Contents · A2
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The past participle is the form of the verb used after ter in the compound tenses and, as an adjective, after a noun or after estar. As an adjective, it agrees with the noun in gender and number.
The past participle: falado, comido, feito, aberto#
Formation
The past participle of a regular verb is formed on the stem: -ar verbs take -ado (falar, falado), -er and -ir verbs take -ido (comer, comido; partir, partido). A few frequent verbs have an irregular participle:
| Infinitive | Participle | Infinitive | Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| fazer | feito | escrever | escrito |
| dizer | dito | abrir | aberto |
| ver | visto | vir | vindo |
| pôr | posto | pagar | pago |
Use
After a noun, the participle is an adjective and agrees with it: um vidro partido, uma janela aberta, os trabalhos feitos, as cartas escritas. After ter, in The past before the past: tinha feito, it does not change: Elas tinham feito o jantar. Pagar has the short participle pago in both uses.
- Comprei pão feito em casa.I bought homemade bread.
- Encontrei uma janela aberta.I found a window open.
- As sopas servidas aqui são ótimas.The soups served here are excellent.
- É um livro escrito por uma jornalista.It’s a book written by a journalist.
Difference from English
English “washed” has one form; lavado has four: lavado, lavada, lavados, lavadas. English “made”, “said”, “seen”, “written” are irregular too, but not always the same verbs as in Portuguese: “opened” is regular, aberto irregular.
Common mistakes
O bolo está fazido.→ O bolo está feito.Fazer has the irregular participle feito.A conta pagada→ A conta pagaThe participle of pagar is pago.as portas aberto→ as portas abertasAfter a noun, the participle agrees with it.
Practise
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A state: estar + participle, o museu está fechado#
Formation
Estar is followed by a participle that agrees with the subject: A biblioteca ainda está aberta, Os copos estão partidos, O trabalho está acabado.
Use
The construction expresses the state that results from an action, without naming who did it: someone closed the museum, so o museu está fechado. It is very common for things that are open, closed, done, switched on or off: A televisão está ligada, A luz está apagada, Os bilhetes estão pagos.
- O museu está fechado à segunda-feira.The museum is closed on Mondays.
- As camas estão feitas.The beds are made.
- O computador está desligado.The computer is switched off.
- A sopa está pronta: podemos jantar.The soup is ready: we can have dinner.
Difference from English
English “is closed” can mean a state or an action; Portuguese uses estar for the state, the usual meaning: Hoje a biblioteca está fechada.
Common mistakes
A porta é aberta. (for “the door is open”) → A porta está aberta. A state is expressed with estar.
As janelas estão fechado.→ As janelas estão fechadas.After estar, the participle agrees with the subject.
In short
| Point | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| regular participle | -ado; -ido | falado, comido, partido |
| irregular participle | feito, dito, visto, posto, escrito, aberto, vindo, pago | a carta escrita |
| after a noun or estar | agrees | as janelas abertas |
| after ter | does not change | tinham feito |
| a state | estar + participle | O museu está fechado. |
Practise
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