Simple Past of Ser and Ir in Portuguese

14 de November de 2013

What’ up y’all? Smooth sailing? Today’s Dica will teach us the difference between the Simple Past of Ser and Ir in Portuguese.

 

What’s the difference between the Simple Past of Ser and Ir in Portuguese?

To begin our conversation, let’s learn the difference between these two verbs. The verb ser is the verb to be, we use it to talk about things that we were in the past like personality, physical characteristics, etc… We’ll use this verb in this tense to explain things that we were in the past, but we are not anymore.

The verbΒ ir is the verb to go, and we’ll use it to talk about places we’ve been to in the past. It is mostly used to talk about places and movement.

Now, let’s learn the conjugation of the Simple Past of Ser and Ir in Portuguese:

Conjugation of Past Perfect of Ser and Ir in Portuguese. ConjugaΓ§Γ£o do verbo ser e do verbo ir no pretΓ©rito perfeito: Eu fui, vocΓͺ foi, ele foi, nΓ³s fomos, vocΓͺs foram, eles foram.

The verbs Ser and Ir have the same conjugation in the Simple Past. We can see the difference between them by the context in which they are used.

 

Let’s hear the pronunciation?

Verb Ser e Ir Pronunciation
Eu fui
VocΓͺ / Ele / Ela foi
NΓ³s fomos
VocΓͺs / Eles / Elas foram

Let’s see some examples that show, in context, the difference between the Simple Past of Ser and Ir in Portuguese:

ExamplesΒ with the verb Ser in the Past

O livro foi interessante
The book was interesting.

O argumento do professor foi muito bom.
The teacher’s argument was very good.

Eu nunca fui assaltado.
I have never been robbed.

NΓ³s fomos bons amigos na escola.
We were good friends at school.

ExamplesΒ with the verb IrΒ in the Past

Eles foram para a Europa no ano passado.
They went to Europe last year.

Ele foi para a Dinamarca de fΓ©rias.
He went to Denmark on vacation.

Ela jΓ‘ foram a SΓ£o Paulo trΓͺs vezes.
They went to SΓ£o Paulo three times.

Eu fui para a Argentina hΓ‘ um ano atrΓ‘s.
I went to Argentina a year ago.

 

Exercise about Simple Past of Ser and Ir in Portuguese

Now that you’re learning Portuguese online, it’s time to practice! Complete the sentences with the correct conjugation and tell us if you used the verbΒ ser or the verbΒ ir in each case!

  1. Ele ______ presidente do Brasil.
  2. Eu nunca ______ Γ  Lapa.
  3. Eles ______ estudar no Brasil com o visto de estudante.
  4. Elas sempre ______ boas estudantes.
  5. Em 2015 nΓ³s ______ aos Estados Unidos.
  6. Ela ______ professora no curso.
  7. Ele jΓ‘ ______ loiro, mas agora Γ© ruivo.
  8. NΓ³s ______ muito tΓ­midos, mas agora somos mais extrovertidos.
  9. Enquanto estudΓ‘vamos no Rio, nΓ³s ______ a todas as Atividades RioLIVE!
  10. Eu ______ Γ  padaria e ao supermercado ontem de manhΓ£.

 

There you go!
We have just learned about the past perfect of Ser and Ir in Portuguese.
Shall we create some examples to practice? Want to talk to us? Come chat on our Facebook page!

Big hug from everyone at Rio & Learn!

 

Ler esta Dica em PortuguΓͺsΒ  Β  Β Leer esta Dica en EspaΓ±ol
Click in the links below to see more related Dicas
Verbs ending in AR in the Past
Verbs ending in ER in the past
Past tense of Go in Portuguese
Portuguese Perfect and Imperfect

Answers

  1. Ele foi presidente do Brasil. (Verbo ser)
  2. Eu nunca fui Γ  Lapa. (Verbo ir)
  3. Eles foram estudar no Brasil com o visto de estudante. (Verbo ir)
  4. Elas sempre foram boas estudantes. (Verbo ser)
  5. Em 2015 nΓ³s fomos aos Estados Unidos. (Verbo ir)
  6. Ela foi professora no curso. (Verbo ser)
  7. Ele jΓ‘ foi loiro, mas agora Γ© ruivo. (Verbo ser)
  8. NΓ³s fomos muito tΓ­midos, mas agora somos mais extrovertidos.Β (Verbo ser)
  9. Enquanto estudΓ‘vamos no Rio, nΓ³s fomos a todas as Atividades RioLIVE! (Verbo ir)
  10. Eu fui Γ  padaria e ao supermercado ontem de manhΓ£. (Verbo ir)