Nascer Conjugation in Portuguese
nascer means “to be born” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 23 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to be born, and it is regular apart from its spelling: the stem-final c becomes ç before a and o, so the eu form is nasço and the subjunctive is nasça. Its pretérito perfeito is nasci, nasceste, nasceu, and its participle is nascido. This page gives you the complete conjugation of nascer — 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 nasço em Lisboa.” — “I am born in Lisbon.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: nascer
- English: to be born
- Verb type: Regular -er verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: nascendo
- Present participle: nascente
- Past participle: nascido
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -er verbs; pattern er in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for nascer, 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 nascer in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about nascer
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -er 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-final c becomes ç before a and o, so the eu form is nasço and the subjunctive eu form is nasça.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle nascido. 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 nascendo, the present participle is nascente and the past participle is nascido: 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 nascer. 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 | nasço |
| tu | nasces |
| ele/ela | nasce |
| nós | nascemos |
| vós | nasceis |
| eles/elas | nascem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu nasço em Lisboa.” — “I am born in Lisbon”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | nasci |
| tu | nasceste |
| ele/ela | nasceu |
| nós | nascemos |
| vós | nascestes |
| eles/elas | nasceram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu nasci em Lisboa em 1990.” — “I was born in Lisbon”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | nascia |
| tu | nascias |
| ele/ela | nascia |
| nós | nascíamos |
| vós | nascíeis |
| eles/elas | nasciam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu nascia em Lisboa antigamente.” — “I used to be born in Lisbon”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | nascera |
| tu | nasceras |
| ele/ela | nascera |
| nós | nascéramos |
| vós | nascéreis |
| eles/elas | nasceram |
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 nascera em Lisboa antes do jantar.” — “I had been born in Lisbon”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | nascerei |
| tu | nascerás |
| ele/ela | nascerá |
| nós | nasceremos |
| vós | nascereis |
| eles/elas | nascerão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu nascerei em Lisboa.” — “I will be born in Lisbon”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | nasceria |
| tu | nascerias |
| ele/ela | nasceria |
| nós | nasceríamos |
| vós | nasceríeis |
| eles/elas | nasceriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu nasceria em Lisboa.” — “I would be born in Lisbon”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho nascido |
| tu | tens nascido |
| ele/ela | tem nascido |
| nós | temos nascido |
| vós | tendes nascido |
| eles/elas | têm nascido |
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 nascido em Lisboa esta semana.” — “He has been born in Lisbon”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha nascido |
| tu | tinhas nascido |
| ele/ela | tinha nascido |
| nós | tínhamos nascido |
| vós | tínheis nascido |
| eles/elas | tinham nascido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha nascido em Lisboa antes do jantar.” — “I had been born in Lisbon”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei nascido |
| tu | terás nascido |
| ele/ela | terá nascido |
| nós | teremos nascido |
| vós | tereis nascido |
| eles/elas | terão nascido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei nascido em Lisboa até amanhã.” — “I will have been born in Lisbon”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria nascido |
| tu | terias nascido |
| ele/ela | teria nascido |
| nós | teríamos nascido |
| vós | teríeis nascido |
| eles/elas | teriam nascido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria nascido em Lisboa ontem.” — “I would have been born in Lisbon”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | nasça |
| tu | nasças |
| ele/ela | nasça |
| nós | nasçamos |
| vós | nasçais |
| eles/elas | nasçam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu nasça em Lisboa.” — “It is important that I be born in Lisbon”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | nascesse |
| tu | nascesses |
| ele/ela | nascesse |
| nós | nascêssemos |
| vós | nascêsseis |
| eles/elas | nascessem |
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 nascesse em Lisboa.” — “It was important that I be born in Lisbon”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | nascer |
| tu | nasceres |
| ele/ela | nascer |
| nós | nascermos |
| vós | nascerdes |
| eles/elas | nascerem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu nascer em Lisboa, é bom.” — “If I am born in Lisbon, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | nasce |
| ele/ela | nasça |
| nós | nasçamos |
| vós | nascei |
| eles/elas | nasçam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Nasce em Lisboa!” — “Be born in Lisbon!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não nasças |
| ele/ela | não nasça |
| nós | não nasçamos |
| vós | não nasçais |
| eles/elas | não nasçam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não nasças em Lisboa.” — “Do not be born in Lisbon.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha nascido |
| tu | tenhas nascido |
| ele/ela | tenha nascido |
| nós | tenhamos nascido |
| vós | tenhais nascido |
| eles/elas | tenham nascido |
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 nascido em Lisboa.” — “It is important that I have been born in Lisbon”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse nascido |
| tu | tivesses nascido |
| ele/ela | tivesse nascido |
| nós | tivéssemos nascido |
| vós | tivésseis nascido |
| eles/elas | tivessem nascido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse nascido em Lisboa.” — “It was important that I had been born in Lisbon”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver nascido |
| tu | tiveres nascido |
| ele/ela | tiver nascido |
| nós | tivermos nascido |
| vós | tiverdes nascido |
