How to Say ‘Usually’ in Portuguese: Use Costumar for Habits
Costumar + an infinitive is a practical way to say what you usually do. Learn the pattern and compare it with sempre, às vezes, and quase nunca.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Costumar means to usually do something or to be in the habit of doing it. Conjugate costumar for the subject, then keep the next verb in the infinitive: costumo trabalhar, costuma estudar, costumamos cozinhar. Do not add a preposition between the two verbs.
Build the pattern costumar + infinitive
The subject can be omitted when the verb ending or context makes it clear. In everyday Brazilian speech, você commonly uses the same verb form as ele and ela: você costuma, ele costuma, ela costuma.
Eu costumo caminhar depois do almoço.
I usually go for a walk after lunch.
Você costuma ouvir música enquanto trabalha?
Do you usually listen to music while you work?
A gente costuma jantar mais tarde.
We usually have dinner later.
Choose a frequency word that matches your meaning
Costumar describes a general pattern. Frequency expressions give a more exact sense of how often something happens: sempre (always), geralmente or normalmente (usually), às vezes (sometimes), raramente (rarely), and quase nunca (almost never). They can appear before or after the verb, although some positions feel more natural than others in a particular sentence.
Use every day carefully: todo dia and todos os dias are both heard in Brazil. Match the article and number to the expression you choose, and keep the sentence simple while you are learning the pattern.
Às vezes, eu preparo o almoço em casa.
Sometimes I make lunch at home.
Ela quase nunca trabalha aos sábados.
She almost never works on Saturdays.
Normalmente, a gente pega o ônibus às oito.
We usually take the bus at eight.
Ask about someone’s routine with costuma
To ask what someone normally does, put costuma before an infinitive: O que você costuma fazer no fim de semana? The person can answer with a routine, then add an exception with mas (but) or às vezes (sometimes). This is a natural way to move from small talk to a real conversation.
If you want to ask about a specific day or time, include it in the question. The form costuma stays the same with você, ele, and ela; use costumo with eu and costumamos with nós.
O que vocês costumam fazer depois da aula?
What do you all usually do after class?
Costumo ler antes de dormir, mas às vezes vejo uma série.
I usually read before bed, but sometimes I watch a series.
A que horas você costuma começar a trabalhar?
What time do you usually start work?
Put it into practice
Choose one real habit and complete “Eu costumo…”. Add one frequency phrase and one exception so you can describe a routine rather than recite a single sentence.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “I usually read before bed, but sometimes I watch a series”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
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.