Verb tenses: simple and compound

the verb tenses indicate the moment when the action described by the verb takes place. If the action occurs before speech, the verb is in the past (or past tense); if it happens at the moment of enunciation, it is in the present; and if it takes place at a later time than the speech, it is in the future.

Verb tenses are classified as simple or compounds. are included in verbal modes, which are the different forms of the verb to indicate the ways in which a fact takes place.

There are three verb moods: indicative, subjunctive and imperative.

Verb tenses in the indicative mood

In the indicative mood, verb tenses express an exact fact. It is the way of information.

Examples:

  • I I go today.
  • I loved that woman.
  • we will go to the Flamengo game.

Simple tenses in the indicative mood

Gift

The present indicative expresses an action that takes place at the time of speech.

Examples:

  • Mommy go shopping every week.
  • I drink more than three liters of water a day.
  • Us we need each other.

Observe in the following table the conjugation of the verbs "cantar" (1st conjugation), "vender" (2nd conjugation) and "partir" (3rd conjugation) in the present tense.

sing sell leave
I sing I sell I leave
you sing you sell you leave
he sings he sells he leaves
we sing we sold we left
you sing you sell you leave
they sing they sell they leave

past perfect tense

The perfect tense of the indicative mood expresses an action that took place in the past and has already been completed.

Examples:

  • today i sold good.
  • Apparently, did you like much of the present.
  • left soon at dawn.
sing sell leave
I sang I've sold I left
you sang you sold you left
he sung he sold he left
we sing we sold we left
you sang you sold you left
they sang they sold they left

imperfect tense

The imperfect tense of the indicative mood expresses a continuous past action, that is, which may or may not have been completed.

Examples:

  • She did everything perfectly.
  • we studied day and night for the contest.
  • devoured the steak with gusto.
sing sell leave
I sang I used to sell I left
you sing you sold you left
he sang he sold he left
we sang we sold we left
you can sing you sold you left
they sang they sold they left

pluperfect past tense

The past perfect tense describes an action that occurred before another past action. Currently, it is rarely used in everyday life, being practically restricted to literary language.

Examples:

  • "Who me wish at least once..." (Urban Legion)
  • Learn to from a very early age the hardships of life.
  • we would destroy all the evidence.
sing sell leave
I sang I had sold I left
you will sing you will sell you will leave
he will sing he will sell he left
we would sing we would sell we left
you will sing you will sell you will leave
they sang they sold they left

future of the present

The future tense indicates an action that takes place at a later time than the enunciation.

Examples:

  • When you will decide go away?
  • They will win all opponents that appear.
  • I will create the conditions for everything to go well.
sing sell leave
I will sing i will sell i will leave
you will sing you will sell you will leave
he will sing he will sell he will leave
we will sing we will sell we will leave
you will sing you will sell you will leave
they will sing they will sell they will leave

future tense

The future tense demonstrates an action that could have taken place after another action in the past.

Examples:

  • Until rush, if he wasn't faster.
  • "My love, what are you would make if you only had that day left..." (Paulinho Moska)
  • If it wasn't raining, they would arrive in time.
sing sell leave
I would sing I would sell I would leave
you would sing would you sell you would leave
he would sing he would sell he would leave
we would sing we would sell we would leave
you would sing you would sell you would leave
they would sing they would sell they would leave

Compound tenses of the indicative mood

Compound tenses are verbal phrases, that is, they are composed of two verbs that, together, have the morphological function of a single verb.

Compound tenses are formed by a main verb and an auxiliary verb ("ter" or "haver"). In this junction, the main verb is always inflected in the participle, while the auxiliary presents variations of person, number, mood, tense and voice.

Past perfect tense indicative

The past perfect tense of the indicative indicates an ongoing action in the past that extends into the present. In it, we have the auxiliary verb conjugated in the present tense and the main verb, in the participle.

