Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'era' to describe people, places, or states of being in the past that were ongoing or habitual.
- Use 'era' for physical descriptions: 'Ela era alta.' (She was tall.)
- Use 'era' for personality traits: 'Ele era muito engraçado.' (He was very funny.)
- Use 'era' for time/dates: 'Era uma vez...' (Once upon a time...)
Overview
ser in the Pretérito Imperfeito (Imperfect Past) tense, specifically its forms like era, is indispensable for painting detailed past descriptions and establishing rich narrative backdrops. This tense contrasts sharply with perfective past tenses, which focus on completed actions. The Imperfect of ser is dedicated to expressing continuous states, habitual characteristics, or descriptions that persisted over an unspecified period in the past.What was it like?or
How were things? during a bygone time.era, you are describing the persistent qualities, identities, or conditions of people, objects, or situations as they *used to be* or *were* over time. This foundational understanding is key to grasping its profound role in Portuguese storytelling and descriptive language.A minha avó era professora (My grandmother was a teacher) implies a continuous profession over a period, not a single event.Ser intrinsically means 'to be' and is used to denote permanent or inherent qualities, identity, nationality, profession, time, or origin. When conjugated in the Imperfect, such as eu era (I was/used to be), it extends these inherent qualities into the past, portraying them as ongoing. Understanding and mastering era allows you to convey the setting, atmosphere, and enduring elements of past experiences, providing essential context for any narrative.Conjugation Table
| Person | Portuguese Form | Phonetic Pronunciation (BP, approx.) | Phonetic Pronunciation (EP, approx.) | English Equivalent | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :--------------- | :-------------- | :----------------------------------- | :----------------------------------- | :--------------------------- | ||
| Eu (I) | era |
EH-rah | EH-rah | I was / I used to be | ||
| Tu (You - informal) | eras |
EH-rahs | EH-rahsh | You (sg.) were / used to be | ||
| Ele/Ela/Você (He/She/You) | era |
EH-rah | EH-rah | He/She/You (sg.) were / used to be | ||
| Nós (We) | éramos |
EH-rah-moos | EH-rah-moosh | We were / used to be | ||
| Eles/Elas/Vocês (They/You all) | eram |
EH-rowng (nasal 'm') | EH-rãw (nasal 'ao' sound) | They/You (pl.) were / used to be |
How This Grammar Works
ser functions as a perspective shifter when discussing the past. It portrays past events or states as ongoing, habitual, or descriptive, without focusing on their precise initiation or conclusion. Consider it the narrative's background, the setting, or the continuous emotional state against which more specific, completed actions (often expressed by the Pretérito Perfeito Simples) unfold.Ele era sempre otimista (He was always optimistic) describes a consistent personality trait over a period, not a one-time occurrence.era is to convey imperfective aspect. This means the action or state is viewed internally, in its progression, rather than as a completed whole. It answers descriptive questions like What kind of person was he?(
Que tipo de pessoa ele era?) or What was the weather like?(
Como era o tempo?).era, you inherently imply that the quality or state was persistent, general, or recurrent during that past time. You're not marking a beginning or an end, just stating what *was*.Quando eu era criança, a vida era mais simples (When I was a child, life was simpler), they are setting a scene and providing essential descriptive details that characterized an entire period of their past. These descriptions are not bounded by a specific timeframe within the narrative itself; they simply *were*.era) and perfective (foi) aspects is foundational to understanding and naturally producing complex Portuguese narratives. It enables a nuanced portrayal of the past, differentiating between the stable background and the dynamic foreground of events.
