Ch 1 · Lesson 19Portuguese · Chapter 1 · Lesson 19 · Grammar primer
The irregulars: tenho, vou, faço, posso
The verbs you need first are the ones that break the pattern, mostly in the form. Plus against , told apart in writing by a hat.
The short version
.
Why?Hide
The commonest verbs are the irregular ones, and the form is often where they break: , , . breaks all the way through: , , , . has one more trap, on the page: in Brazil and usually sound alike, and only the circumflex says they.
The irregulars are the ones you need first
The irregular verbs are more or less the first verbs you will ever want: , , , and their friends. Frequency protects irregularity. A verb said a hundred times a day is learned whole by every child, so it never gets tidied up. English kept go / went for the same reason.
and have a page of their own. Here are the next eight, with the irregular part coloured:
| Person | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | |
| / / | | | |
| | | |
| / | | | |
| Person | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | |
| / / | | | |
| | | |
| / | | | |
| Person | | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
| / / | | |
| | |
| / | | |
Most of the damage is in the form. Below it, several are almost regular:
.- I can go. (onlyis odd).- She wants coffee. (onlydrops its -e).- They have two children.
That last one is a trap on the page, not in the ear: is has and is they have, and the circumflex is the only difference.
Going further: The three families and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
Practise this lesson
10-question session
One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
Portuguese · Free printables
Worksheets for this lesson
Worksheets with answer keys built in. Open any one to view, print or save.
Lesson 19 of 40 in this chapter