Brazilian Portuguese grammar
Brazilian Portuguese verb conjugation for beginners: where to start?
Start with the three present-tense patterns: -ar, -er and -ir verbs. Learn the eu, você and a gente forms first, because those three cover most everyday conversation in Brazil. Once you can say eu falo, você fala and a gente fala, you have a working verb. The rest of the table can wait.
By Renata · October 23, 2026 · 5 min
The three present-tense patterns
Every regular verb in Brazilian Portuguese belongs to one of three groups, named by the ending of the infinitive: -ar, -er or -ir. Falar (to speak), comer (to eat) and abrir (to open) are the model verbs. The pattern tells you which endings to attach to the stem.
The stem is what is left when you remove -ar, -er or -ir. For falar, the stem is fal-. For comer, it is com-. For abrir, it is abr-. Regular verbs follow the pattern exactly; irregular verbs like ser, estar, ir and ter do not, and they are better learned as whole words at first.
- -ar verbs: falar, morar, trabalhar, estudar
- -er verbs: comer, beber, vender, aprender
- -ir verbs: abrir, partir, assistir, decidir
Why eu, você and a gente come first
In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, you will use eu (I), você (you, singular) and a gente (we) far more than the other forms. A gente is the informal equivalent of nós and takes the same verb ending as ele/ela/você. That means one ending covers você, ele, ela and a gente.
If you learn only these three forms, you can already introduce yourself, ask questions and talk about other people. The tu and vós forms are rare in most of Brazil, and nós is more formal. Start with the three that matter and add the rest when you need them.
| Pronoun | Falar (to speak) | Comer (to eat) |
|---|---|---|
| eu | falo | como |
| você | fala | come |
| a gente | fala | come |
| ele/ela | fala | come |
| nós | falamos | comemos |
| eles/elas | falam | comem |
The regular endings for -ar, -er and -ir verbs
For -ar verbs, the endings are -o, -a, -a, -amos, -am. For -er verbs, they are -o, -e, -e, -emos, -em. For -ir verbs, they are -o, -e, -e, -imos, -em. Notice that the eu form ends in -o for all three groups.
The você, ele, ela and a gente form ends in -a for -ar verbs and -e for -er and -ir verbs. That single ending is why a gente is so useful: it behaves like você and ele/ela. The nós form ends in -amos, -emos or -imos, and the eles/elas form ends in -am, -em or -em.
| Pronoun | Falar (-ar) | Comer (-er) |
|---|---|---|
| eu | falo | como |
| você | fala | come |
| a gente | fala | come |
| nós | falamos | comemos |
| eles/elas | falam | comem |
A shortcut: learn the você form and reuse it
The você form is the most reusable form in Brazilian Portuguese. It is the same as the ele, ela and a gente form for regular verbs. So if you know that você fala means you speak, you also know that ele fala means he speaks and a gente fala means we speak.
This shortcut does not work for every irregular verb, but it works for all regular verbs. It also means you can speak about a group without learning a new ending. When you are starting, aim to master the você form before the others.
- você fala → ele fala, ela fala, a gente fala
- você come → ele come, ela come, a gente come
- você abre → ele abre, ela abre, a gente abre
Common mistakes English speakers make
English speakers often forget that Brazilian Portuguese drops the subject pronoun when it is clear from the context. You can say falo português instead of eu falo português. The verb ending already tells you who is speaking.
Another common mistake is using the tu form with the wrong ending. In most of Brazil, tu is used informally in some regions, but the verb often takes the você ending: tu fala. If you are not sure, use você. It is never wrong in Brazilian Portuguese.
- Do not translate 'I speak' word for word; falo is enough.
- Use você fala, not tu falas, in most of Brazil.
- Remember that a gente takes the same verb form as você.
How to practise without overwhelm
Pick five common regular verbs and write only the eu, você and a gente forms. Say them out loud. Then make one sentence for each: Eu falo inglês. Você fala português. A gente fala português. That is enough for one day.
Do not try to memorise the full conjugation table at once. Add the nós and eles forms only when you need them. Regular exposure and short practice sessions are more effective than long lists.
Common questions
What are the three verb groups in Brazilian Portuguese?
They are -ar, -er and -ir verbs, named after the ending of the infinitive. Falar, comer and abrir are the model verbs. Regular verbs in each group follow a fixed set of endings.
Why should I learn eu, você and a gente first?
Because these three forms cover most everyday conversation in Brazil. A gente uses the same verb ending as você and ele/ela, so you get four meanings from one ending. The other forms can wait.
Is a gente the same as nós?
Yes, a gente means we, but it is more informal and takes a singular verb ending, like você. Nós is more formal and has its own ending. In conversation, a gente is very common.
Do I need to learn the tu form?
Not at the beginning. Tu is used in some regions of Brazil, but often with the você ending. Você is safe and standard across Brazil. Learn tu later if you need it.
How many verb forms do I need to memorise?
For regular verbs, six forms per tense, but you can start with three. Focus on eu, você and a gente first. Add nós and eles/elas when you are comfortable.
Can I use Brazilian Portuguese verb forms in Portugal?
Brazilian and European Portuguese share the same verb groups, but some forms and usage differ. European Portuguese uses tu more and has different endings for some tenses. If you are learning Brazilian Portuguese, use Brazilian forms.
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