English seems to have a lot of tenses, but they follow a very organised logic: there are three time frames (present, past and future) and four aspects (simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous). Combine each time frame with each aspect and you get the 12 tenses. Start with the map, then look at each group.Os tempos verbais em inglês parecem muitos, mas seguem uma lógica bem organizada: há três tempos (presente, passado e futuro) e quatro aspectos (simple, continuous, perfect e perfect continuous). Combine cada tempo com cada aspecto e você tem os 12 tempos verbais. Comece pelo mapa e depois veja cada grupo.
A2 The tense map
Read the table in two directions. The columns show when the action happens; the rows show how we see it: as a fact, in progress, completed or with its duration.Leia a tabela em duas direções. As colunas mostram quando a ação acontece; as linhas mostram como a enxergamos: como fato, em andamento, concluída ou com sua duração.
| Aspect | Present | Past | Future |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple (facts, routines) | I work (eu trabalho) | I worked (eu trabalhei) | I will work (eu vou trabalhar, trabalharei) |
| Continuous (in progress) | I am working (eu estou trabalhando) | I was working (eu estava trabalhando) | I will be working (eu estarei trabalhando) |
| Perfect (completed up to a point) | I have worked (eu trabalhei, tenho trabalhado) | I had worked (eu tinha trabalhado) | I will have worked (eu terei trabalhado) |
| Perfect Continuous (duration up to a point) | I have been working (eu tenho trabalhado, trabalho há…) | I had been working (eu vinha trabalhando, trabalhava havia…) | I will have been working (eu estarei trabalhando há…) |
The logic of the aspects
Continuous always uses be + -ing. Perfect always uses have + past participle. Perfect continuous joins the two: have been + -ing. Once you understand this, you can build any tense.O continuous sempre usa be + -ing. O perfect sempre usa have + particípio. O perfect continuous junta os dois: have been + -ing. Entendendo isso, você monta qualquer tempo.
The verb to be
To be means both “ser” and “estar”. It has its own forms in the present and in the past, and it is also the auxiliary of every continuous tense.To be significa “ser” e “estar”. Ele tem formas próprias no presente e no passado, e também é o auxiliar de todos os tempos contínuos.
| Subject | Present | Past | Português |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | am | was | sou, estou / era, estava |
| you | are | were | é, está / era, estava |
| he / she / it | is | was | é, está / era, estava |
| we | are | were | somos, estamos / éramos, estávamos |
| they | are | were | são, estão / eram, estavam |
To be does not use do, does or did (except in commands like Don’t be late): the negative takes not, and the question swaps the verb and the subject.O to be não usa do, does nem did (a não ser em ordens como Don’t be late): a negativa leva not, e a pergunta inverte o verbo e o sujeito.
- She is a teacher. She isn’t a teacher. Is she a teacher? (Ela é professora. Ela não é professora. Ela é professora?)
- They were at the party. Were they at the party? (Eles estavam na festa. Eles estavam na festa?)
- I wasn’t at home yesterday. (Eu não estava em casa ontem.)
- Are you from Recife? Yes, I am. (Você é de Recife? Sim, sou.)
Simple tenses
The simple tenses talk about facts, routines, completed past actions and future decisions or plans. In the present and the past, the negative and the question use the auxiliaries do, does and did, followed by the base form of the verb.Os tempos simples falam de fatos, rotinas, ações passadas concluídas e decisões ou planos para o futuro. No presente e no passado, a negativa e a pergunta usam os auxiliares do, does e did, seguidos do verbo na forma base.
| Tense | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | She works. (Ela trabalha.) | She doesn’t work. (Ela não trabalha.) | Does she work? (Ela trabalha?) |
| Past Simple | She worked. (Ela trabalhou.) | She didn’t work. (Ela não trabalhou.) | Did she work? (Ela trabalhou?) |
| Future (will) | She will work. (Ela vai trabalhar.) | She won’t work. (Ela não vai trabalhar.) | Will she work? (Ela vai trabalhar?) |
| Future (going to) | She‘s going to work. (Ela vai trabalhar.) | She isn’t going to work. (Ela não vai trabalhar.) | Is she going to work? (Ela vai trabalhar?) |
- I go to school every day. (Eu vou à escola todos os dias. Rotina.)
- The sun rises in the east. (O sol nasce no leste. Fato.)
- She visited Paris last year. (Ela visitou Paris no ano passado. Passado concluído.)
- I’ll call you later. (Eu te ligo mais tarde. Decisão na hora, promessa.)
- We’re going to travel next week. (Vamos viajar semana que vem. Plano.)
- We didn’t watch the game last night. (Não vimos o jogo ontem à noite. Passado concluído.)
will
A decision made at the moment of speaking, a promise or an offer.Uma decisão tomada na hora em que se fala, uma promessa ou uma oferta.
