Portuguese Grammar for Elementary LearnersCEFR A2 Level
Build on the basics with past tenses and more complex structures.
Build on your Portuguese foundations with A2 elementary grammar. Master past tense, future tense, comparative forms, and more complex sentence structures. Ideal for learners ready to expand their Portuguese grammar knowledge beyond the basics.
Past Tense (Simple Past)
Master the Portuguese simple past tense (pretérito perfeito) to describe completed actions. Learn regular conjugation patterns for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs, common irregular verbs, and when to use the simple past vs. other past tenses.
Present Perfect Tense
Learn the Portuguese present perfect tense (pretérito perfeito composto) to express actions that started in the past and continue to the present. This tense uses ter + past participle and is essential for describing ongoing situations, repeated actions, and recent experiences in Portuguese.
Possessive Pronouns
Master Portuguese possessive pronouns (meu, teu, seu, nosso, vosso, dele) to replace nouns and express ownership clearly. Unlike possessive adjectives which accompany nouns, these pronouns stand alone. Learn how they agree in gender and number with the possessed item, and understand the important distinction between seu/sua and dele/dela for clarity.
Prepositions (Location & Direction)
Master Portuguese prepositions for expressing location, direction, and movement. Learn the essential prepositions em, a, para, de, por, and their contractions with articles. Understand the difference between static location (em) and direction/destination (a, para), crucial for natural Portuguese communication.
Comparatives & Superlatives
Learn to compare things in Portuguese using comparatives (mais/menos...que) and superlatives (o mais/o menos). Master regular forms with mais and menos, irregular comparatives like melhor, pior, maior, menor, and the difference between relative and absolute superlatives. Essential for describing preferences and making choices.
Modal Verbs
Master Portuguese modal verbs to express ability, permission, obligation, and desire. Learn poder (can/may), dever (must/should), querer (want), saber (know how to), precisar de (need to), and ter de/que (have to). These verbs are followed by infinitives and are essential for everyday communication.
Reflexive Verbs
Learn Portuguese reflexive verbs where the action reflects back on the subject. Master reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, vos, se), their placement in sentences, and common reflexive verbs like lavar-se, levantar-se, and sentir-se. Understand when Portuguese uses reflexive forms that English doesn't require.
Coordinating Conjunctions
Learn Portuguese coordinating conjunctions to connect words, phrases, and sentences. Master essential connectors like e (and), mas (but), ou (or), porque (because), and portanto (therefore). Understand how these conjunctions link ideas while maintaining the original word order in each clause.
Subordinate Clauses (que, quando, se)
Master Portuguese subordinate clauses using key conjunctions like que (that), quando (when), se (if), and porque (because). Learn how these dependent clauses connect to main clauses, when to use subjunctive vs indicative mood, and common sentence patterns for expressing conditions, time, and reasons.
Object Pronouns (Accusative & Dative)
Master Portuguese direct and indirect object pronouns. Learn accusative pronouns (me, te, o/a, nos, os/as) for direct objects and dative pronouns (me, te, lhe, nos, lhes) for indirect objects. Understand pronoun placement rules, contractions, and how to use both pronouns together in one sentence.
Imperative (Commands)
Learn Portuguese imperative forms to give commands, instructions, advice, and invitations. Master both affirmative and negative imperatives for tu (informal), você (formal), and nós (let's). Understand the relationship between imperative forms and the subjunctive mood, and how to use pronouns with commands.
Adjective Endings
Master Portuguese adjective agreement rules. Learn how adjectives change to match the gender and number of the nouns they describe. Understand the patterns for regular adjectives ending in -o/-a, invariable adjectives, and special cases. Essential for describing people, places, and things accurately in Portuguese.
Temporal Prepositions
Master Portuguese temporal prepositions for expressing time relationships. Learn desde (since), há (ago/for), durante (during), antes de (before), depois de (after), and até (until). Understand the crucial difference between há and desde for duration, and how these prepositions combine with different verb tenses.