Perguntar Conjugation in Portuguese
perguntar means “to ask” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 48 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to ask, and it is completely regular: pergunto, perguntas, pergunta, perguntamos, perguntais, perguntam. Its pretérito perfeito is perguntei, perguntaste, perguntou, and its participle is perguntado. It takes the person asked, with a: pergunto à Maria. Do not confuse it with pedir, which means to ask for something. This page gives you the complete conjugation of perguntar — 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 pergunto à Maria todos os dias.” — “I ask Maria.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: perguntar
- English: to ask
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: perguntando
- Present participle: perguntante
- Past participle: perguntado
- 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 perguntar, 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 perguntar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about perguntar
- 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 perguntado. 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 perguntando, the present participle is perguntante and the past participle is perguntado: 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 perguntar. 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 | pergunto |
| tu | perguntas |
| ele/ela | pergunta |
| nós | perguntamos |
| vós | perguntais |
| eles/elas | perguntam |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu pergunto à Maria todos os dias.” — “I ask Maria”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perguntei |
| tu | perguntaste |
| ele/ela | perguntou |
| nós | perguntámos |
| vós | perguntastes |
| eles/elas | perguntaram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu perguntei à Maria ontem.” — “I asked Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perguntava |
| tu | perguntavas |
| ele/ela | perguntava |
| nós | perguntávamos |
| vós | perguntáveis |
| eles/elas | perguntavam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu perguntava à Maria antigamente.” — “I used to ask Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perguntara |
| tu | perguntaras |
| ele/ela | perguntara |
| nós | perguntáramos |
| vós | perguntáreis |
| eles/elas | perguntaram |
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 perguntara à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had asked Maria”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perguntarei |
| tu | perguntarás |
| ele/ela | perguntará |
| nós | perguntaremos |
| vós | perguntareis |
| eles/elas | perguntarão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu perguntarei à Maria amanhã.” — “I will ask Maria”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perguntaria |
| tu | perguntarias |
| ele/ela | perguntaria |
| nós | perguntaríamos |
| vós | perguntaríeis |
| eles/elas | perguntariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu perguntaria à Maria um dia.” — “I would ask Maria”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho perguntado |
| tu | tens perguntado |
| ele/ela | tem perguntado |
| nós | temos perguntado |
| vós | tendes perguntado |
| eles/elas | têm perguntado |
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 perguntado à Maria esta semana.” — “He has asked Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha perguntado |
| tu | tinhas perguntado |
| ele/ela | tinha perguntado |
| nós | tínhamos perguntado |
| vós | tínheis perguntado |
| eles/elas | tinham perguntado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha perguntado à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had asked Maria”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei perguntado |
| tu | terás perguntado |
| ele/ela | terá perguntado |
| nós | teremos perguntado |
| vós | tereis perguntado |
| eles/elas | terão perguntado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei perguntado à Maria até amanhã.” — “I will have asked Maria”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria perguntado |
| tu | terias perguntado |
| ele/ela | teria perguntado |
| nós | teríamos perguntado |
| vós | teríeis perguntado |
| eles/elas | teriam perguntado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria perguntado à Maria ontem.” — “I would have asked Maria”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pergunte |
| tu | perguntes |
| ele/ela | pergunte |
| nós | perguntemos |
| vós | pergunteis |
| eles/elas | perguntem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu pergunte à Maria.” — “It is important that I ask Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perguntasse |
| tu | perguntasses |
| ele/ela | perguntasse |
| nós | perguntássemos |
| vós | perguntásseis |
| eles/elas | perguntassem |
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 perguntasse à Maria.” — “It was important that I ask Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perguntar |
| tu | perguntares |
| ele/ela | perguntar |
| nós | perguntarmos |
| vós | perguntardes |
| eles/elas | perguntarem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu perguntar à Maria, é bom.” — “If I ask Maria, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | pergunta |
| ele/ela | pergunte |
| nós | perguntemos |
| vós | perguntai |
| eles/elas | perguntem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Pergunta à Maria!” — “Ask Maria!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não perguntes |
| ele/ela | não pergunte |
| nós | não perguntemos |
| vós | não pergunteis |
| eles/elas | não perguntem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não perguntes à Maria.” — “Do not ask Maria.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha perguntado |
| tu | tenhas perguntado |
| ele/ela | tenha perguntado |
| nós | tenhamos perguntado |
| vós | tenhais perguntado |
| eles/elas | tenham perguntado |
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 perguntado à Maria.” — “It is important that I have asked Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse perguntado |
| tu | tivesses perguntado |
| ele/ela | tivesse perguntado |
| nós | tivéssemos perguntado |
| vós | tivésseis perguntado |
| eles/elas | tivessem perguntado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse perguntado à Maria.” — “It was important that I had asked Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver perguntado |
| tu | tiveres perguntado |
| ele/ela | tiver perguntado |
| nós | tivermos perguntado |
| vós | tiverdes perguntado |
