10 Common Portuguese Verbs: Brazilian Examples
Put high-frequency verbs into short sentences about who you are, where you are, what you need, and what you want to do.
Real Life Portuguese · 9 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Ser often identifies a person or describes characteristics, while estar commonly describes a current state or location. These are both forms of the infinitive verb “to be,” but Portuguese does not use one verb in every situation. Learn each verb inside a sentence rather than trying to translate a single English word mechanically.
Use ser and estar to describe different kinds of information
Compare Eu sou estudante (I am a student) with Eu estou cansado (I am tired). The adjective cansado changes to cansada when the speaker uses a feminine form. For a deeper decision guide, read the separate Real Life Portuguese article on ser versus estar.
Eu sou estudante de português.
I’m a Portuguese student.
Ela está em casa agora.
She is at home now.
Nós somos amigos.
We are friends.
Use ter and ir to talk about needs and plans
Ter means to have and appears in many everyday expressions: ter tempo (to have time), ter fome (to be hungry), and ter uma pergunta (to have a question). Ir means to go. In conversation, ir plus an infinitive is also a common way to talk about a near or planned future action, as in vou estudar (I’m going to study).
Pay attention to the subject: eu tenho and você tem use different forms. A gente also uses tem and vai, like ele or ela. You can practice conjugation patterns in the linked I Speak Portuguese source, then reuse them with your own routine.
Você tem um minuto?
Do you have a minute?
A gente vai ao mercado depois.
We’re going to the market later.
Hoje eu tenho tempo para conversar.
Today I have time to talk.
Build practical sentences with fazer, poder, and querer
Fazer means to do or make and appears in phrases such as fazer uma pergunta (to ask a question) and fazer café (to make coffee). Poder expresses ability or possibility; querer expresses wanting. These verbs help you act in a real exchange even while your vocabulary is still growing.
A short sentence is enough to begin: Você pode repetir? (Can you repeat?) or Eu quero aprender. (I want to learn.) Use a polite tone and add por favor when it suits the situation. Do not worry about building a long sentence before you can handle the central verb clearly.
O que você quer fazer hoje?
What do you want to do today?
Pode falar mais devagar, por favor?
Could you speak more slowly, please?
Eu faço café em casa.
I make coffee at home.
Add gostar de, precisar de, and morar to your routine
Gostar de means to like and keeps de before a noun or infinitive: gosto de música, gosto de caminhar. Precisar de means to need: preciso de ajuda. Morar means to live somewhere: moro no Brasil. Learn the preposition as part of the verb phrase so you do not have to rebuild the pattern every time.
The I Speak Portuguese article presents a broader list of useful verbs. This guide groups ten high-use verbs into jobs they do in conversation; make a personal mini-profile with one sentence for identity, location, needs, preferences, and a plan. Real Life Portuguese can help you hear these chunks in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Eu gosto de música brasileira.
I like Brazilian music.
Você precisa de alguma coisa?
Do you need anything?
Moro perto do centro.
I live near downtown.
Put it into practice
Choose five verbs and write one true sentence with each. Say the sentences aloud, then change the subject from eu to você or a gente and check the verb form.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “What do you want to do today”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
This guide is an original Real Life Portuguese adaptation of an earlier article from I Speak Portuguese.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Build on this guide with everyday expressions and native Brazilian audio. Choose iPhone, Android, or the web app.