A1 · Beginner Chapter 15

Mastering Regular Actions

4 Total Rules
41 examples
5 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Unlock the power of daily actions by mastering the three main verb patterns and expressing your tastes.

  • Conjugate regular -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs in the present tense.
  • Express likes and preferences using the essential verb 'Gostar'.
  • Construct complete sentences about work, food, and daily activities.
From silent observer to active participant in daily life.

What You'll Learn

Hey there, language explorer! Get ready to take a huge leap forward in Portuguese because in this chapter, we're making friends with regular verbs. I know it might sound daunting, but trust me, this part is easier than you think! You'll discover the predictable patterns of verbs ending in -AR (like Falar for to speak and Trabalhar for to work), -ER (such as Comer for to eat and Beber for to drink), and -IR (like Abrir for to open). Once you grasp these simple rules – just drop the ending and add the right one for the person speaking – you'll be able to talk about a ton of daily actions. Want to say I work or they drink coffee? You'll master it here! After you've got those regular verbs down, we'll dive into a super useful one: Gostar, meaning to like. This verb is a little quirky, always needing the preposition de (or do/da) before whatever you like. For instance, if you're in a café and want to say I like coffee (Eu gosto de café), that de is crucial. By the end of this chapter, you'll confidently be able to chat about yourself, your friends, and your daily activities. You'll be able to express what you like, what you eat, where you work, and so much more. Ready to kickstart your Portuguese and build real sentences? Let's go!

Learning Objectives

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

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Conjugate any regular -AR verb to describe work and communication.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Differentiate between -ER and -IR endings in the 'Nós' (we) form.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Correcty use the preposition 'de' with 'Gostar' to talk about interests.

Chapter Guide

Overview

Hey there, language explorer! Welcome to a truly foundational chapter in your Portuguese grammar A1 journey. If you've been looking for a way to start building real sentences and expressing yourself, you've found it! This section is all about mastering regular verbs, which are your best friends when you're just starting out. They follow predictable patterns, making them much easier to learn than their irregular cousins. By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to confidently talk about daily actions, what you and others do, and even what you like.
We're going to dive into the three main groups of regular verbs in Portuguese: those ending in -AR (like falar - to speak, and trabalhar - to work), -ER (such as comer - to eat, and beber - to drink), and -IR (like abrir - to open). Understanding these patterns is a huge leap forward for any A1 Portuguese learner, as it unlocks a vast vocabulary of actions. Plus, we'll tackle the super useful verb gostar (to like), which has a special trick up its sleeve that's crucial for expressing preferences. Get ready to expand your ability to communicate in Portuguese dramatically!

How This Grammar Works

Let's break down how to conquer regular verbs in the present tense. The beauty of Portuguese grammar lies in its predictable patterns for regular verbs. For Present Tense: Regular -AR Verbs, you simply drop the -AR ending from the infinitive (the "to do" form) and add a new ending based on who is performing the action. For example, with falar (to speak):
* Eu falo (I speak)
* Tu falas (You speak - informal, singular)
* Ele/Ela/Você fala (He/She/You speak - formal, singular)
* Nós falamos (We speak)
* Eles/Elas/Vocês falam (They/You speak - plural)
So, trabalhar (to work) becomes Eu trabalho (I work) or Nós trabalhamos (We work).
The same logic applies to Portuguese -ER Verbs: The Present Tense. Drop the -ER and add the new endings. For comer (to eat):
* Eu como (I eat)
* Tu comes (You eat)
* Ele/Ela/Você come (He/She/You eat)
* Nós comemos (We eat)
* Eles/Elas/Vocês comem (They/You eat)
Similarly, beber (to drink) becomes Eu bebo (I drink) or Eles bebem (They drink).
Finally, for Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs, you drop the -IR and add specific endings. For abrir (to open):
* Eu abro (I open)
* Tu abres (You open)
* Ele/Ela/Você abre (He/She/You open)
* Nós abrimos (We open)
* Eles/Elas/Vocês abrem (They/You open)
Another example is decidir (to decide): Eu decido (I decide), Nós decidimos (We decide).
Now, for The 'Sticky' Verb: Gostar (to like). This verb is special because it *always* requires the preposition de (of/from) before what you like. This de often combines with articles (o/a/os/as) to form do/da/dos/das.
* Eu gosto de café. (I like coffee.)
* Ele gosta do livro. (He likes the book.)
* Nós gostamos da música. (We like the music.)
* Vocês gostam de viajar. (You like to travel.)
This "de" is non-negotiable, so make sure to always include it!

