When I first started learning Portuguese, I quickly realized that regular -AR verbs are the foundation of the language. If you’ve studied Spanish before, you’ll notice many similarities. In both languages, verbs are conjugated according to the subject, and the endings follow a predictable pattern. For example, in Spanish, “hablar” (to speak) becomes hablo, hablas, habla… just like “falar” in Portuguese follows falo, falas, fala… The main difference is in the pronunciation and the Vós form, which is still used in European Portuguese but rarely in Spanish.
In this post, I’ll guide you through conjugating some of the most commonly used -AR verbs in European Portuguese. Once you understand these patterns, you can confidently use many verbs in everyday conversation!
Present Tense Conjugation Pattern
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For regular -AR verbs, the endings in the present tense follow this pattern:
| Person | Ending | Example (Falar – “to speak”) |
|---|---|---|
| Eu | -o | falo |
| Tu | -as | falas |
| Ele, Ela, (Eles, Elas, Vocês) | -a | fala (falam) |
| Nós | -amos | falamos |
| Vós | -ais | falais |
The Vós form is the second-person plural (you all) in European Portuguese. While it is less commonly used in modern speech—often replaced by Vocês—it still appears in literature, formal speech, and some regional dialects, especially in northern Portugal.
How to Conjugate Verbs with Vós?
For regular verbs, Vós follows a predictable pattern:
- -AR verbs: Replace -ar with -ais (e.g., falar → falais)
Now, let’s see this in action with some common verbs!
1. Chamar (to call)
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Eu | chamo |
| Tu | chamas |
| Ele, Ela, (Eles, Elas, Vocês) | chama (chamam) |
| Nós | chamamos |
| Vós | chamais |
Exemplo: Eu chamo o meu cão quando ele foge. (I call my dog when he runs away.)
2. Morar (to live/reside)
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Eu | moro |
| Tu | moras |
| Ele, Ela, (Eles, Elas, Vocês) | mora (moram) |
| Nós | moramos |
| Vós | morais |
Exemplo: Vós morais numa cidade bonita. (You all live in a beautiful city.)
3. Falar (to speak)
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Eu | falo |
| Tu | falas |
| Ele, Ela, (Eles, Elas, Vocês) | fala (falam) |
| Nós | falamos |
| Vós | falais |
Exemplo: Nós falamos português todos os dias. (We speak Portuguese every day.)
4. Trabalhar (to work)
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Eu | trabalho |
| Tu | trabalhas |
| Ele, Ela, (Eles, Elas, Vocês) | trabalha (trabalham) |
| Nós | trabalhamos |
| Vós | trabalhais |
Exemplo: Tu trabalhas num escritório ou em casa? (Do you work in an office or at home?)
5. Ficar (to stay / to be located)
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Eu | fico |
| Tu | ficas |
| Ele, Ela, (Eles, Elas, Vocês) | fica (ficam) |
| Nós | ficamos |
| Vós | ficais |
Exemplo: A biblioteca fica perto da escola. (The library is near the school.)
6. Estudar (to study)
| Person | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Eu | estudo |
| Tu | estudas |
| Ele, Ela, (Eles, Elas, Vocês) | estuda (estudam) |
| Nós | estudamos |
| Vós | estudais |
Exemplo: Eu estudo português porque gosto da língua. (I study Portuguese because I like the language.)
Tips for Learning -AR Verbs
- Practice out loud! Saying the verbs as you conjugate them helps with pronunciation and memorization.
- Write example sentences. Using the verbs in context makes them easier to remember.
- Notice patterns. Once you master the endings, you can apply them to any regular -AR verb.
- Be aware of irregular verbs. While most -AR verbs follow this pattern, some (like “estar”) are irregular and need to be learned separately.
Atypical Last Thoughts
After studying these conjugation patterns, I realized how easy it is to apply them to other -AR verbs. Just like in Spanish, once you know the endings, you can use them with almost any regular verb in this group. The Vós form might seem unfamiliar if you’re used to Spanish or Brazilian Portuguese, but it follows a logical pattern and is still useful in specific contexts.
If you’re learning Portuguese, I encourage you to practice these verbs by making sentences, speaking them out loud, and even comparing them to Spanish if you know it. The more you use them, the more natural they’ll become. Boa sorte e bons estudos!
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