Formation Pattern
ser is highly irregular in the Pretérito Imperfeito, meaning its forms do not derive from the verb's infinitive stem (ser-) or follow the predictable patterns of regular verbs. Regular -ar verbs use -ava endings (e.g., falar -> falava), and regular -er and -ir verbs use -ia endings (e.g., comer -> comia, partir -> partia). However, ser completely deviates from these patterns, utilizing a unique and distinct root er- across all its conjugations in this tense.
er- combines with specific endings to form the Pretérito Imperfeito. These endings are:
-a for eu and ele/ela/você
-as for tu
-amos for nós
-am for eles/elas/vocês
er- root, the full conjugations are:
er- + -a = era (for eu, ele/ela/você)
er- + -as = eras (for tu)
er- + -amos = éramos (for nós)
er- + -am = eram (for eles/elas/vocês)
éramos is a graphic accent that indicates where the phonetic stress falls, on the first syllable. It is mandatory. Without it, the word would be incorrectly stressed on the second syllable (erámos), which does not exist in Portuguese. This irregular pattern for ser (and often for ir and ter in the Imperfect in some Romance languages) is a remnant of Vulgar Latin's *era* form, which evolved into the imperfect forms for 'to be' across various Romance languages. Recognizing this historical consistency can sometimes aid memorization, as era (and its variants) is widespread.
Quando ele era criança, o mundo era diferente. (When he was a child, the world was different.) Here, era describes a continuous state of being a child and a general characteristic of the world during that time. Similarly, Nós éramos colegas de faculdade. (We were university colleagues.) uses the accented form to denote a past, ongoing relationship.
When To Use It
era and its conjugations effectively adds significant descriptive power to your Portuguese, allowing you to narrate past realities, habits, and ongoing conditions with precision. Here are the primary contexts for its application:- 1Descriptions of People, Places, and Things: Use
erawhen describing inherent, general, or stable characteristics that held true in the past over a period of time. These are often qualities that are not expected to change quickly or frequently.
A cidade *era* pequena, mas *era* muito charmosa.(The city was small, but it was very charming.) — *Describes enduring qualities.*Os meus avós *eram* pessoas muito bondosas.(My grandparents were very kind people.) — *Describes a consistent personality trait.*O livro *era* sobre história romana.(The book was about Roman history.) — *Describes the subject matter, a constant characteristic of the book.*
- 1To Express Age in the Past: Similar to English,
seris used with numbers to state someone's age at a particular point or period in the past.
Quando ela se mudou, *era* muito jovem, apenas vinte anos.(When she moved, she was very young, only twenty years old.)Ele *era* criança quando a guerra começou.(He was a child when the war started.)
- 1To State Time and Dates in the Past: When referring to the time of day or dates in a past context,
serin the Imperfect is the correct choice.
*Eram* nove da noite quando chegámos.(It was nine at night when we arrived.)*Era* um domingo chuvoso.(It was a rainy Sunday.)
- 1Mental States, Feelings, and Opinions (Continuous): For emotions, thoughts, beliefs, or conditions that were ongoing or habitual in the past.
Eu *era* feliz naquele emprego.(I was happy in that job.) — *Describes a continuous state of happiness.*Ela *era* sempre muito cautelosa.(She was always very cautious.) — *Describes a habitual attitude.*Nós *éramos* contra a decisão.(We were against the decision.) — *Describes a continuous opinion.*
- 1Habitual Actions or Conditions: When describing actions or states that occurred repeatedly or habitually in the past. Often accompanied by adverbs of frequency (
sempre,geralmente,todos os dias,frequentemente).
A rotina *era* a mesma todos os dias.(The routine was the same every day.)De manhã, o café *era* sempre servido com pão quente.(In the morning, coffee was always served with warm bread.)
- 1Setting the Scene/Background for a Narrative: The Imperfect of
seris invaluable for describing the context or background against which specific, punctual events take place. It builds the environment of the story.
*Era* uma noite escura e fria. As estrelas *eram* visíveis no céu.(It was a dark and cold night. The stars were visible in the sky.)
- 1Indirect Speech (Reporting Past Statements): When reporting what someone *used to say* or *said* repeatedly in the past.
Ela dizia que *era* difícil, mas possível.(She used to say it was difficult, but possible.)
