Achar Conjugation in Portuguese
achar means “to think, to find” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 530 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to think, to find and to consider, and it is the verb for opinions — acho que é tarde. It is completely regular, and it is different from pensar, which is the verb for the act of thinking itself. This page gives you the complete conjugation of achar — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Eu acho que é tarde todos os dias.” — “I think that it is late.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: achar
- English: to think, to find
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: achando
- Present participle: achante
- Past participle: achado
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -ar verbs; pattern ar in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for achar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read achar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about achar
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -ar pattern, so once you know the stem you can build the whole table. The only work is learning the endings, not memorising exceptions.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle achado. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The gerund is achando, the present participle is achante and the past participle is achado: keep all three in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions, the present participle appears as an adjective, and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. If you know those three forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for achar. Learn the present tense first, then the pretérito perfeito and the pretérito imperfeito, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | acho |
| tu | achas |
| ele/ela | acha |
| nós | achamos |
| vós | achais |
| eles/elas | acham |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu acho que é tarde todos os dias.” — “I think that it is late”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | achei |
| tu | achaste |
| ele/ela | achou |
| nós | achámos |
| vós | achastes |
| eles/elas | acharam |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu achei que é tarde ontem.” — “I thought that it is late”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | achava |
| tu | achavas |
| ele/ela | achava |
| nós | achávamos |
| vós | acháveis |
| eles/elas | achavam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu achava que é tarde antigamente.” — “I used to think that it is late”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | achara |
| tu | acharas |
| ele/ela | achara |
| nós | acháramos |
| vós | acháreis |
| eles/elas | acharam |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples is used for an action completed before another past action; in everyday speech the compound form with tinha is more common. For example: “Eu achara que é tarde antes do jantar.” — “I had thought that it is late”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | acharei |
| tu | acharás |
| ele/ela | achará |
| nós | acharemos |
| vós | achareis |
| eles/elas | acharão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu acharei que é tarde amanhã.” — “I will think that it is late”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | acharia |
| tu | acharias |
| ele/ela | acharia |
| nós | acharíamos |
| vós | acharíeis |
| eles/elas | achariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu acharia que é tarde um dia.” — “I would think that it is late”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho achado |
| tu | tens achado |
| ele/ela | tem achado |
| nós | temos achado |
| vós | tendes achado |
| eles/elas | têm achado |
The pretérito perfeito composto is used for actions that started in the past and continue, or have been repeated, up to the present. For example: “Ele tem achado que é tarde esta semana.” — “He has thought that it is late”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha achado |
| tu | tinhas achado |
| ele/ela | tinha achado |
| nós | tínhamos achado |
| vós | tínheis achado |
| eles/elas | tinham achado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha achado que é tarde antes do jantar.” — “I had thought that it is late”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei achado |
| tu | terás achado |
| ele/ela | terá achado |
| nós | teremos achado |
| vós | tereis achado |
| eles/elas | terão achado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei achado que é tarde até amanhã.” — “I will have thought that it is late”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria achado |
| tu | terias achado |
| ele/ela | teria achado |
| nós | teríamos achado |
| vós | teríeis achado |
| eles/elas | teriam achado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria achado que é tarde ontem.” — “I would have thought that it is late”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | ache |
| tu | aches |
| ele/ela | ache |
| nós | achemos |
| vós | acheis |
| eles/elas | achem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu ache que é tarde.” — “It is important that I think that it is late”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | achasse |
| tu | achasses |
| ele/ela | achasse |
| nós | achássemos |
| vós | achásseis |
| eles/elas | achassem |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after que, and in se-clauses. For example: “Era importante que eu achasse que é tarde.” — “It was important that I think that it is late”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | achar |
| tu | achares |
| ele/ela | achar |
| nós | acharmos |
| vós | achardes |
| eles/elas | acharem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu achar que é tarde, é bom.” — “If I think that it is late, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | acha |
| ele/ela | ache |
| nós | achemos |
| vós | achai |
| eles/elas | achem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Acha que é tarde!” — “Think that it is late!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não aches |
| ele/ela | não ache |
| nós | não achemos |
| vós | não acheis |
| eles/elas | não achem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não aches que é tarde.” — “Do not think that it is late.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha achado |
| tu | tenhas achado |
| ele/ela | tenha achado |
| nós | tenhamos achado |
| vós | tenhais achado |
| eles/elas | tenham achado |
The presente do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a subordinate clause expressing doubt, wish or emotion. For example: “É importante que eu tenha achado que é tarde.” — “It is important that I have thought that it is late”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse achado |
| tu | tivesses achado |
| ele/ela | tivesse achado |
| nós | tivéssemos achado |
| vós | tivésseis achado |
| eles/elas | tivessem achado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse achado que é tarde.” — “It was important that I had thought that it is late”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver achado |
| tu | tiveres achado |
| ele/ela | tiver achado |
| nós | tivermos achado |
| vós | tiverdes achado |
| eles/elas | tiverem achado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver achado que é tarde, é bom.” — “If I have thought that it is late, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | achando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Achando que é tarde, aprendo muito.” — “While thinking that it is late, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | achante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle achante is used to describe something that is happening at the same time as the main action, much like an English -ing adjective. You will meet achante more often as an adjective or a noun than as a verb form, so learn it as a word in its own right.
