Present Tense: Regular -AR Verbs

Portuguese verbs are like Lego sets. Every verb has two parts: a stem and an ending. The stem carries the meaning of the word. The ending tells us who is doing the action and when. In English, we are a bit lazy with this. We say "I speak" and "they speak." Only "he/she speaks" gets a special 's'. Portuguese is much more organized (and a bit more demanding). Every person gets their own unique ending. It might feel like a lot to memorize at first. But trust me, there is a very clear rhythm to it. Once you hear the music of the endings, you will start guessing them correctly. You take the main form of the verb, called the infinitive. For our group, that always ends in -ar. Examples include falar (to speak) or trabalhar (to work). Your job is to swap that -ar for a new ending that matches the person speaking. It is like changing a hat to match your outfit.

1. 1Ready to build some verbs? Let's use the verb falar (to speak) as our model. Follow these simple steps:
2. 2Start with the infinitive: falar.
3. 3Remove the -ar ending. Now you have the stem: fal-.
4. 4Identify who is doing the action (the subject).
5. 5Add the specific ending for that subject to the stem.
6. 6Here are the endings you need to know:
7. 7For Eu (I): Add -o. Result: Eu falo.
8. 8For Você/Ele/Ela (You/He/She): Add -a. Result: Você fala.
9. 9For Nós (We): Add -amos. Result: Nós falamos.
10. 10For Vocês/Eles/Elas (You all/They): Add -am. Result: Eles falam.
11. 11Pro tip: In many parts of Brazil, people use a gente instead of nós for "we." If you use a gente, you use the same ending as ele/ela. So, a gente fala is the same as nós falamos. It’s a great shortcut! Just remember that the stem fal- stays the same for everyone. Only the ending changes. It’s consistent, predictable, and honestly, quite satisfying once you get the hang of it.

You will use this tense constantly in real life. It is not just for things happening right this second. Use it for your daily routine. For example, "I work every day" is Eu trabalho todos os dias. Use it for general facts. "The sun shines" is O sol brilha. It is also perfect for hobbies. "I dance samba" is Eu danço samba.

Imagine you are in a job interview. You want to say "I speak English." You use this tense: Eu falo inglês. Or maybe you are ordering food. "I desire a coffee" is Eu desejo um café. Even if you are asking for directions, you might say "I look for the museum" (Eu procuro o museu). It covers your habits, your skills, and your current state. It is the workhorse of the Portuguese language. If you are unsure which tense to use, the present tense is usually a safe bet for a beginner. It’s the "all-purpose" tool in your grammar toolbox.

Don't use this pattern for things that are finished. If you spoke to your mom yesterday, Eu falo won't work. That needs the past tense. Also, be careful with the future. While we sometimes use the present to talk about the near future (like "I go tomorrow"), it's better to stick to current habits for now.

Another trap is the "ing" form in English. In English, we say "I am speaking." In Portuguese, you can often just say Eu falo. You don't always need the extra "am" part. If you try to translate "I am speaking" literally, you might get confused. Keep it simple! If you are doing it now or you do it often, the regular present tense is your friend. Don't overthink it. Grammar is like a traffic light; sometimes you just need to go when it's green and not worry about the engine mechanics.

The most common trip-up is the Eles (They) ending. It ends in -am. Many learners want to pronounce that like a hard 'm' or 'n'. In reality, it sounds like a nasal 'ow' sound. Think of the word "wow" but through your nose. If you say it like "fa-lam" (like the word 'ham'), people will understand, but it will sound a bit robotic.

Another mistake is forgetting to change the ending at all. Using the infinitive for everything (like saying "I to speak") is a classic beginner move. It’s okay, we’ve all been there! Just remember: No -ar when you’re talking about a person.

Lastly, watch out for nós. The ending -amos is long. Sometimes people get lazy and cut it short. Make sure you give that 'a' its moment to shine: fa-LAA-mos. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they are talking fast, but as a learner, hitting those endings clearly makes you sound much more fluent.

You might see verbs ending in -er or -ir and think they work the same way. They are close cousins, but not twins! For an -ar verb, the dominant vowel is 'A'. For an -er verb like comer (to eat), the 'A' usually turns into an 'E'.

• Eu falo (AR) vs Eu como (ER)
• Você fala (AR) vs Você come (ER)

See the difference? The Eu form almost always ends in -o for all three families. That is a great rule of thumb. But for the other people, the vowel changes to match the family name. If you are talking about an -ar verb, keep that 'A' sound in your mind. It’s the DNA of the group. If you start using 'E' endings for 'AR' verbs, it’s like putting diesel in a gasoline car. It might move a little, but it won’t be a smooth ride.