na rua quando você me ligou. (I was walking on the street when you called me.)

Common Mistakes

✗ Você foi dormir tarde todo dia.
✓ Você ia dormir tarde todo dia.
Why: Todo dia indicates a habitual action in the past, requiring the Imperfect (ia). Foi implies a single, completed action.
✗ Ontem, eu via um filme no cinema.
✓ Ontem, eu vi um filme no cinema.
Why: Ontem specifies a single, completed event, which calls for the Preterite (vi). Via would suggest you were in the middle of watching when something else happened.
✗ Eu queria abrir a porta, mas não consegui. (If meaning
I tried to open...
)
✓ Eu quis abrir a porta, mas não consegui.
Why: Quis (Preterite) often implies an attempt or specific decision that may have failed. Queria (Imperfect) generally means wanted in a softer, more continuous sense, or a polite request.
✗ Você fazeu o almoço no domingo?
✓ Você fez o almoço no domingo?
Why: The verb fazer is highly irregular in the Preterite. The correct form for você is fez.
✗ Ele teve muitos amigos na infância. (If it means
He used to have...
)
✓ Ele tinha muitos amigos na infância.
Why: To describe a continuous state of possession or existence in the past (used to have), ter uses the Imperfect (tinha).
✗ Nós estávamos na praia, e começou a chover. (If chover was a single, abrupt event)
✓ Nós estávamos na praia, e começou a chover.
Why: This example is actually correct as written, demonstrating a good use of the tenses. The *mistake* would be to say Nós estivemos na praia, e chovia, which would imply we completed being at the beach, and it was generally raining, not that the rain started and interrupted our time. Estávamos sets the scene (ongoing state), and começou describes the specific, interrupting action.

Real Conversations

A

A

O que você fez no último feriado?
B

B

Eu fui visitar meus pais no interior. Foi muito bom.
A

A

Ah, que legal! Você ia muito para lá quando era mais jovem?
B

B

Sim, eu ia sempre! Eles moravam lá desde que eu era criança.

Translation:

A

A

What did you do on the last holiday?
B

B

I went to visit my parents in the countryside. It was very good.
A

A

Oh, how nice! Did you use to go there a lot when you were younger?
B

B

Yes, I always used to go! They lived there since I was a child.
A

A

Lembra daquela vez que a gente estava viajando e o carro quebrou?
B

B

Claro! Eu estava dormindo quando você me disse que algo estava errado com o motor.
A

A

Verdade! Eu quis consertar, mas não consegui. Tivemos que pedir ajuda.

Translation:

A

A

Remember that time we were traveling and the car broke down?
B

B

Of course! I was sleeping when you told me something was wrong with the engine.
A

A

That's right! I tried to fix it, but I couldn't. We had to ask for help.
A

A

Você ouvia muito rock quando estava na faculdade?
B

B

Sim, eu ouvia bastante! Tinha uma banda que eu amava. Uma vez, eles fizeram um show aqui perto e eu fui.

Translation:

A

A

Did you listen to a lot of rock when you were in college?
B

B

Yes, I listened a lot! There was a band I loved. Once, they played a show nearby and I went.

Quick FAQ

Q

What's the easiest way to decide between Preterite and Imperfect?

Think of snapshot vs. video. The Preterite captures a single, completed action (a snapshot), like Eu comi (I ate [a specific meal]). The Imperfect describes ongoing actions, habits, or background descriptions (a video), like Eu comia (I used to eat/was eating).

Q

Are there specific time expressions that indicate one tense over another?

Yes! Words like ontem (yesterday), no ano passado (last year), uma vez (once), em 2010 (in 2010) typically point to the Preterite. Expressions such as sempre (always), todo dia (every day), enquanto (while), naquela época (at that time), geralmente (generally) often signal the Imperfect.

Q

Can 'querer' change meaning depending on the past tense?

Absolutely! Quis (Preterite) often implies a specific attempt or decision: Eu quis abrir a porta (I tried/wanted to open the door [and it implies I might have failed or succeeded immediately]). Queria (Imperfect) means wanted in a general or ongoing sense: Eu queria morar no Brasil (I wanted to live in Brazil [a desire I had for some time]), or can be used for a polite request in the present: Eu queria um café, por favor (I would like a coffee, please).

Q

How do I distinguish fui for 'ir' (to go) and fui for 'ser' (to be) in the Preterite?

Context is key! The verb fui is indeed the Preterite form for both ir and ser for eu and você/ele/ela forms. You differentiate them by the context of the sentence. If it implies movement, it's ir: Eu fui ao mercado (I went to the market). If it describes identity or a state, it's ser: Eu fui estudante (I was a student). The meaning is always clear from the surrounding words and the overall sentence structure.