| eles/elas | tiverem nascido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver nascido em Lisboa, é bom.” — “If I have been born in Lisbon, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | nascendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Nascendo em Lisboa, aprendo muito.” — “While being born in Lisbon, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | nascente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle nascente 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 nascente 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 | nascido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho nascido em Lisboa esta semana.” — “I have been born in Lisbon.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with nascer, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu nasço em Lisboa.” — “I am born in Lisbon”
- “Tu nasceste em Lisboa em 1990.” — “You was born in Lisbon”
- “Ele nascia em Lisboa antigamente.” — “He used to be born in Lisbon”
- “Eu nascerei em Lisboa.” — “I will be born in Lisbon”
- “Tu nascerias em Lisboa.” — “You would be born in Lisbon”
- “Ele tem nascido em Lisboa esta semana.” — “He has been born in Lisbon”
- “Eu tinha nascido em Lisboa antes do jantar.” — “I had been born in Lisbon”
- “Tu terás nascido em Lisboa até amanhã.” — “You will have been born in Lisbon”
- “É importante que eu nasça em Lisboa.” — “It is important that I be born in Lisbon”
- “Nasce em Lisboa!” — “Be born in Lisbon!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu nascer em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “Eu nasço em Lisboa.”
The infinitive nascer never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form nasço.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu nasces em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “Eu nasço em Lisboa.”
nasces is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with nasço.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu nasço em Lisboa ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu nasci em Lisboa em 1990.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito nasci for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou nascido em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho nascido em Lisboa esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of nascer is formed with ter plus the past participle nascido: the eu form is tenho nascido. 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 nasço em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu nasça em Lisboa.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use nasça here, not the indicative nasço.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho nascendo em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho nascido em Lisboa esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle nascido, not the gerund nascendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on nascer. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of nascer in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) nasces
- B) nasço
- C) nasce
- D) nascemos
What is the ele/ela form of nascer in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) nasci
- B) nasceste
- C) nasceu
- D) nascemos
What is the nós form of nascer in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) nascia
- B) nascias
- C) nascíeis
- D) nascíamos
What is the tu form of nascer in the Futuro do presente?
- A) nascerás
- B) nascerei
- C) nascerá
- D) nasceremos
What is the eu form of nascer in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) nascerias
- B) nasceria
- C) nasceríamos
- D) nasceríeis
What is the ele/ela form of nascer in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho nascido
- B) tens nascido
- C) tem nascido
- D) temos nascido
What is the ele/ela form of nascer in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) nasças
- B) nasçamos
- C) nasçais
- D) nasça
What is the eu form of nascer in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) nascesse
- B) nascesses
- C) nascêssemos
- D) nascêsseis
What is the gerund of nascer?
- A) nascido
- B) nascendo
- C) nascer
- D) nasço
What does nascer mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to be born
- D) —
Answer key
- B) nasço — the correct form is nasço. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) nasceu — the correct form is nasceu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) nascíamos — the correct form is nascíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) nascerás — the correct form is nascerás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) nasceria — the correct form is nasceria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem nascido — the correct form is tem nascido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) nasça — the correct form is nasça. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) nascesse — the correct form is nascesse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) nascendo — the correct form is nascendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to be born — the correct form is to be born. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does nascer mean in English?
nascer means “to be born”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is nascer regular or irregular?
nascer is regular: it follows the ordinary -er pattern in every tense. The gerund is nascendo and the past participle is nascido.
What are the gerund and past participle of nascer?
The gerund is nascendo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is nascido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho nascido.
Which auxiliary does nascer take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
nascer takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho nascido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle nascido.
How do I say “I be born” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu nasço em Lisboa.” — “I am born in Lisbon” The eu form of the present is nasço, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of nascer — every tense of nascer in one place.
- Nascer in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Nascer examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese pretérito perfeito tense guide — the full guide to the pretérito perfeito tense in Portuguese.
- Ser conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Ter 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 nascer with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise nascer with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise nascer with the interactive tool.