Levar Conjugation in Portuguese
levar means “to carry” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 82 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to carry and to take something somewhere, and it is completely regular: levo, levas, leva, levamos, levais, levam. Its pretérito perfeito is levei, levaste, levou, and its participle is levado. It also means to take time, as in how long something takes. Do not confuse it with trazer, which means to bring something towards the speaker. This page gives you the complete conjugation of levar — 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 levo um livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I carry a book to Maria.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: levar
- English: to carry
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: levando
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: levado
- 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 levar, 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 levar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about levar
- 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 levado. 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 levando and the past participle is levado: 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 levar. 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 | levo |
| tu | levas |
| ele/ela | leva |
| nós | levamos |
| vós | levais |
| eles/elas | levam |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu levo um livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I carry a book to Maria”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levei |
| tu | levaste |
| ele/ela | levou |
| nós | levámos |
| vós | levastes |
| eles/elas | levaram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu levei um livro à Maria ontem.” — “I carried a book to Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levava |
| tu | levavas |
| ele/ela | levava |
| nós | levávamos |
| vós | leváveis |
| eles/elas | levavam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu levava um livro à Maria antigamente.” — “I used to carry a book to Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levara |
| tu | levaras |
| ele/ela | levara |
| nós | leváramos |
| vós | leváreis |
| eles/elas | levaram |
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 levara um livro à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had carried a book to Maria”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levarei |
| tu | levarás |
| ele/ela | levará |
| nós | levaremos |
| vós | levareis |
| eles/elas | levarão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu levarei um livro à Maria amanhã.” — “I will carry a book to Maria”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levaria |
| tu | levarias |
| ele/ela | levaria |
| nós | levaríamos |
| vós | levaríeis |
| eles/elas | levariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu levaria um livro à Maria um dia.” — “I would carry a book to Maria”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho levado |
| tu | tens levado |
| ele/ela | tem levado |
| nós | temos levado |
| vós | tendes levado |
| eles/elas | têm levado |
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 levado um livro à Maria esta semana.” — “He has carried a book to Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha levado |
| tu | tinhas levado |
| ele/ela | tinha levado |
| nós | tínhamos levado |
| vós | tínheis levado |
| eles/elas | tinham levado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha levado um livro à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had carried a book to Maria”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei levado |
| tu | terás levado |
| ele/ela | terá levado |
| nós | teremos levado |
| vós | tereis levado |
| eles/elas | terão levado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei levado um livro à Maria até amanhã.” — “I will have carried a book to Maria”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria levado |
| tu | terias levado |
| ele/ela | teria levado |
| nós | teríamos levado |
| vós | teríeis levado |
| eles/elas | teriam levado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria levado um livro à Maria ontem.” — “I would have carried a book to Maria”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | leve |
| tu | leves |
| ele/ela | leve |
| nós | levemos |
| vós | leveis |
| eles/elas | levem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu leve um livro à Maria.” — “It is important that I carry a book to Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levasse |
| tu | levasses |
| ele/ela | levasse |
| nós | levássemos |
| vós | levásseis |
| eles/elas | levassem |
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 levasse um livro à Maria.” — “It was important that I carry a book to Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levar |
| tu | levares |
| ele/ela | levar |
| nós | levarmos |
| vós | levardes |
| eles/elas | levarem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu levar um livro à Maria, é bom.” — “If I carry a book to Maria, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | leva |
| ele/ela | leve |
| nós | levemos |
| vós | levai |
| eles/elas | levem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Leva um livro à Maria!” — “Carry a book to Maria!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não leves |
| ele/ela | não leve |
| nós | não levemos |
| vós | não leveis |
| eles/elas | não levem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não leves um livro à Maria.” — “Do not carry a book to Maria.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha levado |
| tu | tenhas levado |
| ele/ela | tenha levado |
| nós | tenhamos levado |
| vós | tenhais levado |
| eles/elas | tenham levado |
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 levado um livro à Maria.” — “It is important that I have carried a book to Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse levado |
| tu | tivesses levado |
| ele/ela | tivesse levado |
| nós | tivéssemos levado |
| vós | tivésseis levado |
| eles/elas | tivessem levado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse levado um livro à Maria.” — “It was important that I had carried a book to Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver levado |
| tu | tiveres levado |
| ele/ela | tiver levado |
| nós | tivermos levado |
| vós | tiverdes levado |
| eles/elas | tiverem levado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver levado um livro à Maria, é bom.” — “If I have carried a book to Maria, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | levando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Levando um livro à Maria, aprendo muito.” — “While carrying a book to Maria, I learn a lot.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | levado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho levado um livro à Maria esta semana.” — “I have carried a book to Maria.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with levar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu levo um livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I carry a book to Maria”
- “Tu levaste um livro à Maria ontem.” — “You carried a book to Maria”
- “Ele levava um livro à Maria antigamente.” — “He used to carry a book to Maria”
- “Eu levarei um livro à Maria amanhã.” — “I will carry a book to Maria”
- “Tu levarias um livro à Maria um dia.” — “You would carry a book to Maria”
- “Ele tem levado um livro à Maria esta semana.” — “He has carried a book to Maria”
- “Eu tinha levado um livro à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had carried a book to Maria”
- “Tu terás levado um livro à Maria até amanhã.” — “You will have carried a book to Maria”
- “É importante que eu leve um livro à Maria.” — “It is important that I carry a book to Maria”
- “Leva um livro à Maria!” — “Carry a book to Maria!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu levar um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu levo um livro à Maria todos os dias.”
The infinitive levar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form levo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu levas um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu levo um livro à Maria todos os dias.”
levas is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with levo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu levo um livro à Maria ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu levei um livro à Maria ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito levei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou levado um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho levado um livro à Maria esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of levar is formed with ter plus the past participle levado: the eu form is tenho levado. 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 levo um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu leve um livro à Maria.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use leve here, not the indicative levo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho levando um livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho levado um livro à Maria esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle levado, not the gerund levando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on levar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of levar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) levas
- B) levo
- C) leva
- D) levamos
What is the ele/ela form of levar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) levei
- B) levaste
- C) levou
- D) levámos
What is the nós form of levar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) levava
- B) levavas
- C) leváveis
- D) levávamos
What is the tu form of levar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) levarás
- B) levarei
- C) levará
- D) levaremos
What is the eu form of levar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) levarias
- B) levaria
- C) levaríamos
- D) levaríeis
What is the ele/ela form of levar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho levado
- B) tens levado
- C) tem levado
- D) temos levado
What is the ele/ela form of levar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) leves
- B) levemos
- C) leveis
- D) leve
What is the eu form of levar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) levasse
- B) levasses
- C) levássemos
- D) levásseis
What is the gerund of levar?
- A) levado
- B) levando
- C) levar
- D) levo
What does levar mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to carry
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) levo — the correct form is levo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) levou — the correct form is levou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) levávamos — the correct form is levávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) levarás — the correct form is levarás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) levaria — the correct form is levaria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem levado — the correct form is tem levado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) leve — the correct form is leve. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) levasse — the correct form is levasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) levando — the correct form is levando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to carry — the correct form is to carry. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does levar mean in English?
levar means “to carry”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is levar regular or irregular?
levar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is levando and the past participle is levado.
What are the gerund and past participle of levar?
The gerund is levando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is levado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho levado.
Which auxiliary does levar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
levar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho levado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle levado.
How do I say “I carry” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu levo um livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I carry a book to Maria” The eu form of the present is levo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of levar — every tense of levar in one place.
- Levar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Levar 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 levar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise levar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise levar with the interactive tool.