Cultural Context

The nuanced use of the Pretérito Perfeito and Imperfeito is fundamental to the rich tapestry of storytelling in Portuguese-speaking cultures. From recounting family histories passed down through generations to sharing daily anecdotes among friends, these tenses enable vivid and engaging narratives. Brazilians, for example, often use these tenses to describe their childhoods, favorite places they used to visit, or the atmosphere of past events.
Mastering this distinction allows you to participate more fully in conversations that delve into personal memories, historical events, or even popular culture. It's not just about grammatical correctness; it's about conveying the emotional depth and temporal precision required to truly connect with others and appreciate the intricacies of Portuguese narratives, whether you're listening to a grandparent's tales of antigamente (in old times) or discussing the plots of a telenovela. This grammatical skill unlocks a deeper understanding and appreciation of how the past shapes the present in Portuguese culture.

重要な例文 (8)

1

Eu estava dirigindo quando você ligou.

あなたが電話してきた時、私は運転していました。

ポルトガル語の過去形：写真と動画の違い (Perfeito/Imperfeito)
2

Antigamente, eu não gostava de café.

昔、私はコーヒーが好きではありませんでした。

ポルトガル語の過去形：写真と動画の違い (Perfeito/Imperfeito)
3

Eu queria um café com leite, por favor.

カフェラテを1ついただけますか？

丁寧な依頼と過去の願望 (quererの不完了過去形)
4

A gente queria pedir uma pizza de calabresa.

サラミのピザを頼みたかったんです。

丁寧な依頼と過去の願望 (quererの不完了過去形)
5

Eu trouxe as bebidas para a festa.

パーティーに飲み物を持ってきたよ。

ポルトガル語の過去形：持ってきた (trouxe)
6

O que você trouxe na mochila?

リュックの中に何を持ってきたの？

ポルトガル語の過去形：持ってきた (trouxe)
7

Eu li o e-mail que você me enviou.

あなたが送ってくれたメールを読みました。

過去形（点過去）の動詞「Ler」（読む）
8

Você leu o que ela postou no Twitter?

彼女がツイッターに投稿した内容を読んだ？

過去形（点過去）の動詞「Ler」（読む）

ヒントとコツ (4)

🎯

英語の「used to」で考えよう

「以前は〜していた」や「〜している最中だった」と訳せるなら不完了過去です。
Eu comprava pão todos os dias.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ポルトガル語の過去形：写真と動画の違い (Perfeito/Imperfeito)
💡

NHの音のコツ

キャニオンの「にゃ」のような音を意識しましょう。「ティナ」ではなく鼻に抜ける音で
Eu tinha um gato.
と言います。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 不完了過去の動詞 'ter'：過去について話す (tinha)
🎯

丁寧さの魔法

接客を受ける時は quero（欲しい）よりも queria を選んでみてください。店員さんの対応がもっと優しくなるはずです！
Eu queria ver aquele sapato.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 丁寧な依頼と過去の願望 (quererの不完了過去形)
⚠️

スペルの落とし穴

音につられて trosse や trouçe と書かないように気をつけて！正解はいつも 'X' だよ。
Eu trouxe o bolo.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ポルトガル語の過去形：持ってきた (trouxe)

重要な語彙 (5)

ontem yesterday antigamente in the past/formerly sempre always enquanto while quando when

Real-World Preview

coffee

Recounting a weekend

Review Summary

  • Snapshot = Done; Video = Ongoing/Habitual

よくある間違い

Since eating the cake is a completed action, use the Preterite (comi) instead of the ongoing Imperfect (comia).

Wrong: Eu comia o bolo ontem.
正解: Eu comi o bolo ontem.

Fazer is irregular; the correct form is 'fiz'.

Wrong: Eu fazi o trabalho.
正解: Eu fiz o trabalho.

Specific truth-telling on a specific day requires the Preterite.

Wrong: Ele dizia a verdade ontem.
正解: Ele disse a verdade ontem.

