Irregular verbs: what they are, conjugation, examples

Irregular verbs are those that, when combined, have an alteration in their radical and/or have a different ending that of the paradigm verb, that is, ending in -ar (first conjugation), -er (second conjugation) or -ir (third conjugation). Regular verbs, on the other hand, are those that do not undergo modification in their stem and maintain the same ending as the paradigm verb in their conjugation.

Read more: anomalous verbss - undergo changes in endings and in the radical when they are conjugated

What are irregular verbs?

To understand what irregular verbs are, it is necessary to know what a stem is and what an ending is. So, the radical it is the main part of the verb, responsible for its meaning. For example: est- is the stem of the verb to be. already the ending is the final part of the verb and indicates number (singular or plural), person (first, second or third), mood (indicative, subjunctive or imperative) and tense (past, present or future).

Irregular verbs undergo changes in the stem and/or endings.
Irregular verbs undergo changes in the stem and/or endings.

You irregular verbs, therefore, they are those that present a change in their radical at the time they are conjugated and/or have different ending of the one presented by the verb paradigm, that is, ending in -ar (paradigm of the first conjugation), -er (paradigm of the second conjugation) or -ir (paradigm of the third conjugation), as we can see in the following examples:

Me I have been

You were you

he, she been

We we were

You were you

They were

In this conjugation of the verb to be, in the tense perfect tense, despite the radical is- remain intact, the ending is different from the one presented by the paradigm verb of the first conjugation, such as the verb to love: amHey, ohaste, ohor, ohloves, ohastes, ohplow. Thus, if being was regular, its conjugation, in the tense perfect tense, it would be: I was, you were, I am, we are, you were, you were.

The verb can, in the tense perfect tense, is thus conjugated:

Me I could

You could you

he, she he can

We we could

You could you

They could

This is also a irregular verb, since your radical (pod-) is modified: pudand, pudThis one, podand, pudemos, pudthese, pudthey were. In addition, in the first and third person singular, it presents ending different from that of the paradigm verb of the second conjugation, like the verb run: corri, run, runme, we ran, ran, ran.

The irregularity can also be verified in the conjugation of the verb ir, in the tense perfect tense:

Me went

You you went

he, she was

We we were

You you were

They were

In that case, the radical i- is completely changed, although some endings are the same as the paradigm verb of the third conjugation, such as the verb to smile: smilei, smileyou are, smiled, smilemos, smileyou are, smileram.

Conjugation of irregular verbs

Next, others examples of irregular verbs:

INDICATIVE

Gift

PATENTING

FIT

aggress

Me patentyo

You patentyou were

he, she patentwas going

We we patent

You patent

They patentwere going

Me hereIbo

You heads

he, she fits

We we fit

You hairs

They fit

Me agrgone

You agryou go

he, she agrgo

We we attack

You attack

They agridem

SUBJUNCTIVE

Gift

[what] Me patentie

[what] You patentyes

[what] he, she patentie

[what] We let us patent

[what] You patentable

[what] They patentiem

[what] Me herehaha

[what] You hereibas

[what] he, she herehaha

[what] We herelet's go

[what] You hereibais

[what] They herebam

[what] Me agrgoing

[what] You agrgoings

[what] he, she agrgoing

[what] We agrlet's go

[what] You agridals

[what] They agrgo

IMPERATIVE

Affirmative

Patentwas goingyou

Patentieyou

we patent we

Patentai you

Patentiem you

Fits you

Herehahayou

Herelet's gowe

fit you

Herebamyou

Agrgoyou

Agrgoingyou

Agrlet's gowe

I attacked you

Agrgo you

Read more: Abundant verbs - have more than one form for some conjugations

Difference between irregular and regular verbs

Unlike the irregular ones, the regular verbsdo not show change in its radical at the moment they are conjugated. Furthermore, keep the same ending of the verb paradigm:

Me study

You study

he, she study

We we study

You study

They study

In that example, the verb, conjugated in the present tense, no undergoes modification in its radical (est-) and presents the same ending of the paradigm verb, as it is possible to confirm in the conjugation of another regular verb of the first conjugation:

Me I love

You loves

he, she love

We we love

You more

They love

The same happens with the verbs of the second conjugation, like running and suffering, together in the present tense:

Me I run

You run

he, she run

We we run

You straps

They run

Me I suffer

You you suffer

he, she suffer

We we suffer

You you suffer

They suffer

The regularity can also be verified in the verbs, of the third conjugation, comply and leave, together in the present tense:

Me comply

You do you comply

he, she comply

We we fulfill

You comply

They comply

Me childbirth

You parts

he, she part

We we leave

You you break

They depart

See too: Defective verbs - do not show all conjugations

solved exercises

Question 1 - Analyze the following statements and mark the alternative where ALL verbs are irregular.

a) I loved the way you looked and I also loved the way you spoke.

b) It is clear that we wanted everything to which we were legally entitled.

c) We make it clear that we will obey any and all determinations.

d) Yesterday, the poor girl was seriously injured in the car accident.

e) she asked the woman to bless and thus heal her sick child.

Resolution

Alternative B. The verbs is, we wanted and we had are irregular.

Question 2 - Read below an excerpt from the poem “Tabacaria”, by the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa:

I'm nothing.
I will never be anything.
I can't want to be anything.
Apart from that, I have all the dreams in the world in me.

windows in my room,
From my quarter of one of the millions in the world that no one knows who it is
(And if they knew who it is, what would they know?),

[...]


In the following alternatives, all highlighted verses have at least one irregular verb, EXCEPT:

a) "I am nothing."

b) "I will never be anything."

c) "I can't want to be anything."

d) "Apart from that, I have in me all the dreams in the world."

e) "(And if they knew who it is, what would they know?),"

Resolution

Alternative B. The verb will be is not irregular.


by Warley Souza
grammar teacher

Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/verbos-irregulares.htm

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