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Two different kinds of tenses are used to express or indicate actions that happened in the past. In the lesson about Simple Past - Passado Perfeito, you can see that it is used to refer to actions that were completed in a recent past. Basically, the Simple Past refers to completed actions that have a definite beginning and a definite end.

The Imperfect tense - Passado Imperfeito - is used to refer to past actions that are not seen as completed, actions that were in progress without a definite beginning or end, or actions that were in progress when another event occurred. A good translation for this kind of sentences is the progressive form (I was, she was, he was, it was, we were, they were....doing something) . Observe that you can use a compound tense, using the verb "to be" (estar) conjugated in the Imperfect tense along with the main verb in the gerund form or a simple tense. Compare the examples below:

(Verbs in the gerund forms are those that have the terminations ando, endo or indo added to their roots)
Example:

(compound tense) Eu estava cozinhando quando meu irmão me chamou. I was cooking when my brother called.

(simple tense) Eu cozinhava quando meu irmão me chamou. I was cooking when my brother called.

The imperfect indicates a habit that a person used to do. A habit is a group of actions that were repeated many times, habitually.
Example:

Meu pai fumava muito. My father used to smoke a lot.

Finally, the Imperfect is also used to describe people, places, things, conditions of the past.
Examples:

A cidade tinha muitos museus. The city had many museums.

Eu tinha 15 anos quando fui a Europa. I was 15 when I went to Europe.

When conjugating regular verbs in the Imperfect tense, you just have to preserve the root of the verb and substitute the terminations "ar", "er" or "ir" for the following bold terminations:
Examples:

Eu comia em casa quando Gus chegou - I was eating at home when Gus arrived.

Ele comia em casa quando Gus chegou - He was eating at home when Gus arrived.

Você comia em casa quando Gus chegou - You were eating at home when Gus arrived.

A gente comia em casa quando Gus chegou - We were eating at home when Gus arrived.

(nós) Comíamos em casa quando Gus chegou - We were eating at home when Gus arrived.

Eles comiam em casa quando Gus chegou - They were eating at home when Gus arrived.

Vocês comiam em casa quando Gus chegou - You were eating at home when Gus arrived.

Some Important Irregular Verbs Examples:

Eu era uma criança quando (eu) visitei o Brasil.- I was a kid when I visited Brazil.

Ele era uma criança quando (eu) visitei o Brasil.- He was a kid when I visited Brazil.

Você era uma criança quando (eu) visitei o Brasil.- You were a kid when I visited Brazil.

A gente era criança quando (eu) visitei o Brasil.- We were kids when I visited Brazil.

(Nós) éramos crianças quando (eu) visitei o Brasil.- We were kids when I visited Brazil.

Eles eram crianças quando (eu) visitei o Brasil.- They were kids when I visited Brazil.

Vocês eram crianças quando (eu) visitei o Brasil.- You were kids when I visited Brazil.

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Imperfect - Pretérito Imperfeito Verb - Imperfect Two different kinds of tenses are used to express or indicate actions that happened in the past. In the lesson about Simple Past - Passado Perfeito, you can see that it is used to refer to...

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These little words cause a lot of trouble to language learners. Em, No, Na are prepositions. In this lesson you will understand what they mean and when to use each one.

Em = in, on, at

For example:

1. Eu estou em casa. = I'm at home.

2. Em que estado você mora? = In what state do you live?

3. Os preços subiram em média 6% em 2016. = Prices increased on average 6% in 2016.

Unfortunately things are not always that simple, as I'm sure you know. There are two things that add a little complexity to this picture:

1. In Portuguese, prepositions agree in gender and number with the word that they refer to.

2. In Portuguese, we contract the preposition Em with definite articles.

Before you panic, let me show you examples to make this clear:
Example 1:
The book is on the table.

In this sentence, you have:

1. The preposition On, which in Portuguese is: Em

2. The definite article The, which is Portuguese is: A (because table is a feminine noun)

As I said before, in Portuguese you need to contract the preposition Em with the article A. So you have:

Therefore, we have:

It seems like a lot to think about, but this is all going to be in autopilot in your brain soon enough.