Common Mistakes
era. Awareness of these will significantly improve your accuracy.Eravs.Foi(Imperfect vs. Pretérito Perfeito Simple): This is arguably the most common error. Remember,eradescribes continuous states, habits, or background information in the past, without a defined end.Foi(fromserin the Pretérito Perfeito Simples) indicates a completed, punctual action or a state that had a clear beginning and end. Think oferaas the scenery andfoias the distinct events in that scenery.- Incorrect:
Ontem, a festa *foi* fantástica.(If describing the general atmosphere of the party throughout, implying it lasted a while). - Correct:
Ontem, a festa *era* fantástica.(The party *was* fantastic, a general description of its ongoing quality). - Correct:
A festa *foi* às oito da noite.(The party *started* at eight, a punctual event). - Correct:
O meu primeiro emprego *era* num banco.(My first job was in a bank - continuous state). - Correct:
O resultado do jogo *foi* 3 a 1.(The result of the game was 3 to 1 - a specific, completed fact).
- Incorrect Accentuation of
éramos: Forgetting the accent mark onéramosis a prevalent mistake. Writingeramosis grammatically incorrect and would change the pronunciation (if it were a real word, it would imply stress on the second syllable). Always include the acute accent over the first 'e'.
- Confusing
serandestarin the Imperfect: While both translate to 'to be', their functions differ.Ser(Imperfect) describes inherent, relatively permanent qualities (Ele *era* alto- He was tall).Estar(Imperfect) describes temporary states, locations, or conditions (Ele *estava* doente- He was sick;Ela *estava* em casa- She was at home). Usingerafor temporary states is a common Anglophone error. - Incorrect:
O tempo *era* bom ontem.(If referring to a temporary weather condition that changed). - Correct:
O tempo *estava* bom ontem.(The weather was good yesterday - a temporary state). - Correct:
O tempo em Portugal *era* quente no verão.(The weather in Portugal *was* hot in summer - a habitual, characteristic state for that season).
- Overuse of
used to betranslation: Whileused to beis a good approximation, it doesn't capture all nuances.Eracan simply meanwaswhen describing a past continuous state without the explicit sense of something that *no longer is*. For example,A casa era grandemeansThe house was big,
not necessarily "The house *used to be* big (but isn't anymore)," although that implication can exist depending on context.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
ser in the Imperfect is deepened by contrasting it with other verbs and tenses that might seem similar but carry distinct meanings.Ser(Imperfect) vs.Estar(Imperfect): This is a cornerstone distinction in Portuguese. Both mean 'to be,' butserindicates permanent, inherent, or defining characteristics, whileestarsignifies temporary states, locations, or conditions. In the Imperfect, this difference persists.Ele *era* um estudante dedicado.(He was a dedicated student.) — *A defining characteristic of his being.*Ele *estava* estudando na biblioteca.(He was studying in the library.) — *A temporary action/state of being somewhere and doing something.*A Maria *era* bonita.(Maria was beautiful.) — *Describes an inherent quality.*A Maria *estava* doente.(Maria was sick.) — *Describes a temporary health condition.*
Ser(Imperfect) vs.Ser(Pretérito Perfeito Simples -foi): As discussed in Common Mistakes, this is critical.Eradescribes the background, ongoing states, or habits in the past.Foi(Pretérito Perfeito Simples) describes a completed action, a punctual event, or a state that had a clear beginning and end in the past. Think oferaas thestory backgroundandfoias thestory event.Quando eu *era* criança, o meu brinquedo favorito *era* um urso.(When I was a child, my favorite toy was a bear.) — *Both are ongoing descriptions.*A minha infância *foi* feliz.(My childhood was happy.) — *Describes childhood as a completed period with an overall characteristic.*A reunião *era* sempre às dez.(The meeting was always at ten.) — *Habitual.*A reunião *foi* cancelada.(The meeting was canceled.) — *Punctual, completed event.*
Ser(Imperfect) vs.Ter(Imperfect -tinha):Termeans 'to have,' but in some contexts, particularly for age or feelings, English uses 'to be' where Portuguese usester. However,serstill maintains its descriptive role for inherent qualities.Eu *tinha* dez anos quando aprendi a nadar.(I was ten years old when I learned to swim.) — *Portuguese usesterfor age.*Eu *era* uma criança curiosa.(I was a curious child.) — *Portuguese usesserfor descriptive qualities.*Nós *tínhamos* medo do escuro.(We were afraid of the dark.) — *Portuguese usesterfor fear.*Nós *éramos* corajosos.(We were courageous.) — *Portuguese usesserfor a descriptive characteristic.*
Real Conversations
To truly grasp era, observe its use in everyday, modern Portuguese contexts. It appears in casual chats, social media, and more formal correspondence, consistently fulfilling its role of providing past background or continuous description.
