Understanding the Present Perfect Continuous Tense in Português
The Present Perfect Continuous tense in Português is a way to talk about actions that started in the past and are still going on, or just finished, but we can still see their effects. It's a bit like saying 'I have been doing something' in English.
Important Points
- It is used to show that an action started in the past and continues in the present.
- It can also show that an action was happening recently and just stopped.
- It often answers the question, 'How long?' or 'Since when?'
- In Português, it is formed using the present tense of the verb 'ter' plus the past participle of the main verb.
To form this tense, you use the present tense of 'ter' (which means 'to have') and add the past participle of the main verb. This is similar to how we use 'have been' in English.
Examples
- Eu tenho estado a estudar muito para os exames.
- Ela tem trabalhado naquele projeto por semanas.
- Nós temos vivido nesta cidade desde o ano passado.
Let's break down an example: 'Eu tenho estado a estudar muito para os exames.' Here, 'tenho' is the present tense of 'ter', 'estado' is the past participle of 'estar', and 'a estudar' is the action you are doing. It means 'I have been studying a lot for the exams.'
When using this tense, it's common to include time expressions like 'há muito tempo' (for a long time) or 'desde' (since) to show how long the action has been happening.
Examples
- Eles têm estado a jogar futebol há duas horas.
- Eu tenho estado a aprender piano desde o ano passado.
Important Points
- The main verb is in the form of a past participle.
- Time expressions can help show how long the action has been happening.
- It is useful for showing ongoing actions that started in the past.