Lição 6

Grammar – Gramática

The imperfect tense – O pretérito imperfeito

Regular verbs following the following conjugation patterns:

Irregular Verbs in the Imperfect – Verbos irregulares no imperfeito

The imperfect tense is irregular in only 4 verbs. The following are the irregular imperfect forms of verbs studied thus far.

6.1 Practice – Prática

6.1 A.

6.1 B.

Use of the imperfect tense – O uso do imperfeito

In general terms the imperfect is a tense used to describe what was going on in the past. In more specific terms:

The imperfect is used to express the idea that the action or state of being in the past was habitual or that it continued over a period of time. In such instances the translation may be “used to,” “would,” or the simple past tense of the verb.

The imperfect is used to describe actions that were going on in the past and not completed at any definite time.

The imperfect is used to describe an action which was going on in the past when another event occurred.

It is often difficult to decide whether to use the imperfect or the preterite tense in your translation into Portuguese when the English sentence uses the simple past tense.

If the action is definitely completed, use the preterite.

If a verb is describing a past situation, use the imperfect.

A number of verbs and expressions are generally used in the imperfect tense because it is difficult to tell exactly when the action began and ended. Among these are poder, saber, querer, sentir, ter/estar com vontade de, etc.

Note the following examples and translations:

Always use the imperfect when telling time or age in a past context.

6.2 Practice – Prática

6.2 A.  Answer these questions:

6.2 B. 

6.2 C.

Formation of the present participle/gerund – A formação do particípio presente/gerúndio

(The present participle in English is the -ing form of the verb). To form the present participle in Portuguese, drop the final –r of the infinitive and add –ndo. There are no exceptions.

6.3 Practice – Prática

6.3 A.

The progressive tenses – Os progressivos

These tenses are used to describe more emphatically and vividly an action that is or was in progress at a given moment. They are formed by using the correct tense of the auxiliary verb estar followed by the present participle/gerund of the main verb.

The present progressive – O presente do progressivo

The past progressive – O passado do progressivo

6.4 Practice – Prática

6.4 A. 

6.4 B.

An Alternate Construction for the Progressive Tenses – Uma construção alternativa para os tempos progressivos

An alternate construction that substitutes for the present participle is formed by using the preposition a + infinitive. This form is used almost exclusively in continental Portuguese in the progressive tenses.

Expressing weather – Para expressar o tempo

To express certain weather phenomena in Portuguese the verbs fazer and estar are used. Fazer is followed by a noun and estar by an adjective.