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | achado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho achado que é tarde esta semana.” — “I have thought that it is late.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with achar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu acho que é tarde todos os dias.” — “I think that it is late”
- “Tu achaste que é tarde ontem.” — “You thought that it is late”
- “Ele achava que é tarde antigamente.” — “He used to think that it is late”
- “Eu acharei que é tarde amanhã.” — “I will think that it is late”
- “Tu acharias que é tarde um dia.” — “You would think that it is late”
- “Ele tem achado que é tarde esta semana.” — “He has thought that it is late”
- “Eu tinha achado que é tarde antes do jantar.” — “I had thought that it is late”
- “Tu terás achado que é tarde até amanhã.” — “You will have thought that it is late”
- “É importante que eu ache que é tarde.” — “It is important that I think that it is late”
- “Acha que é tarde!” — “Think that it is late!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu achar que é tarde.”
✓ Right: “Eu acho que é tarde todos os dias.”
The infinitive achar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form acho.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu achas que é tarde.”
✓ Right: “Eu acho que é tarde todos os dias.”
achas is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with acho.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu acho que é tarde ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu achei que é tarde ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito achei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou achado que é tarde.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho achado que é tarde esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of achar is formed with ter plus the past participle achado: the eu form is tenho achado. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “É importante que eu acho que é tarde.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu ache que é tarde.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use ache here, not the indicative acho.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho achando que é tarde.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho achado que é tarde esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle achado, not the gerund achando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on achar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of achar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) achas
- B) acho
- C) acha
- D) achamos
What is the ele/ela form of achar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) achei
- B) achaste
- C) achou
- D) achámos
What is the nós form of achar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) achava
- B) achavas
- C) acháveis
- D) achávamos
What is the tu form of achar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) acharás
- B) acharei
- C) achará
- D) acharemos
What is the eu form of achar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) acharias
- B) acharia
- C) acharíamos
- D) acharíeis
What is the ele/ela form of achar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho achado
- B) tens achado
- C) tem achado
- D) temos achado
What is the ele/ela form of achar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) aches
- B) achemos
- C) acheis
- D) ache
What is the eu form of achar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) achasse
- B) achasses
- C) achássemos
- D) achásseis
What is the gerund of achar?
- A) achado
- B) achando
- C) achar
- D) acho
What does achar mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to think, to find
- D) —
Answer key
- B) acho — the correct form is acho. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) achou — the correct form is achou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) achávamos — the correct form is achávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) acharás — the correct form is acharás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) acharia — the correct form is acharia. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem achado — the correct form is tem achado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) ache — the correct form is ache. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) achasse — the correct form is achasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) achando — the correct form is achando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to think, to find — the correct form is to think, to find. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does achar mean in English?
achar means “to think, to find”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is achar regular or irregular?
achar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is achando and the past participle is achado.
What are the gerund and past participle of achar?
The gerund is achando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is achado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho achado.
Which auxiliary does achar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
achar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho achado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle achado.
How do I say “I think” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu acho que é tarde todos os dias.” — “I think that it is late” The eu form of the present is acho, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of achar — every tense of achar in one place.
- Achar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Achar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese present tense guide — the full guide to the present tense in Portuguese.
- Estar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Dar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Portuguese verbs — the full hub of Portuguese conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise achar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise achar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise achar with the interactive tool.