Casual Text/Social Media (Brazilian Portuguese):
- Lembra da festa de formatura? A música *era* muito boa e a comida *era* ótima! (Remember the graduation party? The music was very good and the food was great!) — *Describing the atmosphere/qualities of an event.*
- Eu *era* viciado em videogame quando *era* adolescente, haha. (I was addicted to video games when I was a teenager, haha.) — *Habitual state/identity in the past.*
- Gente, esse filme *era* tão bom! Recomendo! (Guys, this movie was so good! I recommend it!) — *Describing the quality of a movie they watched/remembered.*
Email/Work Context (European Portuguese):
- O problema *era* a comunicação entre as equipas, mas agora está resolvido. (The problem was the communication between the teams, but now it's resolved.) — *Describing a past ongoing issue.*
- A política da empresa *era* diferente antes da fusão. (The company policy was different before the merger.) — *Describing a continuous past condition.*
Narrative/Storytelling:
- Antigamente, as ruas *eram* de terra e os carros *eram* raros. (In the old days, the streets were dirt and cars were rare.) — *Classic scene-setting.*
- Ele *era* um homem de poucas palavras, mas o seu olhar *era* intenso. (He was a man of few words, but his gaze was intense.) — *Describing someone's character and appearance.*
Notice how era inherently provides context, allowing the listener or reader to understand the ongoing conditions or characteristics of the past without needing an explicit end point. It is the language's way of saying,
This is how things stood at that time.
Progressive Practice
Mastering era requires consistent exposure and deliberate practice. Move beyond simple memorization to conceptual understanding:
- Narrative Building: Choose a past event in your life (e.g., your childhood, a past trip, a former job). Try to describe it using as many era forms as possible. Focus on setting the scene, describing the people, the atmosphere, the routines, and your feelings. *Example:* Minha cidade natal *era* pequena, mas as pessoas *eram* calorosas. A escola *era* ao lado de casa e eu *era* muito feliz lá.
- Contextual Differentiation: Take sentences with ser in the past and identify whether era or foi (or estava) would be more appropriate. Justify your choice by explaining whether the action/state was continuous/descriptive or punctual/completed.
- *Prompt:* A festa ___ divertida. (The party was fun.) *Your answer:* era (describes ongoing atmosphere) vs. foi (describes the overall completed impression).
- Listening Comprehension: Pay close attention to native speakers in podcasts, movies, or conversations. Note when they use era versus other past tenses. What is the speaker describing when era is used? This active listening will train your ear to recognize the nuance.
- Journaling in Portuguese: Write daily entries about your past week, month, or even day, focusing on descriptive language. This forces you to naturally employ era to describe what things were like and what your continuous states of being were. This organic application solidifies the grammar in a meaningful context.
Quick FAQ
- Q: What's the main difference between
eraandfoi?
Era describes ongoing, habitual, or continuous states/descriptions in the past (imperfective aspect). Foi describes a completed, punctual action or state with a definite beginning and end in the past (perfective aspect).
- Q: Can
erameanused to be?
Yes, it often carries the nuance of used to be when describing past habits or continuous states that are no longer true. However, it can also simply mean was in a descriptive context without implying cessation.
