Understanding the Português Present Perfect Tense
The Present Perfect Tense in Português is used to talk about actions that started in the past and are still happening or have an effect in the present. It's like saying, 'I have done something,' in English.
Important Points
- It is formed using the present tense of the verb 'ter' plus the past participle of the main verb.
- The verb 'ter' changes according to the subject: eu, tu, ele/ela, nós, vós, eles/elas.
- The past participle of regular verbs is formed by adding -ado for -ar verbs and -ido for -er and -ir verbs.
- Irregular verbs have unique past participle forms that need to be memorized.
Let's see how this works with some examples to make it clearer.
Examples
- Eu tenho comido muito chocolate ultimamente.
- Nós temos estudado para a prova desde a semana passada.
- Eles têm feito muito barulho na sala.
In these examples, you can see how 'ter' changes with each subject and how the past participle is used to show the action.
With practice, you will be able to use the Present Perfect Tense to talk about things that connect the past to the present in your own conversations.