Verb tenses · Brazilian Portuguese
Portuguese Present Perfect (Pretérito perfeito composto)
Tenho feito isn't the English present perfect: it means “I've been doing” something lately or again and again, while “I have done” is the preterite (eu já fiz).
Tenho trabalhado muito esta semana. I've been working a lot this week.
- Used in speech and writing
- Level B1
- Same in Portugal
tenho · tem · temos · têm (tu tens) + -ado · -ido
When to use the present perfect
Something done again and again lately, up to now.
Ultimamente eu tenho dormido mal.
I've been sleeping badly lately.
A new habit that started a while ago and is still going on.
A gente tem comido menos carne.
We've been eating less meat.
Something that keeps happening around you.
Tem chovido muito em São Paulo.
It's been raining a lot in São Paulo.
In the negative, something that hasn't happened for a while.
Não tenho visto o Pedro.
I haven't seen Pedro lately.
Often confused with the preterite.
Regular verbs
Every regular verb follows one of these three: -ar like falar (to speak), -er like comer (to eat), -ir like partir (to leave). The ending is in bold and underlined. Tu is used in parts of Brazil, and is shown last.
| Person | falar | comer | partir |
|---|---|---|---|
| eueu | tenho falado | tenho comido | tenho partido |
| vocêvocê, ele, ela, a gente | tem falado | tem comido | tem partido |
| nósnós | temos falado | temos comido | temos partido |
| vocêsvocês, eles, elas | têm falado | têm comido | têm partido |
| tuturegional | tens falado | tens comido | tens partido |
Irregular verbs
The most common irregular verbs in the present perfect, most used first. Verbs built on the same one change the same way: learn ter and you know manter and obter. Irregular forms are marked (irregular).
fazer
feito (irregular) (not fazido)tenho feito
Also: desfazer (desfeito), satisfazer (satisfeito) and 9 more
dizer
dito (irregular) (not dizido)tenho dito
Also: contradizer (contradito), bendizer (bendito) and 4 more
ver
visto (irregular) (not vido)tenho visto
vir
vindo (irregular) (not vido)tenho vindo
ganhar
ganho (irregular) (not ganhado)tenho ganho
descobrir
descoberto (irregular) (not descobrido)tenho descoberto
escrever
escrito (irregular) (not escrevido)tenho escrito
Also: descrever (descrito), inscrever (inscrito) and 10 more
pôr
posto (irregular)tenho posto
Any verb in the present perfect
How Brazilians use it
Andar and estar do the same job
In speech, Brazilians often say the same thing with andar or estar and the gerund: ando trabalhando muito, estou dormindo mal. Tenho trabalhado sounds a little more careful, but you'll hear all three.
In Portugal
The present perfect works the same way in Portugal.
Common mistakes
Not
Você tem terminado o relatório?ButVocê já terminou o relatório?
“Have you finished?” asks about one finished action: that's the preterite with já, not tenho + participle.
Not
Eu tenho visitado Paris uma vez.ButEu já visitei Paris uma vez.
Tenho visitado means a repeated action that's still going on. A single experience, even with no date, is the preterite.
Not
Eu tenho fazido muito exercício.ButEu tenho feito muito exercício.
Some participles are irregular: fazer → feito, ver → visto, dizer → dito, escrever → escrito, abrir → aberto, pôr → posto, vir → vindo.
Practise the present perfect
Ten questions on the most common verbs. Type the form; you'll see right or wrong at once.
Cheat sheet
The endings and the most common irregular verbs on one printable page.
Present Perfect cheat sheet (PDF)Questions
What is the present perfect in Portuguese?
The pretérito perfeito composto, ter in the present plus a participle: tenho feito, tem chovido. It means something done lately or again and again, up to now: “I've been doing”, “it's been raining”.
How do you form the present perfect in Portuguese?
Use ter in the present (tenho, tem, temos, têm) and the participle, which ends in -ado for -ar verbs and -ido for -er and -ir verbs: tenho falado, tem comido, temos dormido. A few participles are irregular: feito, visto, dito, escrito.
How do you say “I have done” in Portuguese?
With the preterite, usually with já: eu já fiz (I've already done it), você já comeu? (have you eaten?). Eu tenho feito means “I've been doing”, something repeated lately.
What is the difference between the preterite and the present perfect in Portuguese?
The preterite is for something done and finished: comi muito ontem (I ate a lot yesterday). The present perfect is for something repeated up to now and still going on: tenho comido muito (I've been eating a lot).
Related tenses: the preterite, the imperfect
See the present perfect in real books
Tables teach the forms; stories teach when to use them. Read Brazilian books and stories at your level, tap any verb for its meaning in that sentence, and press Listen to hear the page in a Brazilian voice.
Start reading free