Jogar Conjugation in Portuguese
jogar means “to play” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 40 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to play a game or a sport, and it is regular apart from its spelling: the -gar stem keeps its hard g by writing gu before e and i, so the pretérito perfeito eu form is joguei. The present is jogo, jogas, joga, and the participle is jogado. It is the verb for football, cards and every other game. This page gives you the complete conjugation of jogar — 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 jogo futebol todos os dias.” — “I play football.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: jogar
- English: to play
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: jogando
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: jogado
- 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 jogar, 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 jogar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about jogar
- 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 stem keeps its hard sound by writing qu or gu before e and i, so the eu form is jogo and the subjunctive eu form is jogue.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle jogado. 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 jogando and the past participle is jogado: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. There is no present participle form listed for this verb in the verified tables. If you know those two 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 jogar. 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 | jogo |
| tu | jogas |
| ele/ela | joga |
| nós | jogamos |
| vós | jogais |
| eles/elas | jogam |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu jogo futebol todos os dias.” — “I play football”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | joguei |
| tu | jogaste |
| ele/ela | jogou |
| nós | jogámos |
| vós | jogastes |
| eles/elas | jogaram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu joguei futebol ontem.” — “I played football”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | jogava |
| tu | jogavas |
| ele/ela | jogava |
| nós | jogávamos |
| vós | jogáveis |
| eles/elas | jogavam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu jogava futebol antigamente.” — “I used to play football”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | jogara |
| tu | jogaras |
| ele/ela | jogara |
| nós | jogáramos |
| vós | jogáreis |
| eles/elas | jogaram |
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 jogara futebol antes do jantar.” — “I had played football”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | jogarei |
| tu | jogarás |
| ele/ela | jogará |
| nós | jogaremos |
| vós | jogareis |
| eles/elas | jogarão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu jogarei futebol amanhã.” — “I will play football”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | jogaria |
| tu | jogarias |
| ele/ela | jogaria |
| nós | jogaríamos |
| vós | jogaríeis |
| eles/elas | jogariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu jogaria futebol um dia.” — “I would play football”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho jogado |
| tu | tens jogado |
| ele/ela | tem jogado |
| nós | temos jogado |
| vós | tendes jogado |
| eles/elas | têm jogado |
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 jogado futebol esta semana.” — “He has played football”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha jogado |
| tu | tinhas jogado |
| ele/ela | tinha jogado |
| nós | tínhamos jogado |
| vós | tínheis jogado |
| eles/elas | tinham jogado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha jogado futebol antes do jantar.” — “I had played football”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei jogado |
| tu | terás jogado |
| ele/ela | terá jogado |
| nós | teremos jogado |
| vós | tereis jogado |
| eles/elas | terão jogado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei jogado futebol até amanhã.” — “I will have played football”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria jogado |
| tu | terias jogado |
| ele/ela | teria jogado |
| nós | teríamos jogado |
| vós | teríeis jogado |
| eles/elas | teriam jogado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria jogado futebol ontem.” — “I would have played football”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | jogue |
| tu | jogues |
| ele/ela | jogue |
| nós | joguemos |
| vós | jogueis |
| eles/elas | joguem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu jogue futebol.” — “It is important that I play football”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | jogasse |
| tu | jogasses |
| ele/ela | jogasse |
| nós | jogássemos |
| vós | jogásseis |
| eles/elas | jogassem |
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 jogasse futebol.” — “It was important that I play football”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | jogar |
| tu | jogares |
| ele/ela | jogar |
| nós | jogarmos |
| vós | jogardes |
| eles/elas | jogarem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu jogar futebol, é bom.” — “If I play football, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | joga |
| ele/ela | jogue |
| nós | joguemos |
| vós | jogai |
| eles/elas | joguem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Joga futebol!” — “Play football!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não jogues |
| ele/ela | não jogue |
| nós | não joguemos |
| vós | não jogueis |
| eles/elas | não joguem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não jogues futebol.” — “Do not play football.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha jogado |
| tu | tenhas jogado |
| ele/ela | tenha jogado |
| nós | tenhamos jogado |
| vós | tenhais jogado |
| eles/elas | tenham jogado |
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 jogado futebol.” — “It is important that I have played football”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse jogado |
| tu | tivesses jogado |
| ele/ela | tivesse jogado |
| nós | tivéssemos jogado |
| vós | tivésseis jogado |
