Portuguese conjugation explanation
Short and long participles

<p>In Portuguese grammar, the <strong>past participle</strong> is used to form compound tenses and the passive voice. While most verbs have a single, predictable past participle ending in <strong style="font-style: italic;">-ado</strong> (for -ar verbs) or <strong style="font-style: italic;">-ido</strong> (for -er/-ir verbs), there is a group of verbs known as <strong style="font-style: italic;">verbos abundantes</strong> (abundant verbs) that have two forms:</p>

<ul>

<li>A <strong>regular</strong> (long) form: ends in <span style="font-style: italic;">-ado/-ido</span>.</li>

<li>An <strong>irregular</strong> (short) form: has no fixed ending (often <span style="font-style: italic;">-o, -to, -so</span>).</li>

</ul>

<p>Choosing the correct form depends on the <strong>auxiliary verb</strong> used in the sentence.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">1. Active Voice: Ter and Haver</div>

<p>When constructing compound tenses using the auxiliary verbs

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/haver/" title="Click to see conjugations for haver" target="_blank">haver</a>

, use the <strong>regular (long)</strong> participle.</p>

<p>In these constructions, the participle <strong>does not change</strong>; it never agrees with the subject in gender or number.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ela tinha <strong class="green_emphasis">aceitado</strong> o convite. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She had accepted the invitation.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nós já tínhamos <strong class="green_emphasis">limpado</strong> a casa. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We had already cleaned the house.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">O policial havia <strong class="green_emphasis">prendido</strong> o ladrão. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The police officer had arrested the thief.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">2. Passive Voice and States: Ser and Estar</div>

<p>When using the auxiliary verbs

(passive voice) or

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/estar/" title="Click to see conjugations for estar" target="_blank">estar</a>

(resultant state), use the <strong>irregular (short)</strong> participle.</p>

<p>In this context, the participle functions like an adjective and <strong>must agree</strong> in gender and number with the subject.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">O convite foi <strong class="green_emphasis">aceito</strong> por ela. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The invitation was accepted by her.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">A casa está <strong class="green_emphasis">limpa</strong>. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The house is clean.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">Note: <span style="font-style: italic;">Limpa</span> is feminine to agree with <span style="font-style: italic;">a casa</span>.</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">O ladrão foi <strong class="green_emphasis">preso</strong> pelo policial. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The thief was arrested by the police officer.</span>)</div>

<div><strong>Infinitive</strong></div>

<div><strong>Regular</strong> (with ter/haver)</div>

<div><strong>Irregular</strong> (with ser/estar)</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/aceitar/" title="Click to see conjugations for aceitar" target="_blank">Aceitar</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to accept</span>)</div>

<div>aceitado</div>

<div>aceito</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/acender/" title="Click to see conjugations for acender" target="_blank">Acender</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to light</span>)</div>

<div>acendido</div>

<div>aceso</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/eleger/" title="Click to see conjugations for eleger" target="_blank">Eleger</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to elect</span>)</div>

<div>elegido</div>

<div>eleito</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/entregar/" title="Click to see conjugations for entregar" target="_blank">Entregar</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to deliver</span>)</div>

<div>entregado</div>

<div>entregue</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/expulsar/" title="Click to see conjugations for expulsar" target="_blank">Expulsar</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to expel</span>)</div>

<div>expulsado</div>

<div>expulso</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/imprimir/" title="Click to see conjugations for imprimir" target="_blank">Imprimir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to print</span>)</div>

<div>imprimido</div>

<div>impresso</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/limpar/" title="Click to see conjugations for limpar" target="_blank">Limpar</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to clean</span>)</div>

<div>limpado</div>

<div>limpo</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/matar/" title="Click to see conjugations for matar" target="_blank">Matar</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to kill</span>)</div>

<div>matado</div>

<div>morto</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/prender/" title="Click to see conjugations for prender" target="_blank">Prender</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to arrest</span>)</div>