The phone is ringing. I’ll answer it. (O telefone está tocando. Eu atendo.)
going to
A plan or intention decided before the moment of speaking.Um plano ou intenção decidido antes do momento da fala.
I’m going to study medicine. (Vou estudar medicina.)
B1 Continuous and perfect tenses
Continuous tenses
Continuous tenses show an action in progress at a certain moment, or a temporary situation. The formula is always be + verb-ing; only the form of be changes.Os tempos contínuos mostram uma ação em andamento em determinado momento, ou uma situação temporária. A fórmula é sempre be + verbo-ing; só muda a forma do be.
| Tense | Structure | Example | Português |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Continuous | am / is / are + -ing | She is reading. | Ela está lendo. |
| Past Continuous | was / were + -ing | He was cooking when I arrived. | Ele estava cozinhando quando eu cheguei. |
| Future Continuous | will be + -ing | This time tomorrow, I‘ll be flying to London. | Amanhã a esta hora, estarei voando para Londres. |
- We’re staying at a hotel this week. (Estamos hospedados num hotel esta semana. Situação temporária.)
- They were watching TV (television) while it was raining. (Eles estavam vendo TV enquanto chovia. Duas ações em andamento.)
- Don’t call me at eight. I’ll be having dinner. (Não me ligue às oito. Vou estar jantando.)
- I’m reading a great book at the moment. (Estou lendo um livro ótimo no momento. Ação em andamento.)
Perfect tenses
Perfect tenses look back from a point in time: now, a moment in the past or a moment in the future. They often show that something happened or was completed before that point. The formula is have + past participle.Os tempos perfeitos olham para trás a partir de um ponto no tempo: agora, um momento no passado ou um momento no futuro. Muitas vezes, eles mostram que algo aconteceu ou foi concluído antes desse ponto. A fórmula é have + particípio.
| Tense | Structure | Example | Português |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Perfect | have / has + participle | I‘ve visited Japan. | Já visitei o Japão. |
| Past Perfect | had + participle | She had left before we arrived. | Ela tinha saído antes de chegarmos. |
| Future Perfect | will have + participle | By 2030, they will have finished it. | Até 2030, eles terão terminado. |
Present Perfect
The experience matters now. With for or since, it shows that the situation continues.A experiência importa agora. Com for ou since, mostra que a situação continua.
I have lived in Brazil. (Já morei no Brasil.) I have lived in Brazil for ten years. (Moro no Brasil há dez anos.)
Past Simple
It is finished past: I don’t live there anymore.É passado encerrado: não moro mais lá.
I lived in Brazil. (Morei no Brasil.)
Past Perfect
The earlier of two past actions: he left first.A mais antiga de duas ações no passado: ele saiu antes.
When I arrived, he had left. (Quando cheguei, ele já tinha saído.)
Past Simple
One action after the other: he left after I arrived.Uma ação depois da outra: ele saiu depois que eu cheguei.
When I arrived, he left. (Quando cheguei, ele saiu.)
Contractions
In speech and informal writing, auxiliaries are very often contracted. Learn the short forms so you can recognise them in songs, series and exam texts.Na fala e na escrita informal, os auxiliares aparecem contraídos com muita frequência. Aprenda as formas curtas para reconhecê-las em músicas, séries e textos de prova.
| Full form | Contraction | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| I am | I’m | I’m not |
| you / we / they are | you’re / we’re / they’re | aren’t |
| he / she / it is | he’s / she’s / it’s | isn’t |
| was / were | no short form | wasn’t / weren’t |
| do / does / did | no short form | don’t / doesn’t / didn’t |
| will | I’ll / she’ll | won’t |
| have / has | I’ve / she’s | haven’t / hasn’t |
| had / would | I’d / she’d | hadn’t / wouldn’t |
‘s and ‘d have two meanings
He’s working (is) and He’s worked (has). I’d left (had) and I’d leave (would). The verb that comes next shows which one it is. After ‘s, an -ing form means is and a past participle usually means has. After ‘d, a past participle means had and a base verb means would (one exception: you’d better = you had better).He’s working (is) e He’s worked (has). I’d left (had) e I’d leave (would). O verbo que vem depois mostra qual é. Depois de ‘s, a forma -ing indica is, e o particípio normalmente indica has. Depois de ‘d, o particípio indica had, e o verbo na forma base indica would (uma exceção: you’d better = you had better).
B2 Perfect continuous tenses and stative verbs
Perfect continuous tenses
Perfect continuous tenses focus on the duration of an activity up to a point in time. They often come with for, since and how long. In Portuguese, we usually translate them with “há” or “fazia … que”.Os tempos perfect continuous destacam a duração de uma atividade até um ponto no tempo. Costumam vir com for, since e how long. Em português, normalmente traduzimos com “há” ou “fazia … que”.
| Tense | Structure | Example | Português |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Perfect Continuous | have / has been + -ing | We‘ve been studying English for two years. | Estudamos inglês há dois anos. |
| Past Perfect Continuous | had been + -ing | They had been waiting for an hour when the train came. | Eles estavam esperando havia uma hora quando o trem chegou. |
| Future Perfect Continuous | will have been + -ing | Next month, I‘ll have been working here for three years. | No mês que vem, vou completar três anos trabalhando aqui. |
- She’s tired because she’s been running. (Ela está cansada porque estava correndo.)