| eles/elas | tivessem jogado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse jogado futebol.” — “It was important that I had played football”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver jogado |
| tu | tiveres jogado |
| ele/ela | tiver jogado |
| nós | tivermos jogado |
| vós | tiverdes jogado |
| eles/elas | tiverem jogado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver jogado futebol, é bom.” — “If I have played football, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | jogando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Jogando futebol, aprendo muito.” — “While playing football, I learn a lot.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | jogado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho jogado futebol esta semana.” — “I have played football.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with jogar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu jogo futebol todos os dias.” — “I play football”
- “Tu jogaste futebol ontem.” — “You played football”
- “Ele jogava futebol antigamente.” — “He used to play football”
- “Eu jogarei futebol amanhã.” — “I will play football”
- “Tu jogarias futebol um dia.” — “You would play football”
- “Ele tem jogado futebol esta semana.” — “He has played football”
- “Eu tinha jogado futebol antes do jantar.” — “I had played football”
- “Tu terás jogado futebol até amanhã.” — “You will have played football”
- “É importante que eu jogue futebol.” — “It is important that I play football”
- “Joga futebol!” — “Play football!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu jogar futebol.”
✓ Right: “Eu jogo futebol todos os dias.”
The infinitive jogar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form jogo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu jogas futebol.”
✓ Right: “Eu jogo futebol todos os dias.”
jogas is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with jogo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu jogo futebol ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu joguei futebol ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito joguei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou jogado futebol.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho jogado futebol esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of jogar is formed with ter plus the past participle jogado: the eu form is tenho jogado. 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 jogo futebol.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu jogue futebol.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use jogue here, not the indicative jogo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho jogando futebol.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho jogado futebol esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle jogado, not the gerund jogando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on jogar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of jogar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) jogas
- B) jogo
- C) joga
- D) jogamos
What is the ele/ela form of jogar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) joguei
- B) jogaste
- C) jogou
- D) jogámos
What is the nós form of jogar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) jogava
- B) jogavas
- C) jogáveis
- D) jogávamos
What is the tu form of jogar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) jogarás
- B) jogarei
- C) jogará
- D) jogaremos
What is the eu form of jogar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) jogarias
- B) jogaria
- C) jogaríamos
- D) jogaríeis
What is the ele/ela form of jogar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho jogado
- B) tens jogado
- C) tem jogado
- D) temos jogado
What is the ele/ela form of jogar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) jogues
- B) joguemos
- C) jogueis
- D) jogue
What is the eu form of jogar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) jogasse
- B) jogasses
- C) jogássemos
- D) jogásseis
What is the gerund of jogar?
- A) jogado
- B) jogando
- C) jogar
- D) jogo
What does jogar mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to play
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) jogo — the correct form is jogo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) jogou — the correct form is jogou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) jogávamos — the correct form is jogávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) jogarás — the correct form is jogarás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) jogaria — the correct form is jogaria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem jogado — the correct form is tem jogado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) jogue — the correct form is jogue. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) jogasse — the correct form is jogasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) jogando — the correct form is jogando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to play — the correct form is to play. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does jogar mean in English?
jogar means “to play”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is jogar regular or irregular?
jogar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is jogando and the past participle is jogado.
What are the gerund and past participle of jogar?
The gerund is jogando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is jogado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho jogado.
Which auxiliary does jogar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
jogar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho jogado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle jogado.
How do I say “I play” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu jogo futebol todos os dias.” — “I play football” The eu form of the present is jogo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of jogar — every tense of jogar in one place.
- Jogar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Jogar 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 jogar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise jogar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise jogar with the interactive tool.