Na = em + a = at the, in the, on the, used for feminine words

Here are examples, including one with the plural version Nas:

1. Maria está na praia. = Maria is at the beach.

2. O gato está na cama. = The cat in on the bed.

3. O leite está na geladeira. = The milk is in the fridge.

4. Ela está sempre com a cabeça nas nuvens. = She is always with her head in the clouds.

No = em + o = at the, in the, on the, used for masculine words

Here are examples, including one with the plural version Nos:

1. Tinha muita gente no show. = There were a lot of people at the concert.

2. Meu casaco está no guarda-roupa. = My coat is in the wardrobe.

3. Eu moro no terceiro andar. = I live on the third floor.

4. Não sei o que fazer nos últimos dias das minhas férias. = I don't know what to do on the last days of my vacation.

I often hear Portuguese speakers using No with the months of the year. This is incorrect. We use Em instead. Here are examples:

1. Meu aniversário é em setembro. = My birthday is in September.

2. Vou fazer uma viagem em março. = I'm going on a trip in March.

Check out my video lesson on the months of the year.

Also visit this lesson on articles and prepositions to use with the months of the year.

This one is a little tricky since countries in Portuguese have a gender. I have a whole lesson on this topic. Visit the lesson here.

Well, not really. There are different situations that may raise questions.

For example, sometimes you wouldn't use the definite article in English, but we use it in Portuguese. In these cases, you may tend to go with Em when the correct option would be No or Na. For example:

As pessoas dão presentes no Natal. = People give gifts at Christmas.

There are also cases in which we use the prepositions Em, Na, No meaning different things in English other than in, on, at.

Today I wanted to help you understand the basic reasoning behind the use of em, no, na in Portuguese because having a solid foundation will make it easier to add complexity as you advance your Portuguese. I hope today's lesson will help you speak Portuguese with more confidence.

You know that practice makes it perfect, right? Advance your Portuguese with a Street Smart Brazil instructor!

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Understand How to Use Em, No, Na in Portuguese | Street Smart Brazil

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These little words cause a lot of trouble to language learners. Em, No, Na are prepositions. In this lesson you will understand what they mean and when to use each one. Em = in, on, at For example: Eu estou em casa. = I'm at home. Em que estado você mora?

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Uso do Porque | Por que | Porquê | Por quê - Como fazer - Aula de Português Grátis para Enem

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Clothing in Portuguese - Portuguese Vocabulary

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Here you can learn all the vocabulary that you will need when you talk about clothing in Portuguese language; learn it studying our table and watching our video.

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Everything about this recipe sounds delicious!

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Post by VIX.Yum.

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Post no Blog: http://camilacoelho.com/?p=34995 Vaidosas lindas, O video de hoje é com tutorial de uma maquiagem baphooo inspirada no verão! Usei vários tons terrosos e cores mais quentes que lembra muito por do sol! Fiz um esfumado poderoso perfeito para festas! Espero muito que gostem!

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Para aprender o português brasileiro (sugestão da Andreana):

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Para aprender o português brasileiro (sugestão da Andreana):

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Learn Portuguese (Brazilian) with Mango Languages.

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Learn  numbers from 100 to 1000 - Lesson 2 - Portuguese Today

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LIÇÃO 2-CAP. 4: NUMEROS DE 100 A 1000 Learn Brazilian Portuguese for beginners Cardinal numbers in Brazilian Portuguese These videos are clear, self explanatory, and intentionally paced to give the time needed for you to understand new words, repeat them, and memorize them.

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The traditional Brazilian family was comprised of a husband, wife and children, and traditional values supported this family structure. However, the makeup of the family has changed somewhat in recent times. Single parent households are on the increase and it is quite common to find families with two working spouses. Even with these changes, family values run deep.

Traditional Brazilian Family Values

Traditionally, family is the foundation of social structure in Brazil. In the past, Brazilian families tended to be large and when a couple married, the individuality of that couple as a new household was recognized and respected. However newly-married couples were also expected to maintain close family ties with their parents, aunts, uncles and other extended family members. These relationships traditionally included godparents and godchildren, too. Family gatherings were, in good times, opportunities for socializing, but these relationships also provided a network to turn to in times of trouble or need. These close-knit family ties are still encouraged in Brazil, but how much interaction occurs between family members today is influenced by social and economic factors, just as it is in America and many other parts of the world.