- How long have you been living in Curitiba? (Há quanto tempo você mora em Curitiba?)
- It had been raining all night, so the streets were flooded. (Tinha chovido a noite toda, então as ruas estavam alagadas.)
- I’ve been studying English for three years. (Estudo inglês há três anos.)
Simple or continuous in the perfect tenses
I’ve read this book. focuses on the result: I finished it. I’ve been reading this book. focuses on the activity: maybe I haven’t finished it yet.I’ve read this book. (Li este livro.) foca no resultado: terminei. I’ve been reading this book. (Estou lendo este livro.) foca na atividade: talvez eu ainda não tenha terminado.
Stative verbs
Some verbs express states (thoughts, feelings, possession, the senses) and not actions. They are normally not used in the continuous, even when Portuguese uses “estar + -ndo”.Alguns verbos expressam estados (pensamentos, sentimentos, posse, sentidos) e não ações. Eles normalmente não vão para o continuous, mesmo quando o português usa “estar + -ndo”.
- I know the answer. (Eu sei a resposta. ✗ I am knowing)
- She understands the lesson. (Ela entende a lição. ✗ She is understanding)
- He has a car. (Ele tem um carro. ✗ He is having a car)
- This coffee tastes great. (Este café está ótimo. ✗ is tasting)
| Category | Verbs | Português |
|---|---|---|
| Mind | know, understand, believe, remember, forget, think (= have an opinion), suppose, realise, recognise, doubt, mean | saber, entender, acreditar, lembrar, esquecer, achar, supor, perceber, reconhecer, duvidar, significar |
| Feelings | love, like, hate, prefer, want, need, wish, care, mind, fear, appreciate | amar, gostar, odiar, preferir, querer, precisar, desejar, importar-se, incomodar-se, temer, valorizar |
| Possession | have (= own), own, belong, possess, owe, contain, include, consist of | ter, ser dono de, pertencer, possuir, dever (dinheiro), conter, incluir, consistir em |
| Senses | see, hear, smell, taste, feel, sound, seem, appear, look (= seem), resemble | ver, ouvir, ter cheiro de, ter gosto de, sentir, soar, parecer (seem, appear, look), parecer-se com |
| Other | be, cost, weigh, exist, matter, depend, deserve | ser, estar, custar, pesar, existir, importar, depender, merecer |
When the meaning changes, the continuous is possible
I think it’s a good idea. (opinion) but I’m thinking about my holiday. (an action in progress).I think it’s a good idea. (Acho que é uma boa ideia: opinião.) Mas I’m thinking about my holiday. (Estou pensando nas minhas férias: ação.)
She has a car. (possession) but She’s having lunch. (an activity).She has a car. (Ela tem um carro: posse.) Mas She’s having lunch. (Ela está almoçando: atividade.)
I’m loving it! is informal and very common.I’m loving it! (Estou adorando!) é informal e muito usado.
Common mistakes
Avoid these
✗ She don’t work on Sundays. ✓ She doesn’t work on Sundays.Com he, she e it, o auxiliar é doesn’t.
✗ Did you went to the party? ✓ Did you go to the party?Depois de did, o verbo volta para a forma base.
✗ I have visited Paris last year. ✓ I visited Paris last year.Com tempo passado definido (last year), use o Past Simple.
✗ I’m studying English for two years. ✓ I’ve been studying English for two years.“Estudo inglês há dois anos” (e continuo estudando) pede o Present Perfect Continuous.
✗ I am knowing the answer. ✓ I know the answer.Know é stative verb e não vai para o continuous.
✗ Is she work here? ✓ Does she work here?No present simple, os verbos comuns fazem pergunta com do / does, não com be.
Quick summary
| Tense | Example | Português |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | She works in a bank. | Ela trabalha num banco. |
| Present Continuous | She is working now. | Ela está trabalhando agora. |
| Past Simple | She worked yesterday. | Ela trabalhou ontem. |
| Past Continuous | She was working at 9 p.m. | Ela estava trabalhando às 21h. |
| Future (will / going to) | She will work tomorrow. | Ela vai trabalhar amanhã. |
| Present Perfect | She has worked abroad. | Ela já trabalhou no exterior. |
| Past Perfect | She had worked there before. | Ela já tinha trabalhado lá antes. |
| Present Perfect Continuous | She has been working since 8. | Ela está trabalhando desde as 8. |
| Stative verb | She knows the answer. | Ela sabe a resposta. |
Practice time
Quiz