このチャプターのルール (20)

1

ポルトガル語の過去形：写真と動画の違い (Perfeito/Imperfeito)

B1
過去の出来事を「点（完了）」で捉えるか「線（背景・習慣）」で捉えるかがコツです。 Pretérito Perfeito は結果、 Pretérito Imperfeito はプロセスを指します。
Eu estava dirigindo quando você ligou.
11 例文
2

不完了過去の動詞 'ter'：過去について話す (tinha)

B1
過去の「状態」「年齢」「持ち物」を説明する時は tinha を使います。age や feelings もこれでOK！
Antigamente, eu tinha um telemóvel da Nokia.
10 例文
3

丁寧な依頼と過去の願望 (quererの不完了過去形)

B1
「queria」を使いこなせば、ブラジルでもポルトガルでも、カフェからオフィスまでどこでも「感じの良い人」になれますよ！ queria «丁寧な依頼» «過去の願望»
Eu queria um café com leite, por favor.
11 例文
4

ポルトガル語の過去形：持ってきた (trouxe)

B1
動詞 trazer の過去形は troux- という特別な形になるよ。 x は ss の音で発音するのがポイント！
Eu trouxe as bebidas para a festa.
10 例文
5

過去の描写と習慣 (Pretérito Imperfeito)

B1
過去の「背景」や「習慣」を描くための魔法の絵筆だよ。queria や era、tinha を使いこなして、物語に深みを出そう！
A gente estava no shopping quando o alarme tocou.
10 例文
6

過去形（点過去）の動詞「Ler」（読む）

B1
過去の「読んだ」は、不規則な li と leu をマスターするのがコツです。
Eu li o e-mail que você me enviou.
10 例文
7

過去形: Fazer (する/作る - fiz/fez)

B1
基本の語幹は fiz- ですが、3人称単数（彼/彼女/あなた）だけは fez になることを意識しましょう！
Eu fiz o download do arquivo ontem à noite.
10 例文
8

過去にどこかにいたこと (Estarの完全過去)

B1
「その時、そこにいた！」という完了した瞬間には estive を使い、終わった章の話をしましょう。
Eu estive no escritório até às oito hoje.
10 例文
9

ポルトガル語の過去形：「見ました」(Ver in Preterite)

B1
過去の特定の瞬間に「見た」ことを伝える不規則動詞 ver の形 vi viu vimos を使いこなしましょう。
Eu vi sua mensagem no WhatsApp, mas estava dirigin...
10 例文
10

過去の「行く」：動詞 'Ir' (ia, íamos)

B1
過去の「習慣」や「中断された予定」、あるいは「丁寧なお願い」をしたい時は ia を使いましょう。 hábitos, planos, polidez が合言葉です。
Eu ia te mandar um WhatsApp, mas esqueci.
10 例文
11

過去形の Ouvir（聞こえた）

B1
過去に「聞こえた」や「（音楽などを）聴いた」と言いたい時は ouviu を使いましょう。 ouvi や ouviram などの形をマスターするのがコツです。
Eu ouvi um barulho estranho na cozinha.
11 例文
12

ポルトガル語の過去の習慣：「〜していた」（直説法半過去）

B1
過去の背景や「〜していた」という習慣を描く魔法の時制です。 usava や comia を使って、物語の背景を塗りましょう。
Eu jogava muito videogame quando era criança.
10 例文
13

過去に置く：動词 Pôr (pus, pôs)

B1
不規則な pus- という語根をマスターして、物を「置いた」やSNSに「投稿した」という表現を使いこなしましょう。 pus pôs supus が重要ワードです。
Eu pus o meu celular para carregar ontem à noite.
10 例文
14

過去形（Pretérito Perfeito）での'Dizer'の使い方

B1
過去の完了した「言った」には、不規則な diss- 語幹を使って eu disse や eles disseram と表現しましょう。
Eu `disse` que chegaria tarde.
10 例文
15

'Vir' (来る) の過去形：来た、見た...待って、来た。

B1
過去の到着を伝えるときは veio と vieram を使いましょう。 viu（見た）や viram（見た・複数）と間違えないようにするのがコツだよ！
Eu vim assim que recebi sua mensagem.
10 例文
16

ポルトガル語の過去形：～できた (Poder 完全過去)

B1
特定の過去の瞬間に「実際にできた（達成した）」と言いたい時は、pude や pôde を使いましょう。活用に迷ったら、魔法の合言葉 pud- を思い出してね！
Desculpe, não pude ir à sua festa ontem.
11 例文
17

過去形の動詞 'Querer' (quis): 「〜したかった」と「〜しようとした」

B1
「〜しようとした」や「（その場で）決めた」という、過去の具体的な行動や拒絶を表すときは不規則な語幹の quis を使いましょう。
Eu quis falar com ele ontem, mas não consegui.
10 例文
18

過去形の動詞 'Dar' (Eu dei, Ele deu)

B1
過去形（完全過去）では、語幹の 'a' が 'e' に変わって dei や deu になるのが最大の特徴です。特に deu certo（うまくいった）は超頻出フレーズですよ！
Eu dei um like na foto dele.
10 例文
19

中断された動作：過去のある出来事が別の出来事を中断するとき

B1
「ずっと続いていた背景（estava）」に「突然の出来事（点過去）」が割り込むイメージで文を作りましょう。quando が良いつなぎ役になります。
Eu estava postando um story quando o celular travo...
10 例文
20

過去の状態: 〜していた / 〜だった (Estar Imperfeito)

B1
一時的な場所や気分、または過去の進行中の動作には estava を使い、友達となら tava 、自分たちのことなら estávamos を選びましょう。
Eu estava no banho quando você ligou.
12 例文

Next Steps

You have conquered the past! Keep practicing your storytelling; it's the best way to master these nuances.

