Present Tense: Regular -IR Verbs

Portuguese verbs are like Lego sets. Every regular verb has two parts. The first part is the "stem." This part carries the meaning. It stays the same most of the time. The second part is the "ending." This part changes based on who is doing the action. For -ir verbs, we follow a very specific rhythm. You identify the verb in its dictionary form. This is called the infinitive. Then, you perform a little surgery. You remove the -ir at the end. What remains is your base. You then attach new endings to this base. These endings tell your listener if "I," "you," or "we" are acting. It is a logical system. It works every single time for regular verbs. No surprises, no hidden traps. Just pure, consistent logic. Think of it as a grammar traffic light. It tells you exactly when to go and how to turn.

1. 1To conjugate a regular -ir verb, follow these three simple steps:
2. 2Start with the infinitive verb, like abrir (to open).
3. 3Remove the -ir ending to find the stem: abr-.
4. 4Add the present tense endings to the stem based on the subject:
5. 5Eu (I): Add -o → Eu abro (I open)
6. 6Tu (You, informal): Add -es → Tu abres (You open)
7. 7Ele/Ela/Você (He/She/You, formal): Add -e → Ele abre (He opens)
8. 8Nós (We): Add -imos → Nós abrimos (We open)
9. 9Eles/Elas/Vocês (They/You all): Add -em → Eles abrem (They open)
10. 10Notice the nós form specifically. It uses an i (-imos). This is the signature of the -ir group. It sounds different from the -er group's -emos. Pay close attention to that little vowel. It makes a big difference in sounding like a pro.

We use the present tense for several real-world situations. First, use it for things happening right now. For example, "I open the window" is Eu abro a janela. Second, use it for habits or routines. If you leave work at 5 PM every day, you say Eu parto às cinco. Third, use it for universal truths or facts. "The sun rises" or "The store opens at nine." Fourth, you can use it for the near future. It is very common in spoken Portuguese. Instead of saying "I will leave tomorrow," you can say Eu parto amanhã. It sounds natural and direct. Imagine you are in a job interview. You might say, Eu admito que sou muito dedicado (I admit that I am very dedicated). Or imagine you are at a restaurant with friends. You might ask, Nós dividimos a pizza? (Do we share the pizza?). It is the workhorse of the Portuguese language.

Do not use this simple present for actions that are strictly in the past. If you opened the door yesterday, this pattern won't work. Also, be careful with actions happening exactly at this moment. While Eu abro can mean "I open," Portuguese speakers often prefer a different structure for "I am opening." They use estar + the verb. So, if you are currently in the middle of opening a difficult jar, you might not use the simple present. Finally, do not use these endings for irregular verbs. Some verbs look like they belong here but they are rebels. Verbs like ir (to go) or vir (to come) have their own rules. They don't like following the crowd. Always check if a verb is regular before applying this formula. If you try to force these endings on a rebel verb, it’s like trying to put a square peg in a round hole.

One of the biggest traps is the nós form. Many learners get lazy. They use the -er ending -emos for -ir verbs. They might say nós abremos instead of nós abrimos. Even native speakers mess this up in some dialects, but for standard Portuguese, keep that i strong! Another mistake is the eles/elas form. Learners sometimes forget the m at the end. They might say eles abre. That sounds like "they he opens," which is quite confusing. Also, watch out for the tu form. In some parts of Brazil, people use você with the ele ending. But if you use tu, you must use the -es ending. Mixing these up won't cause a disaster, but it might make you sound a bit like a confused tourist. Think of it like wearing socks with sandals—people understand you, but it looks a bit off.

Let's compare -ir verbs with -er verbs. They are almost identical twins. Look at comer (to eat) vs abrir (to open).

• Eu como vs Eu abro (Same!)
• Tu comes vs Tu abres (Same!)
• Ele come vs Ele abre (Same!)
• Eles comem vs Eles abrem (Same!)

The only place they disagree is the nós form.

• Nós comemos (with an e)
• Nós abrimos (with an i)

This is the only spot where the -ir verbs show their true colors. If you remember that nós loves the letter i in this group, you are golden. It is much easier than the -ar group, which has totally different vowels. You are basically getting two verb groups for the price of one, with just one tiny exception to remember.