Caminhar Conjugation in Portuguese
caminhar means “to walk” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 532 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to walk, and it is completely regular: caminho, caminhas, caminha, caminhamos, caminhais, caminham. Its pretérito perfeito is caminhei, caminhaste, caminhou, and its participle is caminhado. Do not confuse it with andar, which also means to walk, or with correr, which means to run. This page gives you the complete conjugation of caminhar — 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 caminho no parque todos os dias.” — “I walk in the park.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: caminhar
- English: to walk
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: caminhando
- Present participle: caminhante
- Past participle: caminhado
- 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 caminhar, 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 caminhar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about caminhar
- 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 caminhado. 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 caminhando, the present participle is caminhante and the past participle is caminhado: 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 caminhar. 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 | caminho |
| tu | caminhas |
| ele/ela | caminha |
| nós | caminhamos |
| vós | caminhais |
| eles/elas | caminham |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu caminho no parque todos os dias.” — “I walk in the park”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | caminhei |
| tu | caminhaste |
| ele/ela | caminhou |
| nós | caminhámos |
| vós | caminhastes |
| eles/elas | caminharam |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu caminhei no parque ontem.” — “I walked in the park”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | caminhava |
| tu | caminhavas |
| ele/ela | caminhava |
| nós | caminhávamos |
| vós | caminháveis |
| eles/elas | caminhavam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu caminhava no parque antigamente.” — “I used to walk in the park”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | caminhara |
| tu | caminharas |
| ele/ela | caminhara |
| nós | caminháramos |
| vós | caminháreis |
| eles/elas | caminharam |
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 caminhara no parque antes do jantar.” — “I had walked in the park”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | caminharei |
| tu | caminharás |
| ele/ela | caminhará |
| nós | caminharemos |
| vós | caminhareis |
| eles/elas | caminharão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu caminharei no parque amanhã.” — “I will walk in the park”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | caminharia |
| tu | caminharias |
| ele/ela | caminharia |
| nós | caminharíamos |
| vós | caminharíeis |
| eles/elas | caminhariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu caminharia no parque um dia.” — “I would walk in the park”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho caminhado |
| tu | tens caminhado |
| ele/ela | tem caminhado |
| nós | temos caminhado |
| vós | tendes caminhado |
| eles/elas | têm caminhado |
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 caminhado no parque esta semana.” — “He has walked in the park”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha caminhado |
| tu | tinhas caminhado |
| ele/ela | tinha caminhado |
| nós | tínhamos caminhado |
| vós | tínheis caminhado |
| eles/elas | tinham caminhado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha caminhado no parque antes do jantar.” — “I had walked in the park”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei caminhado |
| tu | terás caminhado |
| ele/ela | terá caminhado |
| nós | teremos caminhado |
| vós | tereis caminhado |
| eles/elas | terão caminhado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei caminhado no parque até amanhã.” — “I will have walked in the park”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria caminhado |
| tu | terias caminhado |
| ele/ela | teria caminhado |
| nós | teríamos caminhado |
| vós | teríeis caminhado |
| eles/elas | teriam caminhado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria caminhado no parque ontem.” — “I would have walked in the park”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | caminhe |
| tu | caminhes |
| ele/ela | caminhe |
| nós | caminhemos |
| vós | caminheis |
| eles/elas | caminhem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu caminhe no parque.” — “It is important that I walk in the park”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | caminhasse |
| tu | caminhasses |
| ele/ela | caminhasse |
| nós | caminhássemos |
| vós | caminhásseis |
| eles/elas | caminhassem |
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 caminhasse no parque.” — “It was important that I walk in the park”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | caminhar |
| tu | caminhares |
| ele/ela | caminhar |
| nós | caminharmos |
| vós | caminhardes |
| eles/elas | caminharem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu caminhar no parque, é bom.” — “If I walk in the park, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | caminha |
| ele/ela | caminhe |
| nós | caminhemos |
| vós | caminhai |
| eles/elas | caminhem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Caminha no parque!” — “Walk in the park!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não caminhes |
| ele/ela | não caminhe |
| nós | não caminhemos |
| vós | não caminheis |
| eles/elas | não caminhem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não caminhes no parque.” — “Do not walk in the park.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha caminhado |
| tu | tenhas caminhado |
| ele/ela | tenha caminhado |
| nós | tenhamos caminhado |
| vós | tenhais caminhado |
| eles/elas | tenham caminhado |
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 caminhado no parque.” — “It is important that I have walked in the park”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse caminhado |
| tu | tivesses caminhado |
| ele/ela | tivesse caminhado |
| nós | tivéssemos caminhado |
| vós | tivésseis caminhado |
| eles/elas | tivessem caminhado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse caminhado no parque.” — “It was important that I had walked in the park”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver caminhado |
| tu | tiveres caminhado |
| ele/ela | tiver caminhado |
| nós | tivermos caminhado |
| vós | tiverdes caminhado |
