Regular -er Verbs in Preterite

Portuguese verbs are like LEGO sets. They have a base part called a stem. They also have a tail called an ending. For regular -er verbs, the stem stays the same. Only the tail changes to show who did the action. It also shows that the action is finished. This tense is very specific. It does not care about habits. It only cares about results. If you did it once, this is your tense. If you finished it, this is your tense. It is like checking an item off a list. Done. Finished. Over. You just swap the -er for a new ending. It is a quick and clean process. Even native speakers love how predictable these verbs are.

1. 1Ready to build some verbs? Follow these simple steps.
2. 2Start with the infinitive verb like comer (to eat).
3. 3Remove the -er from the end.
4. 4You are left with the stem com-.
5. 5Now, add the specific preterite endings.
6. 6Here are the endings you need to memorize:
7. 7For eu (I), add -i. Result: comi.
8. 8For você/ele/ela (you/he/she), add -eu. Result: comeu.
9. 9For nós (we), add -emos. Result: comemos.
10. 10For vocês/eles/elas (you all/they), add -eram. Result: comeram.
11. 11Wait, did you notice something? The nós form is the same as the present tense! Yes, nós comemos means both "we eat" and "we ate." Do not panic. Context will always tell you the truth. If you say "yesterday," people know it is the past. It is like a grammar two-for-one deal. Who doesn't love a bargain?

Use this tense for completed actions in the past. It is perfect for specific moments. Think of it as a single point on a timeline.

• Use it with specific times: ontem (yesterday) or às cinco horas (at five o'clock).
• Use it for a sequence of events. "I woke up, I bebi (drank) coffee, and I comi (ate) breakfast."
• Use it for actions that happened once. "I vendi (sold) my house last year."
• Use it in job interviews. "I aprendi (learned) many skills at my last job."
• Use it when ordering food. "I escolhi (chose) the fish."

It is the "action" tense. It moves your story forward. Without it, your stories would just be descriptions. With it, things actually happen. It is the engine of your Portuguese conversation.

Do not use this for habits. If you ate pizza every day, use a different tense. The Pretérito Perfeito is not for "used to." It is also not for descriptions of the past. If you want to say the weather was nice, stop. This tense is for what you *did*, not how things *were*. Think of it like a camera flash. It captures one moment, not the whole movie. If the action is still happening, stay away. This tense is only for things that are 100% done. If there is a lingering connection to now, be careful. But usually, if it is over, you are safe here.

Many people mix up -ar and -er endings. For eu, -ar verbs use -ei. But -er verbs use -i. Do not say eu comei. That sounds like a strange new language. Another trap is the você form. People often want to use the present tense ending. Remember, it is comeu, not come. If you say ele come, you mean he eats right now. If you say ele comeu, he is already full. Also, watch the spelling of the eles form. It ends in -eram. Some people write -erão. But -erão is for the future! Do not send your friends to the future by mistake. Keep them in the past with -eram.

Let's compare this to the Pretérito Imperfeito. The Perfeito is a dot. The Imperfeito is a line.

• Perfeito: Eu comi (I ate - one time).
• Imperfeito: Eu comia (I used to eat - many times).

It is the difference between a snapshot and a video. Also, compare it to -ar verbs.

• -ar: Eu falei (I spoke).
• -er: Eu comi (I ate).

Notice the i vs ei difference. It is a small change but very important. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Red means stop and check your endings. Green means you are ready to speak fluently.