<div>prendido</div>

<div>preso</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/salvar/" title="Click to see conjugations for salvar" target="_blank">Salvar</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to save</span>)</div>

<div>salvado</div>

<div>salvo</div>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/soltar/" title="Click to see conjugations for soltar" target="_blank">Soltar</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to release</span>)</div>

<div>soltado</div>

<div>solto</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Modern Exception: Ganhar, Gastar, and Pagar</div>

<p>Three common verbs have evolved in modern Portuguese usage:

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/ganhar/" title="Click to see conjugations for ganhar" target="_blank">ganhar</a>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/gastar/" title="Click to see conjugations for gastar" target="_blank">gastar</a>

, and

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/pagar/" title="Click to see conjugations for pagar" target="_blank">pagar</a>

. For these verbs, the <strong>short participle</strong> has largely replaced the long form, even when used with <strong style="font-style: italic;">ter</strong> and <strong style="font-style: italic;">haver</strong>.</p>

<p>Grammatically, forms like <span style="font-style: italic;">pagado</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">gastado</span> exist, but the short forms are overwhelmingly preferred in both speech and writing, particularly in Brazil.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eu já tinha <strong class="green_emphasis">pago</strong> a conta. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I had already paid the bill.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_secondary_example_sentence">Rarely used: tinha pagado</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eles tinham <strong class="green_emphasis">gasto</strong> todo o dinheiro. (<span style="font-style: italic;">They had spent all the money.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_secondary_example_sentence">Rarely used: tinham gastado</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nós tínhamos <strong class="green_emphasis">ganho</strong> o jogo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We had won the game.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_secondary_example_sentence">Acceptable: tínhamos ganhado</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Important Exceptions to Memorize</div>

<p>It is easy to overgeneralize this rule. Be careful with the following groups of verbs.</p>

<p><strong>1. Verbs that are ALWAYS Regular (Long)</strong></p>

<p>Despite common colloquial errors, these verbs officially only have regular forms ending in <span style="font-style: italic;">-ado/-ido</span>. Forms like <span style="font-style: italic;">chego</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">trago</span> are incorrect as participles.</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/chegar/" title="Click to see conjugations for chegar" target="_blank">Chegar</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to arrive</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eu tinha <span class="green_emphasis">chegado</span> tarde. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I had arrived late.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/trazer/" title="Click to see conjugations for trazer" target="_blank">Trazer</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic;">to bring</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ela tinha <span class="green_emphasis">trazido</span> o bolo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She had brought the cake.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<p><strong>2. Verbs that are ALWAYS Irregular</strong></p>

<p>Some distinctively irregular verbs do not have a regular form. You must use the irregular participle with <strong>all</strong> auxiliaries (<span style="font-style: italic;">ter, haver, ser, estar</span>).</p>

<ul>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/abrir/" title="Click to see conjugations for abrir" target="_blank">Abrir</a>

→ <strong>aberto</strong></li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/cobrir/" title="Click to see conjugations for cobrir" target="_blank">Cobrir</a>

→ <strong>coberto</strong></li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/dizer/" title="Click to see conjugations for dizer" target="_blank">Dizer</a>

→ <strong>dito</strong></li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/escrever/" title="Click to see conjugations for escrever" target="_blank">Escrever</a>

→ <strong>escrito</strong></li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/fazer/" title="Click to see conjugations for fazer" target="_blank">Fazer</a>

→ <strong>feito</strong></li>

<li>

→ <strong>posto</strong></li>

<li>

→ <strong>visto</strong></li>

<li>

→ <strong>vindo</strong></li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ela tinha <strong class="green_emphasis">dito</strong> a verdade. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She had told the truth.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">A verdade foi <strong class="green_emphasis">dita</strong> por ela. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The truth was told by her.</span>)</div>

Portuguese conjugation explanation Short and long participles

Portuguese conjugation explanation
Short and long participles