| eles/elas | tiverem perguntado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver perguntado à Maria, é bom.” — “If I have asked Maria, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | perguntando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Perguntando à Maria, aprendo muito.” — “While asking Maria, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | perguntante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle perguntante 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 perguntante 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 | perguntado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho perguntado à Maria esta semana.” — “I have asked Maria.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with perguntar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu pergunto à Maria todos os dias.” — “I ask Maria”
- “Tu perguntaste à Maria ontem.” — “You asked Maria”
- “Ele perguntava à Maria antigamente.” — “He used to ask Maria”
- “Eu perguntarei à Maria amanhã.” — “I will ask Maria”
- “Tu perguntarias à Maria um dia.” — “You would ask Maria”
- “Ele tem perguntado à Maria esta semana.” — “He has asked Maria”
- “Eu tinha perguntado à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had asked Maria”
- “Tu terás perguntado à Maria até amanhã.” — “You will have asked Maria”
- “É importante que eu pergunte à Maria.” — “It is important that I ask Maria”
- “Pergunta à Maria!” — “Ask Maria!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu perguntar à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu pergunto à Maria todos os dias.”
The infinitive perguntar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form pergunto.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu perguntas à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu pergunto à Maria todos os dias.”
perguntas is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with pergunto.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu pergunto à Maria ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu perguntei à Maria ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito perguntei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou perguntado à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho perguntado à Maria esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of perguntar is formed with ter plus the past participle perguntado: the eu form is tenho perguntado. 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 pergunto à Maria.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu pergunte à Maria.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use pergunte here, not the indicative pergunto.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho perguntando à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho perguntado à Maria esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle perguntado, not the gerund perguntando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on perguntar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of perguntar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) perguntas
- B) pergunto
- C) pergunta
- D) perguntamos
What is the ele/ela form of perguntar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) perguntei
- B) perguntaste
- C) perguntou
- D) perguntámos
What is the nós form of perguntar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) perguntava
- B) perguntavas
- C) perguntáveis
- D) perguntávamos
What is the tu form of perguntar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) perguntarás
- B) perguntarei
- C) perguntará
- D) perguntaremos
What is the eu form of perguntar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) perguntarias
- B) perguntaria
- C) perguntaríamos
- D) perguntaríeis
What is the ele/ela form of perguntar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho perguntado
- B) tens perguntado
- C) tem perguntado
- D) temos perguntado
What is the ele/ela form of perguntar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) perguntes
- B) perguntemos
- C) pergunteis
- D) pergunte
What is the eu form of perguntar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) perguntasse
- B) perguntasses
- C) perguntássemos
- D) perguntásseis
What is the gerund of perguntar?
- A) perguntado
- B) perguntando
- C) perguntar
- D) pergunto
What does perguntar mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to ask
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) pergunto — the correct form is pergunto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) perguntou — the correct form is perguntou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) perguntávamos — the correct form is perguntávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) perguntarás — the correct form is perguntarás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) perguntaria — the correct form is perguntaria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem perguntado — the correct form is tem perguntado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) pergunte — the correct form is pergunte. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) perguntasse — the correct form is perguntasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) perguntando — the correct form is perguntando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to ask — the correct form is to ask. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does perguntar mean in English?
perguntar means “to ask”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is perguntar regular or irregular?
perguntar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is perguntando and the past participle is perguntado.
What are the gerund and past participle of perguntar?
The gerund is perguntando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is perguntado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho perguntado.
Which auxiliary does perguntar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
perguntar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho perguntado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle perguntado.
How do I say “I ask” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu pergunto à Maria todos os dias.” — “I ask Maria” The eu form of the present is pergunto, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of perguntar — every tense of perguntar in one place.
- Perguntar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Perguntar 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 perguntar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise perguntar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise perguntar with the interactive tool.