- Q: Is
éramosthe only form with an accent?
Yes, in the Pretérito Imperfeito of ser, éramos (the nós form) is the only one with an acute accent over the 'e'. This is for stress placement.
- Q: When should I use
estavainstead oferafor past descriptions?
Use estava (Imperfect of estar) for temporary conditions, locations, or states that are not inherent characteristics. For example, Ele *estava* doente (He was sick - temporary state) vs. Ele *era* médico (He was a doctor - profession).
- Q: Does
erahave an equivalent in all Romance languages?
Yes, similar imperfect forms for 'to be' (e.g., Spanish era, Italian era, French était) exist across Romance languages, reflecting their common Latin origin and serving similar descriptive and continuous functions in the past.
- Q: Can
erabe used with adverbs of frequency?
Absolutely. In fact, it often pairs with adverbs like sempre (always), geralmente (generally), frequentemente (frequently) to reinforce the idea of a habitual or continuous past action/state. Example: Ele *era* sempre pontual.
Imperfect Tense of Ser
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
|
Eu
|
era
|
I was
|
|
Você/Ele/Ela
|
era
|
You/He/She was
|
|
Nós
|
éramos
|
We were
|
|
Vocês/Eles/Elas
|
eram
|
They were
|
Meanings
The imperfect tense of the verb 'ser' (to be) is used to describe past states, characteristics, or ongoing situations that do not have a defined end point.
Physical Description
Describing how someone or something looked in the past.
“O carro era vermelho.”
“Ela era muito bonita.”
Personality/Character
Describing traits that were true over a period of time.
“Ele era um aluno dedicado.”
“Eles eram pessoas gentis.”
Time and Age
Stating the time or age in a narrative context.
“Era meio-dia.”
“Era uma vez um rei.”
Reference Table
| 主语 | 动词形式 | 例子 |
|---|---|---|
|
Eu (我)
|
era
|
Eu era feliz.
|
|
Tu (你 - 葡/巴南)
|
eras
|
Tu eras rápido.
|
|
Você/Ele/Ela (你/他/她)
|
era
|
Ela era médica.
|
|
Nós (我们)
|
éramos
|
Nós éramos jovens.
|
|
Vocês/Eles/Elas (你们/他们/她们)
|
eram
|
Eles eram vizinhos.
|
正式程度
O clima era favorável. (Talking about a past vacation.)
O tempo estava bom. (Talking about a past vacation.)
O tempo era bom. (Talking about a past vacation.)
O tempo tava massa. (Talking about a past vacation.)
按水平分级的例句
Eu era criança.
I was a child.
O dia era lindo.
The day was beautiful.
Ela era alta.
She was tall.
O carro era azul.
The car was blue.
Nós éramos amigos.
We were friends.
Eles eram muito simpáticos.
They were very nice.
A casa não era grande.
The house wasn't big.
Era uma vez um gato.
Once upon a time there was a cat.
O ambiente de trabalho era estressante.
The work environment was stressful.
Antigamente, a vida era mais simples.
In the past, life was simpler.
Vocês eram os melhores alunos.
You all were the best students.
A cidade era muito movimentada.
The city was very busy.
Embora o projeto fosse difícil, a equipe era dedicada.
Although the project was difficult, the team was dedicated.
O clima era tenso durante as reuniões.
The atmosphere was tense during the meetings.
Ele era conhecido por sua generosidade.
He was known for his generosity.
A situação era insustentável.
The situation was unsustainable.
O que era antes uma floresta, agora é um deserto.
What was once a forest is now a desert.
A intenção era boa, mas o resultado foi desastroso.
The intention was good, but the result was disastrous.
Era de se esperar que ele não viesse.
It was to be expected that he wouldn't come.
A política era um tema proibido na família.
Politics was a forbidden topic in the family.
Era como se o tempo tivesse parado.
It was as if time had stopped.
A época era marcada por grandes incertezas.
The era was marked by great uncertainties.
Era inegável que a mudança era necessária.