Close family ties also carry over into the business world as well. Nepotism is actually encouraged and looked at as a way to hire employees you know and trust. However, it is such "positions of trust" that also open the door for corruption in the Brazilian government.

Changing Times

Over the last 30 years, family values in Brazil have undergone significant tests along with changes in the structure of the family. Originally, Brazil's social structure was primarily patriarchal in nature. Women were relegated to domestic duties and often lacked formal education. However, women were also the glue that helped hold the family together.

Today many Brazilian households have two working spouses, and the number of single-parent households has increased. Family is still valued highly, but divorce and marital separation are much more common. Many women are now the head of their household and the dynamics of the family often include children from more than one marriage or other union. While such changes in the social makeup of family are accepted, the importance of family has remained unchanged.

Some of these changes are attributed to a changing political climate. In an effort to build a sense of citizenship and democracy, political changes influenced women to desire more freedom and to enjoy a new level of independence. A problem women face that directly relates to the foundational family values instilled in them their whole lives is that of balancing work and home responsibilities. While women enjoy working and bringing home a paycheck, many of them are overwhelmed and stressed because they still feel responsible for household duties, caring for the children and other traditional mother-role tasks on the home front. It is not unusual to hire a nanny or housekeeper to help alleviate this stress.

Today's Family Values

With the societal changes that have touched Brazilian culture, the family structure has somewhat changed, but the values that encourage close family ties remain. Even today it is not unusual to have three generations living in the same house. Other important family values in Brazil that have withstood cultural changes include:

When children marry, they often live near the parents.

Children are considered part of the family and are included in most adult activities.

Children are expected to contribute as part of the family unit.

Grandparents and the elderly are seldom put in a nursing home; instead they most often live with their children.

Family relationships still play a key role in social and business interactions.

The Value of Family

While modern family makeup may differ from the traditional Brazilian family structure, in some instances, Brazilian family values have survived the changes. Family is valued in Brazil and close-knit relationships still provide a network of support. The main challenge to this closeness today deals with children who graduate from college and live elsewhere and family members who relocate for work and no longer live near their extended families.

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The traditional Brazilian family was comprised of a husband, wife and children, and traditional values supported this family structure. However, the makeup of the family has changed somewhat in recent times. Single parent households are on the increase and it is quite common to find families with two working spouses.

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If you've been studying Portuguese for some time you may have noticed that we have a lot of homophones - those words that sound the same but are written somewhat differently ( homo = same; phono = sound).

As these words are confusing, many people don't get them write when they write them. Such is the case of "há" and "a". They sound exactly the same, buy are used in two different situations.
Há
Há, when are are talking about time, means "for". It indicates that an action started in the past and still continues into the present. Remember: há always relates to something that started in the past.

Some examples:

Estou estudando há meia hora. - I've been studying for half an hour.
Ele é médico há dez anos. - He's been a doctor for ten years.
Não viajo há muito tempo. - I haven't traveled for a long time.

When you want to ask questions, use "há quanto tempo" (how long):

Há quanto tempo você está estudando? - How long have you been studying?
Há quanto tempo ele é médico? - How long has he been a doctor?
Há quanto tempo você não viaja? - How long haven't you traveled?

We can replace "há" by "faz" in the sentences above.

Estou estudando faz meia hora. - I've been studying for half an hour.
Ele é médico faz dez anos. - He's been a doctor for ten years.
Não viajo faz muito tempo. - I haven't traveled for a long time.

In the question form, we add "que":

Faz quanto tempo que você está estudando? - How long have you been studying?
Faz quanto tempo que ele é médico? - How long has he been a doctor?
Faz quanto tempo que você não viaja? - How long haven't you traveled?
A
We use "a" when we indicate an action that is going to happen in the future.

Estamos a dois dias do evento. - The event is going to happen in two days.
Vou viajar daqui a uma semana. - I'm going to travel one week from today.
Estamos a dez minutos de onde você está. - We're ten minutes (away) from where you are.

"A" is usually used in the following expressions:

daqui a pouco - in a while
daqui a dois dias - in two days
daqui a três meses - in three months
daqui a uma semana - one week from today

In spoken Portuguese it sounds the same, but if you want to write good Portuguese, remember these rules.

Nos vemos em breve!
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About the Author:Adir

English / Spanish teacher and translator for over 20 years. I have been blogging since 2007 and I am also a professional singer in my spare time.