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Wrong: "Eu trabalhar aqui." (I to work here.)
✓ Correct: "Eu trabalho aqui." (I work here.)
*Explanation:* In Portuguese, you must conjugate the verb to match the subject pronoun. "Trabalhar" is the infinitive ("to work"), but "trabalho" is the correct first-person singular conjugation for "I work."
  1. 1✗ Wrong: "Nós come pizza." (We eat pizza.)
✓ Correct: "Nós comemos pizza." (We eat pizza.)
*Explanation:* The ending for "nós" (we) for -ER verbs is "-emos." Forgetting to use the correct ending for the subject pronoun is a common error.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: "Eu gosto café." (I like coffee.)
✓ Correct: "Eu gosto de café." (I like coffee.)
*Explanation:* The verb "gostar" (to like) *always* requires the preposition "de" (or its contractions like "do," "da") before the noun or verb that is liked.

Real Conversations

A

A

Olá, você fala português? (Hello, do you speak Portuguese?)
B

B

Sim, eu falo um pouco. E você? (Yes, I speak a little. And you?)
A

A

O que você come no café da manhã? (What do you eat for breakfast?)
B

B

Eu como pão e bebo café. (I eat bread and drink coffee.)
A

A

Vocês gostam de trabalhar juntos? (Do you all like to work together?)
B

B

Sim, nós gostamos muito. Nós abrimos a loja cedo. (Yes, we like it a lot. We open the store early.)

Quick FAQ

Q

Why are there so many verb endings in Portuguese, even for A1 Portuguese learners?

Portuguese is a highly inflected language, meaning verbs change their endings to indicate who is performing the action (the subject). This system helps make sentences clearer even when pronouns are omitted.

Q

Is 'gostar' always followed by 'de' in Portuguese grammar?

Yes, in modern Portuguese, the verb gostar (to like) virtually always requires the preposition de (or its contractions like do, da) before the object of liking, whether it's a noun or another verb in the infinitive.

Q

How do I know if a verb is -AR, -ER, or -IR when I'm learning regular verbs Portuguese?

You can usually tell by looking at the infinitive form of the verb. If it ends in -AR, -ER, or -IR, it falls into one of these three regular categories. While many verbs are regular, some common ones are irregular, so always check if unsure.

Cultural Context

These regular verb conjugations are the backbone of daily communication across all Portuguese-speaking countries. Brazilians and Continental Portuguese speakers use them identically, though the pronunciation of certain endings might vary regionally. For example, in Brazil, "você" (you, singular formal/informal) is much more common than "tu" (you, singular informal), so you'll hear "Você fala" more often than "Tu falas." However, the underlying grammar for Portuguese grammar A1 remains consistent, making these patterns universally useful.

Key Examples (8)

1

Eu trabalho em casa hoje.

I am working from home today.

Present Tense: Regular -AR Verbs (falar, trabalhar)
2

Você posta muita foto!

You post a lot of photos!

Present Tense: Regular -AR Verbs (falar, trabalhar)
3

Eu como pizza no jantar.

I eat pizza for dinner.

Portuguese -ER Verbs: The Present Tense (comer, beber)
4

Você aprende português muito rápido!

You learn Portuguese very fast!

Portuguese -ER Verbs: The Present Tense (comer, beber)
5

Eu abro a porta para o entregador.

I open the door for the delivery guy.

Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs (Opening & Deciding)
6

Você decide o filme hoje.

You decide the movie today.

Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs (Opening & Deciding)
7

Eu gosto de café sem açúcar.

I like coffee without sugar.

