Fazer in Preterite

In Portuguese, we have two main past tenses. The Preterite is for completed actions. Imagine a snapshot or a single point on a timeline. That is the Preterite. When you use fazer in this tense, you mean the action is over. It is "done and dusted." Unlike regular verbs, fazer changes its root. Instead of keeping the "faz-" part, it switches to "fiz-" or "fez-". This might feel like the verb is having a mid-life crisis. However, this change is what signals to the listener that you are talking about the past. It is a very strong signal. If you say eu faço, you are doing it now. If you say eu fiz, you are finished. It is like a grammar traffic light. Green means go (present), and red means stop (completed past).

1. 1Learning the forms of fazer requires a little bit of memory work. It does not follow the standard -er verb rules. Here is how you build it step-by-step:
2. 2Forget the present tense stem faz- for a moment.
3. 3For the first person (eu), use the stem fiz- and add nothing. You get fiz.
4. 4For the third person singular (ele, ela, você), use the stem fez-. Again, add nothing. You get fez.
5. 5For the first person plural (nós), use the stem fiz- and add -emos. You get fizemos.
6. 6For the third person plural (eles, elas, vocês), use the stem fiz- and add -eram. You get fizeram.
7. 7For the informal tu, use the stem fiz- and add -este. You get fizeste.
8. 8Notice how the "i" is dominant in almost every form except for fez. Think of fez as the odd one out in the family. It is the only one that uses the "e" sound. Yes, even native speakers had to learn this as kids, so you are in good company!

Use the Preterite of fazer when the action has a clear end.

• Completed Tasks: Use it for work or chores. Eu fiz o relatório (I did the report).
• Specific Time Frames: If you mention "yesterday" or "last week," use this tense. Ontem ela fez um bolo (Yesterday she made a cake).
• Past Weather: To say "It was hot" or "It was cold" in a specific moment. Fez muito calor no sábado (It was very hot on Saturday).
• Time Elapsed: To say how long ago something happened. Fez dois anos que mudei (It's been two years since I moved).
• Social Situations: Like ordering food or explaining an event. Nós fizemos o pedido há dez minutos (We made the order ten minutes ago).
• Job Interviews: To list your accomplishments. Eu fiz um estágio na Google (I did an internship at Google).

Do not use the Preterite if the action was a habit. If you "used to make" something every Sunday, use the Imperfect tense (fazia).

• Habits: Eu fazia ginástica todos os dias (I used to do gymnastics every day).
• Ongoing Actions: If you were in the middle of doing something when something else happened.
• Descriptions: If you are just describing a background state without a clear end.
• Vague Past: If the time is not specific and the action is still relevant to the present, you might use a different tense. Think of the Preterite as a closed box. If the box is still open, don't use it.

One of the biggest traps is saying eu fazi. It sounds logical because regular verbs end in -i or -ei. But fazi is not a word! It sounds a bit like a brand of pasta that doesn't exist. Always remember: eu fiz.

Another mistake is confusing fez and faz.

• Faz = He/She does (Now).
• fez = He/She did (Then).

It is just one letter, but it changes the whole timeline.

People also forget the "z" sound in the plural. It is fizeram, not fizerom.

Lastly, don't try to use ter when you mean fazer for weather. In English, we say "It was cold." In Portuguese, we say "It *made* cold." Using foi frio instead of fez frio is a classic giveaway that you are translating from English in your head.

Let's look at the Preterite vs. the Imperfect.

• Preterite (fiz): A single event. "I made a mistake once."
• Imperfect (fazia): A repeated event. "I used to make mistakes often."

Think of the Preterite as a "dot" on a map. Think of the Imperfect as a "line" or a "wave."

Also, compare fazer with haver. Both can talk about time.

• Fez dez anos (It's been ten years - more common in spoken Portuguese).
• Há dez anos (Ten years ago - more formal).

In casual conversation, fazer is your best friend for time expressions. It feels warmer and more natural.