Choosing Between Preterite And Imperfect Past Tenses In Portuguese Is Simple
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Learning how to talk about the past in Portuguese comes down to two main tenses.
You must choose between the preterite (pretérito perfeito) and the imperfect (pretérito imperfeito).
Mastering this distinction is a common milestone for language learners.
The rules for choosing the correct past tense are actually very predictable and logical.
I’ll show you exactly how to tell them apart so you can speak Portuguese accurately.
Table of Contents:
Understanding the preterite tense
The preterite tense is used for actions that are completely finished.
These events have a clear beginning and a clear, definite end.
You can think of the preterite as a single point on a historical timeline.
If you did something once, or a specific number of times, you’ll always use the preterite.
This tense drives the main action of a story forward.
Here are a few examples of the preterite tense being used for completed actions:
Eu comprei um carro na semana passada.
Nós fomos à praia no sábado.
Ela leu o livro todo ontem.
Understanding the imperfect tense
The imperfect tense is used for ongoing, continuous, or habitual actions in the past.
These are events without a clearly defined beginning or end.
You’ll use this tense to talk about long-standing habits or things you “used to” do.
It’s also the tense you must use to set the scene or describe background information.
Descriptions of weather, age, time, physical appearance, or emotions in the past always take the imperfect.
Here are some examples of the imperfect tense showing habits and background descriptions:
Eu jogava futebol todos os dias.
Chovia muito naquela manhã.
Ela era muito feliz quando criança.
Comparing both tenses in action
Seeing the exact same verb used in both tenses makes the difference obvious.
Let’s look at the Portuguese verb estudar (to study).
If you say eu estudei, you’re using the preterite to state a completed fact.
This translates directly to “I studied” in English.
If you say eu estudava, you’re using the imperfect to describe a continuous state or habit.
This translates to “I was studying” or “I used to study” depending on the exact context.
It’s also very common to use both tenses in the same sentence.
You’ll use the imperfect to establish the background action, and the preterite to interrupt it.
Eu dormia quando o telefone tocou.
Trigger words to help you choose
Certain time phrases and adverbs almost always trigger one tense over the other.
Memorizing these words will act as a helpful cheat sheet during your conversations.
Words that point to a specific, isolated moment require the preterite.
Words that indicate repetition or an unspecified duration require the imperfect.
| Trigger Phrase | English Meaning | Required Tense |
|---|---|---|
| Ontem | Yesterday | Preterite |
| No ano passado | Last year | Preterite |
| De repente | Suddenly | Preterite |
| Uma vez | Once | Preterite |
| Sempre | Always | Imperfect |
| Antigamente | In the past / formerly | Imperfect |
| Todos os dias | Every day | Imperfect |
| Frequentemente | Frequently | Imperfect |
A note on regional variations
The core rules for these past tenses are identical in both Brazilian and European Portuguese.
You don’t have to learn different grammar rules for each dialect when talking about the past.
However, you’ll hear a slight difference in how Brazilians make polite requests.
In spoken Brazilian Portuguese, natives often use the imperfect tense in place of the conditional tense.
For example, a Brazilian might say eu queria (I wanted) when ordering coffee to mean “I would like”.
European Portuguese speakers typically prefer to use the strict conditional tense (eu quereria) or the present tense for requests.
Regardless of where you travel, understanding the basic difference between completed facts and ongoing background actions is all you need to master these two tenses.
