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Do you know how to conjugate verbs in the past tense?
To help you with verb conjugation, I’ve created a series of lessons about the main tenses we use. In each lessons, we’re going to have a test, and I’m going to explain each answer. This is the second lessons of this series. Today’s test will be on regular verbs in the past tense. This test is recommended for upper-beginner level students.
Before taking the test, I recommend studying or reviewing the conjugation of regular verbs in the past tense.
Are you ready for the test? Let’s go!
Complete the sentences below in the present tense. Then check your answers at the end of the exercise.
1. Eu (falar) __________ com minha amiga ontem.
2. Maria (estudar) __________ português hoje de manhã.
3. A gente (almoçar) __________ com nossos pais no domingo.
4. Maria e João (chegar) __________ cedo ao trabalho.
5. Carolina (vender) __________ seu carro.
6. Eu não (entender) _________ o que ele disse.
7. Nós (comer) __________ pizza ontem à noite.
8. Na última lição, vocês (aprender) __________ a usar o tempo presente.
9. Você (assistir) __________ ao jornal ontem?
10. Meu marido e eu (dividir) __________ a sobremesa.
Check your answers:
1. Eu falei com minha amiga ontem. (I talked with my friend yesterday.)
2. Maria estudou português hoje de manhã. (Maria studied Portuguese this morning.)
3. A gente almoçou com nossos pais no domingo. (We had lunch with our parents on Sunday.)
4. Maria e João chegaram cedo ao trabalho. (Maria and João arrived at work early.)
5. Carolina vendeu seu carro. (Carolina sold her car.)
6. Eu não entendi o que ele disse. (I didn’t understand what he said.)
7. Nós comemos pizza ontem à noite. (We ate pizza last night.)
8. Na última lição, vocês aprenderam a usar o tempo presente. (In the last lesson, you learned to use the present tense.)
9. Você assistiu ao jornal ontem? (Did you watch the news yesterday?)
10. Meu marido e eu dividimos a sobremesa. (My husband and I shared the dessert.)
Now, let’s review each exercise:
1. Regular verbs ending in AR conjugated in the past tense in the first-person singular EU always end with the letters EI: Eu falei (I talked), eu trabalhei (I worked), eu estudei (I studied), and so on.
2. Regular verbs ending in AR conjugated in the past tense in the third person singular ELA/ELE (she/he) always end with the letters OU: Eu falei (she studied), eu trabalhei (she worked), eu estudei (she liked), and so on.
3. Remember that the pronominal phrase A GENTE means the same as NÓS (we), but the conjugation of verbs must be done in the third person singular. In other words, the phrase A GENTE uses the same conjugation of the pronouns ELE (he) and ELA (she): A gente almoçou (we had lunch), a gente gostou (we liked), a gente trabalhou (we worked), a gente estudou (we studied), and so on.
4. Regular verbs ending in AR conjugated in the past tense in the third person plural ELAS/ELES (they) always end with the letters ARAM: Eles chegaram (they arrived), eles gostaram (they liked), eles trabalharam (they worked), eles estudaram (they studied), and so on.
5. Regular verbs ending in ER conjugated in the past tense in the third person singular ELA/ELE (she/he) always end with the letters EU: Ela vendeu (she sold), ela bebeu (she drank), ela comeu (she ate), and so on.
6. Regular verbs ending in ER and IR in the past tense in the first-person singular EU (I) always end with the letter I: Eu entendi (I understood), eu bebi (I drank), eu comi (I ate), eu assisti (I watched),and so on.
7. Regular verbs ending in ER conjugated in the past tense in first person plural NÓS (we) always end with EMOS: Nós comemos (we ate), nós bebemos (we drank), nós recebemos (we received), and so on.
Note that the conjugation of regular verbs in the first-person plural is exactly the same in the present and past tense.
Nós comemos pizza todos os dias. (We eat pizza every day.) Nós comemos pizza ontem. (We ate pizza yesterday.)
8. Remember that the pronoun VOCÊS (you plural) agrees with verbs in the third person plural, that is, it uses the same conjugation of the pronouns ELES/ELAS (they): Vocês aprenderam (you learned), eles aprenderam (they learned), elas aprenderam (they learned).
9. Remember that the pronoun VOCÊ (you) agrees with verbs in the third person singular, that is, it uses the same conjugation of the pronouns ELE (he) and ELA (she): Ela assistiu (she watched), ele assistiu (he watched), você assistiu (you watched).
10. Regular verbs ending in IR conjugated in the past tense in first person plural NÓS (we) always end with IMOS: Nós dividimos (we shared), nós assistimos (we watched), nós abrimos (we opened), and so on.
Again, note that the conjugation of regular verbs in the first-person plural is exactly the same in the present and past tense.
Nós sempre dividimos a sobremesa. (We always share the dessert.) Nós dividimos a sobremesa ontem. (We shared the dessert yesterday.)
That’s it, everybody! This was a quick review of the conjugation of regular verbs in the past tense. I would like to know how you did on the test. How many questions did you get right? Write a comment below with your score.
Até a próxima!
Your teacher,
Virginia