The 'Sticky' Verb: Gostar (to like)
8

Você gosta do post que eu fiz?

Do you like the post I made?

The 'Sticky' Verb: Gostar (to like)

Tips & Tricks (4)

💡

Drop the Pronoun

You don't need 'Eu' every time. The verb ending tells us who it is!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense: Regular -AR Verbs (falar, trabalhar)
💡

Focus on the stem

Always find the stem first. It makes conjugation much easier.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portuguese -ER Verbs: The Present Tense (comer, beber)
💡

Focus on the 'nós' form

It's the best way to distinguish -ir from -er verbs.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs (Opening & Deciding)
💡

The Backpack Rule

Always imagine 'de' as a backpack that 'gostar' wears. You can't have one without the other!
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The 'Sticky' Verb: Gostar (to like)

Key Vocabulary (8)

Falar to speak / to talk Trabalhar to work Comer to eat Beber to drink Abrir to open Gostar to like Café coffee Música music

Real-World Preview

coffee

In a Brazilian Café

briefcase

Meeting a New Colleague

Review Summary

  • Stem + -o, -as/-a, -amos, -am
  • Stem + -o, -es/-e, -emos, -em
  • Stem + -o, -es/-e, -imos, -em
  • Gostar + de + [Noun/Verb]

Common Mistakes

The verb 'gostar' is 'sticky'—it must always be followed by 'de'. This is a classic mistake for English speakers because 'like' doesn't need a preposition.

Wrong: Eu gosto café.
Correct: Eu gosto de café.

Learners often confuse future or other complex endings with the simple present '-emos'. For the present tense, keep it simple.

Wrong: Nós comeremos a pizza.
Correct: Nós comemos a pizza.

The third-person plural must end in 'm' (nasal sound). Without the 'm', you are saying 'They speaks', which is incorrect.

Wrong: Eles fala português.
Correct: Eles falam português.

Next Steps

You've just unlocked the core of Portuguese communication. Every regular verb you encounter from now on is a tool you already know how to use. Parabéns (Congratulations)!

Write 5 sentences about things you like using 'Gosto de...'

Record yourself saying 'Eu trabalho, nós trabalhamos, eles trabalham' to practice the nasal 'm'.

Continue to: Moving Through Your Day

Quick Practice (10)

Fill in the blank with the correct form.

Eu ___ de café.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: gosto
Eu requires 'gosto'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The 'Sticky' Verb: Gostar (to like)

Choose the correct form.

Nós ___ (beber) água.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: bebemos
Nós takes -emos.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portuguese -ER Verbs: The Present Tense (comer, beber)

Conjugate 'falar' for 'Eu'.

Eu ___ português.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Eu takes the -o ending.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense: Regular -AR Verbs (falar, trabalhar)

Fix the error.

Find and fix the mistake:

Ele partimos.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ele parte
Ele takes -e.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs (Opening & Deciding)

Fill in the blank.

Eles não ___ de esperar.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: gostam
Eles requires 'gostam'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: The 'Sticky' Verb: Gostar (to like)

Fill in the blank.

Eu ___ a porta.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: abro
Eu takes -o.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs (Opening & Deciding)

Fix the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

Nós fala português.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Nós requires -amos.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense: Regular -AR Verbs (falar, trabalhar)

Choose the correct form.

Nós ___ o bolo.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: dividimos
Nós takes -imos.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs (Opening & Deciding)

Fill in the blank.

Eu ___ (comer) pão.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: como
Eu takes -o.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Portuguese -ER Verbs: The Present Tense (comer, beber)

Which is correct for 'Eles'?

Eles ___ muito.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Eles takes the -am ending.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Tense: Regular -AR Verbs (falar, trabalhar)

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

The -ar is just the infinitive marker. To use the verb, we need to show who is doing it.
Almost never. Use 'vocês' instead.
Verbs are categorized by their infinitive ending. -ER is the second group.
No, it is very rare. Use 'vocês' instead.
It's a historical remnant of the Latin conjugation.
Yes, but it's informal.
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