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).
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.
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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