Dormir in Preterite

In Portuguese, verbs are divided into three groups: -ar, -er, and -ir. Dormir belongs to the third group. The Pretérito Perfeito (Preterite) is used for actions that happened at a specific point in the past. It is different from the past tense used for habits. If you say "I used to sleep a lot," that is a different story. If you say "I slept ten hours last night," that is the Preterite.

This tense is clean and precise. It tells your listener exactly when something occurred. You can think of it like a snapshot from a camera. It captures a moment that started and ended. Even native speakers find this tense satisfying because it provides closure to a story.

1. 1Learning to conjugate dormir in the past is actually easier than the present tense! You might know that in the present, you say eu durmo (with a 'u'). Well, forget that 'u' for now. In the Preterite, the stem stays as dorm-.
2. 2Follow these steps to build the verb:
3. 3Start with the infinitive: dormir.
4. 4Remove the -ir ending. Now you have the stem: dorm-.
5. 5Add the specific endings for each person.
6. 6Here is how it looks for everyone:
7. 7Eu (I): dormi (add -i)
8. 8Você/Ele/Ela (You/He/She): dormiu (add -iu)
9. 9Nós (We): dormimos (add -imos)
10. 10Vocês/Eles/Elas (You all/They): dormiram (add -iram)
11. 11Note: The tu form (mostly used in Portugal or Southern Brazil) is dormiste. The vós form is almost never used in modern conversation, so don't lose sleep over it!

You will use this tense whenever you are describing a completed event. It is perfect for real-world scenarios like these:

• Checking into a hotel: Imagine you are in the Algarve. The receptionist asks how your first night was. You say, Eu dormi muito bem, obrigado! (I slept very well, thanks!).
• Talking to a doctor: If you are feeling unwell, a doctor might ask about your rest. You could answer, Eu não dormi nada ontem. (I didn't sleep at all yesterday).
• Job Interviews: Sometimes interviewers ask how you handle stress. You might say, Na noite antes do meu grande projeto, eu dormi apenas quatro horas. (The night before my big project, I only slept four hours).
• Asking Directions/Travel: If you are late for a tour because you overslept, you can explain, Desculpe, eu dormi demais! (Sorry, I slept too much/overslept!).

Think of this tense like a grammar traffic light. The light was green, you drove through (slept), and now the light is red and you are on the other side.

Don't reach for the Preterite if the action isn't a "one-off" event. If you are describing a childhood habit, you need the Imperfect tense.

• Wrong: "When I was a kid, I slept (Preterite) at 8 PM every night."
• Right: "Last night, I slept (Preterite) at 8 PM."

Also, avoid using it for actions that are still happening. If you started sleeping two hours ago and you are talking in your sleep (impressive!), you would use a different structure. The Preterite is strictly for things that are done.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, but usually in different ways than you might!

1. 1The "U" Trap: Because the present tense is eu durmo, many learners try to say eu durmi. Stop right there! In the Preterite, the letter 'o' stays. It is always dormi, dormiu, and so on.
2. 2The Nasal Ending: For the "they" form (eles dormiram), the ending is -am. Some learners confuse this with -ão. Remember: -am is for the past, and -ão is usually for the future. If you say dormirão, you are saying they *will* sleep. That might make for a confusing breakfast conversation!
3. 3Mixing Tenses: Don't start a sentence in the past and end it in the present. Consistency is your best friend.

The biggest rival to the Preterite is the Pretérito Imperfeito.

• Preterite: Eu dormi. (I slept. It happened once. Done.)
• Imperfect: Eu dormia. (I used to sleep. It was a routine.)

If you use the Preterite, you are focusing on the result. If you use the Imperfect, you are focusing on the process or the background. Think of the Preterite as the "action" in a movie and the Imperfect as the "set design."