Write a diary entry for yesterday

Continue to: The Subjunctive Mood

クイック練習 (10)

poder の正しい形を空欄に入れてね。

Ontem eu não ___ terminar o trabalho a tempo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: pude
Ontem（昨日）という特定の時点の出来事で、完了したことを表すから、1人称単数の pude が正解だよ。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ポルトガル語の過去形：～できた (Poder 完全過去)

文の中の間違いを見つけてください。

Find and fix the mistake:

Você fiz o dever de casa?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Você fez o dever de casa?
主語が 'Você' の時は、3人称単数形の 'fez' を使います。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去形: Fazer (する/作る - fiz/fez)

過去の年齢を正しく表現しているのはどれですか？

正しい選択肢を選んでください：

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Eu tinha 20 anos.
ポルトガル語では年齢を「持っている」と表現するため、過去の年齢には tinha を使うのが正解です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 不完了過去の動詞 'ter'：過去について話す (tinha)

文章の間違いを見つけてください。

Nós ouvi a notícia ontem.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós ouvimos a notícia ontem.
主語が 'Nós' (私たち) の場合、動詞は 'ouvimos' と一致させる必要があります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 過去形の Ouvir（聞こえた）

丁寧な依頼の文を完成させてください。

Eu ___ (querer) um copo de água, por favor.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: queria
ポルトガル語では、英語の 'would like' のように、丁寧な依頼には 'queria' を使います。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 丁寧な依頼と過去の願望 (quererの不完了過去形)

アクセントの間違いを見つけて直してね。

Find and fix the mistake:

Ela não pode vir na reunião passada.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela não pôde vir na reunião passada.
「前回の会議（reunião passada）」という過去の話をしているから、過去形の pôde にする必要があるよ。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ポルトガル語の過去形：～できた (Poder 完全過去)

正しいスペルの文章を選んでね。

Choose the grammatically correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ela trouxe os cadernos para a sala.
trazer の過去形は常に 'x' で書くのがルールだよ。 'ss' や 'ç' は間違い！

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ポルトガル語の過去形：持ってきた (trouxe)

ser動詞の正しい形を入れてみましょう。

Quando eu ___ criança, eu gostava de Disney.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: era
子供時代は過去の長い期間の「描写」なので、不完了過去の「era」を使います。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ポルトガル語の過去形：写真と動画の違い (Perfeito/Imperfeito)

この文章に間違いはあるかな？

Find and fix the mistake:

Enquanto eu estudava, minha mãe entrou e falou oi.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Correct as is
完璧です！勉強していた（背景・不完了）ところに、お母さんが入ってきた（割り込み・完了）という正しい構成です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: ポルトガル語の過去形：写真と動画の違い (Perfeito/Imperfeito)

文の中の間違いを見つけてください。

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós tinhamos muito sono ontem à noite.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nós tínhamos muito sono ontem à noite.
nós の形では「i」の上にアクセント記号が必要で、tínhamos と書くのが正しいルールです。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 不完了過去の動詞 'ter'：過去について話す (tinha)

Score: /10

よくある質問 (6)

どちらも「だった」ですが、fui は「パーティーは楽しかった」のように終わった行事に使い、era は「彼は背が高かった」のような描写に使います。
A festa foi boa.
特別な単語は不要です！動詞の語尾を変えるだけで「昔の習慣」になります。
Eu comia muito doce.
基本的にはそうです。過去に続いていた状態や習慣を表します。例えば
Eu tinha um carro antigo.
のように使います。
tinha の方が話し言葉としてカジュアルで一般的だからです。
Tinha muita gente lá.
はとても自然な響きですよ。
これは丁寧にするための戦略です。願望をあえて「過去」に置くことで、相手への押し付けがましさを消すクッションになるんです。
Eu queria te pedir um favor.
'quis' は「その時〜した（そして終わった）」という特定の行動を指します。 'queria' は「ずっと〜したかった」という状態や、丁寧な依頼に使います。
Eu quis sair cedo.
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Nuanced Comparisons and Passive Actions
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The Subjunctive Mood
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