Portuguese Grammar for BeginnersCEFR A1 Level
Start your journey with basic grammar concepts and simple sentence structures.
Start your Portuguese grammar journey with A1 beginner lessons. Learn essential Portuguese grammar rules including basic sentence structure, present tense, articles, and simple phrases. Perfect for absolute beginners with clear explanations and practical examples.
Personal Pronouns
Learn the basic Portuguese personal pronouns (eu, tu, ele, ela, nós, vós, eles, elas) and how to use them in simple sentences. Portuguese distinguishes between European and Brazilian forms, with tu being common in Portugal and você in Brazil.
Simple Past (Pretérito Perfeito)
Learn the Portuguese simple past tense (pretérito perfeito) for completed actions. Master regular -ar, -er, -ir verb conjugations and essential irregular verbs like ser, ir, ter, and estar.
Present Tense
Master Portuguese present tense verb conjugations for everyday actions and states. Learn the three verb groups (-ar, -er, -ir) and their regular conjugation patterns. Essential for basic communication in Portuguese.
Present Perfect (Pretérito Perfeito Composto)
Learn the Portuguese present perfect (ter + past participle) for repeated or continuous actions up to now. Understand the difference from Spanish/English usage and master regular and irregular participles.
Articles (Definite & Indefinite)
Understand when to use Portuguese definite articles (o, a, os, as) and indefinite articles (um, uma, uns, umas). Learn how articles agree with noun gender and number, and discover unique Portuguese usage patterns.
Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns
Learn Portuguese possessives: meu/minha, teu/tua, seu/sua, nosso/nossa. Understand agreement with the possessed noun, optional articles, and the difference between European and Brazilian usage.
Basic Word Order
Learn the fundamental Portuguese sentence structure: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). Understand how Portuguese word order is flexible compared to English, with subjects often omitted and adjectives typically following nouns.
Basic Prepositions
Learn essential Portuguese prepositions: a, de, em, para, por, com, sem. Master contractions with articles (ao, do, no, pelo) and understand basic usage patterns for location, direction, and time.
Numbers 1-100
Count from 1 to 100 in Portuguese. Learn the unique spelling patterns, including numbers 1 and 2 which have masculine and feminine forms. Essential for shopping, telling time, and everyday situations.
Comparatives and Superlatives
Learn Portuguese comparisons: mais...do que (more than), menos...do que (less than), tão...como (as...as), and superlatives (o mais, -íssimo). Master irregular forms like melhor, pior, maior, menor.
Basic Questions
Form yes/no questions and use Portuguese question words (quem, o que, onde, quando, como, por que). Learn question formation with inversion and the use of é que for emphasis.
Modal Verbs
Learn Portuguese modal verbs: poder (can), dever (should/must), ter de/que (have to), querer (want), precisar de (need). Master their conjugations and how to use them with infinitives.
Reflexive Verbs
Learn Portuguese reflexive verbs with pronouns me, te, se, nos, vos, se. Master daily routine verbs (levantar-se, deitar-se, lavar-se) and understand pronoun placement in European and Brazilian Portuguese.
Negation
Learn to make negative sentences in Portuguese using não. Understand double negatives with nada, ninguém, nunca, which are grammatically correct and required in Portuguese.
Possessive Adjectives
Express ownership in Portuguese with meu, teu, seu, nosso, vosso. Portuguese possessives agree with the possessed item in gender and number, and often include the definite article.
Basic Conjunctions
Learn essential Portuguese conjunctions: e (and), ou (or), mas (but), porque (because), que (that), quando (when), se (if). Connect ideas and form complex sentences.
Subordinate Clauses
Learn Portuguese subordinate clauses: relative clauses with que, quem, onde, and noun clauses. Understand how to connect ideas and build more complex sentences in Portuguese.
Noun Gender
Understand Portuguese noun genders: masculine and neuter. Learn to identify gender by noun endings (-o masculine, -a feminine) and master common exceptions and patterns.
Plural Nouns
Form Portuguese noun plurals correctly. Most nouns add -s, but endings like -ão, -l, -m have special rules. Learn the regular and irregular plural patterns.
Basic Adjectives
Describe people, places, and things with Portuguese adjectives. Learn how adjectives agree with nouns in gender and number, and understand their placement after nouns.
Time Expressions
Tell time and use Portuguese time words: hoje, amanhã, ontem, manhã, tarde, noite. Learn days of the week, months, and how to ask and tell the time.
Common Verbs (ser, estar, ter)
Master the most essential Portuguese verbs: ser (to be - permanent), estar (to be - temporary), and ter (to have). Understanding ser vs estar is crucial for Portuguese.
Basic Prepositions
Learn essential Portuguese prepositions (em, de, a, para, com) and their contractions with articles. Portuguese prepositions often combine with articles to form single words.