Irregular Preterites in Portuguese

Overview

Irregular Preterites (Pretéritos Irregulares) is a elementary (CEFR A2) topic in Portuguese grammar. Common irregular preterites: ser/ir (fui), estar (estive), ter (tive), fazer (fiz), dizer (disse), vir (vim), poder (pude), pôr (pus), saber (soube), trazer (trouxe).

Understanding irregular preterites is essential for building correct Portuguese sentences and communicating effectively. This concept is introduced at the A2 level and forms part of the foundation for more advanced grammar structures.

Whether you are learning Brazilian or European Portuguese, mastering irregular preterites will significantly improve your ability to express yourself naturally and accurately in a variety of contexts.

How It Works

Common irregular preterite forms:

Infinitive	eu	tu	ele	nos	eles
ser/ir	fui	foste	foi	fomos	foram
estar	estive	estiveste	esteve	estivemos	estiveram
ter	tive	tiveste	teve	tivemos	tiveram
fazer	fiz	fizeste	fez	fizemos	fizeram
dizer	disse	disseste	disse	dissemos	disseram
vir	vim	vieste	veio	viemos	vieram
poder	pude	pudeste	pode	pudemos	puderam
saber	soube	soubeste	soube	soubemos	souberam

Note: ser and ir share identical preterite forms. Context clarifies meaning.

Examples in Context

Portuguese	English	Note
Fui ao cinema.	I went to the cinema.
Fez bom tempo.	The weather was good.
Não pude vir.	I couldn't come.
Disseram-me a verdade.	They told me the truth.
Estive em Paris.	I was in Paris.	estar
Tivemos sorte.	We were lucky.	ter
O que disseste?	What did you say?	dizer
Vim de carro.	I came by car.	vir
Soube ontem.	I found out.	saber
Trouxe o livro.	I brought the book.	trazer

Common Mistakes

Applying wrong conjugation endings

• Wrong: Mixing up verb class endings (-AR/-ER/-IR)
• Right: Identify the verb class from the infinitive and apply the correct endings
• Why: Each verb class has distinct personal endings that must be kept separate.

Forgetting preposition requirements

• Wrong: Omitting required prepositions after certain verbs
• Right: Learn verbs together with their required prepositions
• Why: Many Portuguese verbs require specific prepositions that differ from English patterns.

Regularizing irregular forms

• Wrong: Applying regular patterns to an irregular verb
• Right: Check whether a verb is irregular before conjugating
• Why: Common verbs often have irregular forms that must be memorized.

Usage Notes

This concept appears across both Brazilian and European Portuguese, though specific usage patterns may differ between the two variants. At the A2 level, focus on understanding the core patterns before worrying about regional differences.

In everyday conversation, irregular preterites is used frequently in both formal and informal contexts. Pay attention to how native speakers use it in the media you consume, and note any differences between Brazilian and Portuguese sources.

Practice Tips

1. Practice irregular preterites with authentic Portuguese texts, listening for how native speakers use these forms in context.
2. Create flashcards with complete example sentences rather than isolated words to reinforce natural patterns.
3. Write short paragraphs using irregular preterites and compare them with native-written texts to identify areas for improvement.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Preterite (Pretérito Perfeito) -- provides the foundational knowledge needed for irregular preterites