It was undeniable that the change was necessary.
A casa era, por assim dizer, um museu.
The house was, so to speak, a museum.
容易混淆
Both translate to 'was'.
Both are past tense of 'to be'.
Both are plural.
常见错误
Eu fui alto.
Eu era alto.
Nós era amigos.
Nós éramos amigos.
Ele era feliz ontem.
Ele estava feliz ontem.
Era um dia.
Foi um dia.
Eles era altos.
Eles eram altos.
Eu era no parque.
Eu estava no parque.
Era muito cansado.
Estava muito cansado.
A festa era ontem.
A festa foi ontem.
Eu era de acordo.
Eu estava de acordo.
Eles éramos felizes.
Eles eram felizes.
Era uma decisão que ele tomou.
Foi uma decisão que ele tomou.
A situação era resolvida.
A situação foi resolvida.
Era o que ele disse.
Foi o que ele disse.
句型
Quando eu era ___, eu era ___.
O/A ___ era muito ___.
Antigamente, as pessoas eram mais ___.
Era ___ que ele queria.
Real World Usage
Eu era tão jovem nessa foto!
A festa era top.
O ambiente era desafiador.
O hotel era muito antigo.
A comida era sempre quente.
Era uma vez um dragão.
想想“以前是”
era。例如： Eu era viciado em doces.
注意重音符号！
nós éramos 需要加重音，读的时候重音在第一个 E 上。别漏了它！ Nós éramos vizinhos.
巴西口语习惯
você era。虽然书本上教过 tu eras，但日常聊天用 você 更地道。 Você era legal.Smart Tips
Use 'era' for the background, 'foi' for the action.
Everything in your childhood memory is 'era'.
Use 'era' for personality traits.
Always use 'era' for time in the past.
发音
Era
The 'e' is open (ɛ) in Brazilian Portuguese.
Éramos
The accent on the first 'e' makes it open (ɛ).
Question
Era você? ↗
Rising intonation at the end.
记住它
记忆技巧
ERA: Every Repeated Action (or state).
视觉联想
Imagine a black and white photo of yourself. Everything in that photo is 'era'.
Rhyme
When the past is a state and not a done deed, use 'era' to fulfill your need.
Story
Once upon a time (Era uma vez), there was a king. He was (era) very wise. His castle was (era) huge. Everyone was (era) happy.
Word Web
挑战
Write 5 sentences describing your favorite childhood toy using 'era'.
文化笔记
In informal speech, 'estava' is often shortened to 'tava', but 'era' remains 'era'.
The pronunciation of 'era' is slightly more closed (e) compared to Brazil.
Using 'era' for storytelling is a universal Portuguese trait.
Comes from the Latin 'eram', the imperfect of 'esse'.
对话开场白
Como você era quando criança?
Como era a sua escola?
Como era o seu primeiro emprego?
Como era a vida antes da internet?
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
Score: /3
练习题
8 exercisesEu ___ muito feliz.
Nós ___ amigos.
Find and fix the mistake:
Eles era altos.
Ele era rico.
Nós
Ser (Imperfect)
casa / enorme / era / A
Era is used for completed events.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesEles ___ vizinhos por muitos anos.
She was my teacher.
___ 3 da tarde.
Eu eras muito tímido.
Match the pairs
era / O / difícil / jogo / muito
Antigamente, você ___ mais paciente.
My phone was cheap.
Nos eramos felizes.
It was one o'clock.
Vocês ___ amigos de infância?
Score: /11
常见问题 (8)
No, use 'estava' for locations.
No, it is for things and places too.
To mark the stress on the first syllable.
For single, completed events.
It is neutral and used everywhere.
No, it is strictly past tense.
It is a spelling error but people will understand.
Use rising intonation.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
era
None.
étais
French requires subject pronouns.
war
No distinction between perfect/imperfect in this context.
datta
No conjugation for person.
kuntu
Conjugated for gender and person.
shi
No verb conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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