Examples:

  • I've been drinking too much.
  • My grandmother has been out little from home.
  • They have worked a lot lately.
sing sell leave
I've been singing I have been selling I'm gone
you have been singing have sold have you left
has been singing has sold has left
we have been singing we have sold we have left
we have been singing we have sold we have left
have been singing have sold have left

Past perfect tense compound indicative

The pluperfect past tense of the indicative presents an action that occurred before another past action. It is formed by an auxiliary verb inflected in the imperfect tense of the indicative and the main verb in the participle.

Examples:

  • When we arrived, the show it already had started.
  • Already had sold all the snacks when we arrived at the tent.
  • Already Had thought in it before.
sing sell leave
had sung had sold had left
you had sung you had sold you had left
had sung had sold had left
we had sung we had sold we had left
you had sung had sold you had left
had sung had sold had left

Future tense compound indicative

The future tense compound tense is a future action that ends before another future action. It consists of a main verb in the participle and an auxiliary verb conjugated in the simple present tense of the indicative.

Examples:

  • Already I will be finished lunch at this time.
  • In three days already I will have written the article.
  • Does will be over work on the viaduct?
sing sell leave
I will have sung I will have sold I will be gone
you will have sung you will have sold you will be gone
will have sung will have sold will have left
we will have sung we will have sold we will have left
you will have sung you will have sold you will have left
will have sung will have sold will have left

Future tense compound indicative

The future of the compound preterit of the indicative presents a conditioned action, that is, that could have happened after another past action. It consists of a main verb in the participle and an auxiliary verb inflected in the simple past tense of the indicative.

Examples:

  • we would have stayed more if time were not so short.
  • none of that would have occurred If only they were more prudent.
  • No would have slept so much so if I had set the cell phone to wake up.
sing sell leave
would have sung would have sold would have left
you would have sung you would have sold you would have left
would have sung would have sold would have left
we would have sung we would have sold we would have left
you would have sung you would have sold you would have left
would have sung would have sold would have left

Verb tenses in the subjunctive mood

The subjunctive mood indicates a possible, doubtful, hypothetical fact. It's the subjective way.

Examples:

  • It is likely that do good time.
  • If you said the truth...
  • When I you to take...

simple verb tenses in the subjunctive mood

Gift

The present subjunctive presents actions that can occur both in the present and in the future. These actions usually express a wish, assumption or hypothesis.

Examples:

  • I expect may she fall for real.

  • I cheer for what sales all merchandise.

  • He had taken that we touch again at the festival.

sing sell leave
that I sing that I sell let me go
that you sing that you sell that you leave
let him sing let him sell let him go
that we sing that we sell that we leave
that you sing that you sell that you leave
let them sing that they sell let them go

imperfect tense

The imperfect subjunctive tense indicates conditioned actions, expressing desires and probabilities.

Examples:

  • If I sang then he would be rich.
  • everyone would be happy if they left.
  • if you could Pay what you owe, I would appreciate it.
sing sell leave
if i sang if i sold if i left
if you sang if you sold if you left
if he sang if he sold if he left
if we sang if we sold if we left
if you sang if you sold if you left
if they sang if they sold if they left

Future

The future tense of the subjunctive mood presents actions that can take place at a later time than the enunciation.

Examples:

  • when you grow up, you will find out.
  • if she does, I do too.
  • we will have lunch when we get there at home.
sing sell leave
when/if I sing when/if I sell when/if i leave
when/if you sing when/if you sell when/if you leave
when/if he sings when/if it sells when/if he leaves
when/if we sing when/if we sell when/if we leave
when/if you sing when/if you sell when/if you leave
when/if they sing when/if they sell when/if they leave

Compound tenses in the subjunctive mood

Past perfect compound subjunctive

The perfect compound subjunctive tense indicates a completed action located in the past or future. It is established by joining a main verb in the participle and an auxiliary verb conjugated in the present subjunctive.