| eles/elas | tiverem caminhado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver caminhado no parque, é bom.” — “If I have walked in the park, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | caminhando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Caminhando no parque, aprendo muito.” — “While walking in the park, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | caminhante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle caminhante 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 caminhante 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 | caminhado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho caminhado no parque esta semana.” — “I have walked in the park.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with caminhar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu caminho no parque todos os dias.” — “I walk in the park”
- “Tu caminhaste no parque ontem.” — “You walked in the park”
- “Ele caminhava no parque antigamente.” — “He used to walk in the park”
- “Eu caminharei no parque amanhã.” — “I will walk in the park”
- “Tu caminharias no parque um dia.” — “You would walk in the park”
- “Ele tem caminhado no parque esta semana.” — “He has walked in the park”
- “Eu tinha caminhado no parque antes do jantar.” — “I had walked in the park”
- “Tu terás caminhado no parque até amanhã.” — “You will have walked in the park”
- “É importante que eu caminhe no parque.” — “It is important that I walk in the park”
- “Caminha no parque!” — “Walk in the park!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu caminhar no parque.”
✓ Right: “Eu caminho no parque todos os dias.”
The infinitive caminhar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form caminho.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu caminhas no parque.”
✓ Right: “Eu caminho no parque todos os dias.”
caminhas is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with caminho.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu caminho no parque ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu caminhei no parque ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito caminhei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou caminhado no parque.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho caminhado no parque esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of caminhar is formed with ter plus the past participle caminhado: the eu form is tenho caminhado. 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 caminho no parque.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu caminhe no parque.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use caminhe here, not the indicative caminho.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho caminhando no parque.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho caminhado no parque esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle caminhado, not the gerund caminhando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on caminhar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of caminhar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) caminhas
- B) caminho
- C) caminha
- D) caminhamos
What is the ele/ela form of caminhar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) caminhei
- B) caminhaste
- C) caminhou
- D) caminhámos
What is the nós form of caminhar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) caminhava
- B) caminhavas
- C) caminháveis
- D) caminhávamos
What is the tu form of caminhar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) caminharás
- B) caminharei
- C) caminhará
- D) caminharemos
What is the eu form of caminhar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) caminharias
- B) caminharia
- C) caminharíamos
- D) caminharíeis
What is the ele/ela form of caminhar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho caminhado
- B) tens caminhado
- C) tem caminhado
- D) temos caminhado
What is the ele/ela form of caminhar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) caminhes
- B) caminhemos
- C) caminheis
- D) caminhe
What is the eu form of caminhar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) caminhasse
- B) caminhasses
- C) caminhássemos
- D) caminhásseis
What is the gerund of caminhar?
- A) caminhado
- B) caminhando
- C) caminhar
- D) caminho
What does caminhar mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to walk
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) caminho — the correct form is caminho. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) caminhou — the correct form is caminhou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) caminhávamos — the correct form is caminhávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) caminharás — the correct form is caminharás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) caminharia — the correct form is caminharia. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem caminhado — the correct form is tem caminhado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) caminhe — the correct form is caminhe. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) caminhasse — the correct form is caminhasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) caminhando — the correct form is caminhando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to walk — the correct form is to walk. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does caminhar mean in English?
caminhar means “to walk”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is caminhar regular or irregular?
caminhar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is caminhando and the past participle is caminhado.
What are the gerund and past participle of caminhar?
The gerund is caminhando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is caminhado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho caminhado.
Which auxiliary does caminhar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
caminhar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho caminhado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle caminhado.
How do I say “I walk” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu caminho no parque todos os dias.” — “I walk in the park” The eu form of the present is caminho, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of caminhar — every tense of caminhar in one place.
- Caminhar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Caminhar 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.
- Pagar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Comprar 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 caminhar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise caminhar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise caminhar with the interactive tool.