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If you've been studying Portuguese for some time you may have noticed that we have a lot of homophones - those words that sound the same but are written somewhat differently ( homo = same; phono = sound). As these words are confusing, many people don't get them write when they write them.

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The Portuguese verb HAVER causes a lot of confusion.

If you look at the definition it's:

haver = to be/to have (exist)

But listening in on its actual use, you'll find that it's used just like the verb, TER. And then there's the fact that it appears to be yet another verb to express TO BE -- in a language that already has the two prominent verbs SER & ESTAR.

And if you start investigating this whole mess you will soon run into long and detailed explanations (from linguists) about the subtle differences and uses of one vs. the other. More interesting (to me, at least) is how Brazilian actually use the Portuguese verb HAVER in conversation.

Though you will hear HAVER used almost interchangeably with the verb TER, they actually use it in specific ways.

Talking about something that happened a long time ago.

Há anos que eu moro aqui. > It's been years that I've lived here.

Há cinco anos deixei de fumar. > It's been five years since I quit smoking.

*Notice that haver is used in the PRESENT TENSE to talk about the PAST! That's because you are literally saying, there are x anos since y is happening. No past conjugation needed 😉

Now let's see what happens when we do conjugate haver in the past tense.

O que que houve? > What happened? (literally: What was there?)

*The grammatically correct way to say this is, O que é que houve? but conversational Portuguese has dropped the 'é'.

Não houve aula de música hoje. > There was no music class today.

Houve uma época em que não existia a internet / There was a time when there was no Internet.

In this case houve (the simple past tense) translates to there was / there were.

Talking about what exists right now.

You will often hear people say for example, não há rather than não tem. In cases like this haver and ter are literally interchangeable.

Há muito para fazer. > There's a lot to do.

Há alguém que pode me ajudar? > Is there someone that can help me?

You'll also see haver used to talk about the future, but only in magazine articles or news reports/ Like this:

No futuro, haverá um aumento na temperatura. > In the future, the temperarure will rise.

But you won't hear this in daily conversation.

The important forms you need to remember are: há, houve

Do not waste your time memorizing the bizarre conjugations of this verb. But make sure you can use and pronounce these two versions.

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Portuguese verb HAVER | Brazilian Portuguese, by Semantica

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The Portuguese verb HAVER causes a lot of confusion. If you look at the definition it's: haver = to be/to have (exist) But listening in on its actual use, you'll find that it's used just like the verb, TER.

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Avó materna:
Apelido da minha avó era Lola. Ela era uma cabeleireira. Ela morava no México durante toda sua vida. De tempos em tempos ela viajou para os Estados Unidos. Ela visitou muitas cidades como NYC, Las Vegas, Houston, Dallas, Miami, e muitas outras. Ela era contente, alegre e engraçada. Sempre tinha um sorriso. Ela costumava ir dançar com seus amigos todos os fins de semana quando ela estava no México. Ela veio para a minha formatura em maio e ela faleceu aqui.

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Rio Grande do Sul é um estado localizado na região sul do Brasil e Porto Alegre é a capital.

Porto Alegre é uma das cidades mais ricas da América Latina e uma das mais diversas. Tem imigrantes de todo o mundo, os maiores números provenientes de Portugal, Alemanha, Itália, Espanha e Polônia.

Tem um clima subtropical úmido.

é famoso por seu churrasco e chimarrão.

A cidade também é conhecida como "Porto do Sol" (Porto do Sol) e "Cidade Sorriso." (smile city)

Porto Verão Alegre é um evento cultural. esta celebração consiste em uma série de apresentações e exposições.

O futebol é uma paixão das pessoas de Porto Alegre. Porto Alegre foi uma das cidades-sede da Copa do Mundo da FIFA 2014

O maior parque de energia eólica no Brasil, que está sendo construído a leste de Porto Alegre em Osório

É um importante porto aluvial e um dos principais centros industriais e comerciais do Brasil.

Porto alegre tem um dos museus mais antigos do estado chamado Museu Júlio de Castilhos.

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porque uma oportunidade pode fazer a diferença. Por exemplo, nós temos a oportunidade de aprender o português tanto quanto possível se usarmos essa oportunidade para falar o quanto podermos.