Examples:

  • It's impossible who have returned so fast.
  • I'll just leave here later that you have finished to tell me everything.
  • My sincere wish is that we're done good.
sing sell leave
that I have sung that I have sold that I'm gone
that you have sung that you have sold that you left
that he sang that he sold that he left
that we have sung that we have sold that we are gone
that you have sung that you have sold that you left
that they have sung that they have sold that they have gone

Past perfect tense compound subjunctive

The pluperfect compound subjunctive presents an action that occurred before another past action. It is formed by the union of a main verb in the participle and an inflected auxiliary verb in the imperfect subjunctive.

Examples:

  • If I had listened my mother's advice, I would be much better now.
  • It would have been easier to find the house if they had forwarded the correct address.
  • No stone would be left unturned if she had said the whole truth.
sing sell leave
if i had sung if i had sold if i had left
if you had sung if you had sold if you had left
if he had sung if he had sold if he had left
if we had sung if we had sold if we had left
if you had sung if you had sold if you had left
if they had sung if they had sold if they had left

Future compound subjunctive

The compound future subjunctive expresses an action completed before another future action. It consists of a main verb in the participle and an auxiliary verb conjugated in the simple future subjunctive.

Examples:

  • please let me know when they are finished the discussion.
  • When I'm gone, are likely to appear.
  • just stop running when you have folded the corner.
sing sell leave
when I have sung when i have sold when I'm gone
when you have sung when you sold when you're gone
when he has sung when he sold when he's gone
when we have sung when we have sold when we're gone
when you have sung when you sold when you're gone
when they have sung when they have sold when they are gone

Verb tenses in the imperative mood

Verb tenses in the imperative mood enunciate order, prohibition, request, advice, supplication.

Examples:

  • He leavesus in peace!
  • don't let go the book here!
  • He comes, my passion flower.
  • study, study, my children!
  • Please, ingive me one more chance.

The imperative mood is divided into two categories: affirmative imperative and negative imperative.

affirmative imperative

The affirmative imperative indicates an affirmative request from the enunciator to the receiver.

Examples:

  • "In between through that door now..." (Adriana Calcanhoto)
  • "put on a rainbow in your jug..." (Paulo Diniz)
  • "try again..." (Raul Seixas)
sing sell leave
- - -
you sing you sell part you
sing you sell you leave you
we sing let's sell let's go
you sing sell yourselves I left you
sing you sell you leave you

negative imperative

The affirmative imperative indicates a request from the enunciator to the receiver through a negative expression.

Examples:

  • "Do not go, don't leave me in this solitude..." (Timbalada)
  • "He comes, do not have fear, the door is closed..." (Sérgio Sampaio)
  • "Look! Do not say that the song is lost..." (Raul Seixas)
sing sell leave
- - -
you don't sing you don't sell you don't leave
don't sing you don't sell you don't break you
let's not sing let's not sell let's not leave
you do not sing don't sell yourselves you don't leave
don't sing you don't sell you don't leave you

Bibliography:

  • CEGALLA, D. P. Brand new grammar of the Portuguese language. São Paulo, National Publishing Company. 2009.
  • CUNHA, C.; CINTRA, L. New grammar of contemporary Portuguese. Rio de Janeiro, Lexikon, 2013.
  • TELLES, v. T. Practical course in writing and applied grammar. Curitiba, National Book Exchange, 1984.

See too:

  • Verb
  • Part of speech
  • Predicate
Diphthong, Triphthong and Hiatus: Complete Guide to Vowel Encounter

Diphthong, Triphthong and Hiatus: Complete Guide to Vowel Encounter

Diphthong, triphthong and hiatus are vowel encounters, a linguistic phenomenon characterized by t...

read more

What is the difference between story and story?

The word history would be used for history as a science, that is, for narratives of real events. ...

read more

Understand the difference between the textual genre news and reporting

A piece of news is any event considered relevant to the knowledge of the public. The report is th...

read more
instagram viewer