Use in Portuguese

What’s up, galera! Are you using A Dica do Dia to learn and improve your Portuguese everyday? I hope so because that’s our motivation for creating all this content for you! Today we are going to study the verb use in Portuguese. Here you can see the Portuguese verb usar, it’s a regular verb so we have highlighted all the endings to make it really clear for you. Let’s take a look!

Meaning of Usar in Portuguese

Which form of transport do you use to go to work? I take the subway everyday. What about the clothes you use? Do you use elegant or casual clothing? To answer this questions in Portuguese you need to learn how to conjugate the verb usar.

The verb usar in Portuguese means to use. You can use an object to do something. For example: I use my computer to work. Its also possible, but not very nice, to use people, meaning to make them do something that you want. But, let’s not do that, right? hahaha.

Examples for Use + Clothing

Eu uso calça jeans todos os dias.
I wear jeans everyday.

Eu adoro usar vestidos no verão!
I love to wear dresses in the summer!

Você usaria um vestido vermelho em um velório?
Would you wear a red dress to a funeral?

Examples for Use + Objects

Você já usou os serviços de uma diarista?
Have you ever employed a day laborer?

As crianças usavam os brinquedos para brincar.
The kids used toys to play.

Eu uso o computador para trabalhar.
I use the computer to work.

Examples for Use + People

Elas usaram seus maridos pelo dinheiro.
They used they husbands for their money.

Ela usou o melhor amigo para conseguir o emprego!
She used her best friend to get the job!

Ele usa a Vívian pelo dinheiro dela!
He is using Vívian for her money!

Conjugate Usar in Portuguese

Usar is a regular verb with -AR ending. Let’s learn how to conjugate the verb usar in Portuguese:

Indicative

Imperative

Subjunctive

Other Tenses

What about you? Besides A Dica do Dia, which other tools do you use to learn Portuguese?

I have a suggestion for you! Come to Rio de Janeiro with a student visa to study Portuguese with us and practice what you learn at our RioLIVE! Activities. It’s a great way to learn Portuguese in Brazil while getting to know the people and the city!

Usar vs. Vestir

There is also another verb we can use when we want to talk about wearing clothes. The verb vestir can be used in the same way as the verb use, but keep in mind it is only for clothing!

Ela vestiu a saia e a blusa.
She wore the skirt and blouse.

Ela usou a saia e a blusa.
She wore the skirt and the blouse.

Both sentences have the same meaning in Portuguese!

Let’s Conjugate Usar in Portuguese

Now it’s your turn to practice and conjugate the verb usar in Portuguese! Figure out the correct word order for these sentences:

1 – Eu – computador – uso – todo – dia.

2 – João – minha – ontem – roupa – usou.

3 – avó – sapatos – da – minha – usei – ontem – Eu.

4 – Ela – que – quer – usemos – nós – casaco.

5 – Vocês – caneta – minha – usaram – ?

6 – usava – meias – antigamente – ele.

7 – usasse – Se – ela – o – carro – rápido – seria – mais.

8 – lápis – Quantos – ontem – usaram – eles – ?

9 – Amanda – usar – carro – meu – quer.

10 – importante – É – que – não – nós – usemos – pessoas – as.

See you next time! Want to practice more? Come to our Instagram and leave a comment about what you think our student is using in this picture.

Hugs from Rio & Learn! <3

           Click on the links below to see more related Dicas
Verbs ending in -ar in Present
Verbs ending in -ar in the Past
Portuguese Verbs ending in ER

Answers

1 – Eu uso o computador todo dia. 

2 – João usou minha roupa ontem.

3 – Eu usei os sapatos da minha avó ontem.

4 – Ela quer que nós usemos casaco.

5 – Vocês usaram minha caneta?

6 – Ele usava meias antigamente.

7 – Se ela usasse o carro seria mais rápido.

8 – Quantos lápis eles usaram ontem?

9 – Amanda quer usar meu carro.

10 – É importante que nós não usemos as pessoas.