Por Conjugation in Portuguese
por means “to put” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 16 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to put, and it is totally irregular: the present is ponho, pões, põe, pomos, pondes, põem, and the pretérito perfeito is pus, puseste, pôs, pusemos, pusestes, puseram. Its participle is posto, and its gerund is pondo. The verb is written pôr, with a circumflex, to distinguish it from the preposition por, which means by or for. The map lists it under both spellings, and this page and its sister page cover the same verb. This page gives you the complete conjugation of por — 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 ponho o livro na mesa todos os dias.” — “I put the book on the table.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: por
- English: to put
- Verb type: Irregular -er verb
- Irregular in: presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito imperfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo, particípio, gerúndio, pretérito perfeito composto, pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto, futuro do presente composto, futuro do pretérito composto, presente do subjuntivo composto, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto, futuro do subjuntivo composto
- Gerund: pondo
- Present participle: poente
- Past participle: posto
- 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 por, 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 por in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about por
- It is irregular in 18 tense(s): presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito imperfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo, particípio, gerúndio, pretérito perfeito composto, pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto, futuro do presente composto, futuro do pretérito composto, presente do subjuntivo composto, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto, futuro do subjuntivo composto. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle posto. 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 pondo, the present participle is poente and the past participle is posto: 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 por. 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 | ponho |
| tu | pões |
| ele/ela | põe |
| nós | pomos |
| vós | pondes |
| eles/elas | põem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu ponho o livro na mesa todos os dias.” — “I put the book on the table”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pus |
| tu | puseste |
| ele/ela | pôs |
| nós | pusemos |
| vós | pusestes |
| eles/elas | puseram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu pus o livro na mesa ontem.” — “I put the book on the table”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | punha |
| tu | punhas |
| ele/ela | punha |
| nós | púnhamos |
| vós | púnheis |
| eles/elas | punham |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu punha o livro na mesa antigamente.” — “I used to put the book on the table”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pusera |
| tu | puseras |
| ele/ela | pusera |
| nós | puséramos |
| vós | puséreis |
| eles/elas | puseram |
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 pusera o livro na mesa antes do jantar.” — “I had put the book on the table”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | porei |
| tu | porás |
| ele/ela | porá |
| nós | poremos |
| vós | poreis |
| eles/elas | porão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu porei o livro na mesa amanhã.” — “I will put the book on the table”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | poria |
| tu | porias |
| ele/ela | poria |
| nós | poríamos |
| vós | poríeis |
| eles/elas | poriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu poria o livro na mesa um dia.” — “I would put the book on the table”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho posto |
| tu | tens posto |
| ele/ela | tem posto |
| nós | temos posto |
| vós | tendes posto |
| eles/elas | têm posto |
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 posto o livro na mesa esta semana.” — “He has put the book on the table”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha posto |
| tu | tinhas posto |
| ele/ela | tinha posto |
| nós | tínhamos posto |
| vós | tínheis posto |
| eles/elas | tinham posto |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha posto o livro na mesa antes do jantar.” — “I had put the book on the table”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei posto |
| tu | terás posto |
| ele/ela | terá posto |
| nós | teremos posto |
| vós | tereis posto |
| eles/elas | terão posto |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei posto o livro na mesa até amanhã.” — “I will have put the book on the table”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria posto |
| tu | terias posto |
| ele/ela | teria posto |
| nós | teríamos posto |
| vós | teríeis posto |
| eles/elas | teriam posto |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria posto o livro na mesa ontem.” — “I would have put the book on the table”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | ponha |
| tu | ponhas |
| ele/ela | ponha |
| nós | ponhamos |
| vós | ponhais |
| eles/elas | ponham |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu ponha o livro na mesa.” — “It is important that I put the book on the table”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pusesse |
| tu | pusesses |
| ele/ela | pusesse |
| nós | puséssemos |
| vós | pusésseis |
| eles/elas | pusessem |
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 pusesse o livro na mesa.” — “It was important that I put the book on the table”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | puser |
| tu | puseres |
| ele/ela | puser |
| nós | pusermos |
| vós | puserdes |
| eles/elas | puserem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu puser o livro na mesa, é bom.” — “If I put the book on the table, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | põe |
| ele/ela | ponha |
| nós | ponhamos |
| vós | ponde |
| eles/elas | ponham |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Põe o livro na mesa!” — “Put the book on the table!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não ponhas |
| ele/ela | não ponha |
| nós | não ponhamos |
| vós | não ponhais |
| eles/elas | não ponham |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não ponhas o livro na mesa.” — “Do not put the book on the table.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha posto |
| tu | tenhas posto |
| ele/ela | tenha posto |
| nós | tenhamos posto |
| vós | tenhais posto |
| eles/elas | tenham posto |
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 posto o livro na mesa.” — “It is important that I have put the book on the table”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse posto |
| tu | tivesses posto |
| ele/ela | tivesse posto |
| nós | tivéssemos posto |
| vós | tivésseis posto |
| eles/elas | tivessem posto |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse posto o livro na mesa.” — “It was important that I had put the book on the table”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver posto |
| tu | tiveres posto |
| ele/ela | tiver posto |
| nós | tivermos posto |
| vós | tiverdes posto |
| eles/elas | tiverem posto |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver posto o livro na mesa, é bom.” — “If I have put the book on the table, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | pondo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Pondo o livro na mesa, aprendo muito.” — “While putting the book on the table, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | poente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle poente 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 poente 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 | posto |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho posto o livro na mesa esta semana.” — “I have put the book on the table.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with por, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu ponho o livro na mesa todos os dias.” — “I put the book on the table”
- “Tu puseste o livro na mesa ontem.” — “You put the book on the table”
- “Ele punha o livro na mesa antigamente.” — “He used to put the book on the table”
- “Eu porei o livro na mesa amanhã.” — “I will put the book on the table”
- “Tu porias o livro na mesa um dia.” — “You would put the book on the table”
- “Ele tem posto o livro na mesa esta semana.” — “He has put the book on the table”
- “Eu tinha posto o livro na mesa antes do jantar.” — “I had put the book on the table”
- “Tu terás posto o livro na mesa até amanhã.” — “You will have put the book on the table”
- “É importante que eu ponha o livro na mesa.” — “It is important that I put the book on the table”
- “Põe o livro na mesa!” — “Put the book on the table!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu por o livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “Eu ponho o livro na mesa todos os dias.”
The infinitive por never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form ponho.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu pões o livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “Eu ponho o livro na mesa todos os dias.”
pões is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with ponho.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu ponho o livro na mesa ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu pus o livro na mesa ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito pus for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou posto o livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho posto o livro na mesa esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of por is formed with ter plus the past participle posto: the eu form is tenho posto. 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 ponho o livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu ponha o livro na mesa.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use ponha here, not the indicative ponho.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho pondo o livro na mesa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho posto o livro na mesa esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle posto, not the gerund pondo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on por. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of por in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) pões
- B) ponho
- C) põe
- D) pomos
What is the ele/ela form of por in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) pus
- B) puseste
- C) pôs
- D) pusemos
What is the nós form of por in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) punha
- B) punhas
- C) púnheis
- D) púnhamos
What is the tu form of por in the Futuro do presente?
- A) porás
- B) porei
- C) porá
- D) poremos
What is the eu form of por in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) porias
- B) poria
- C) poríamos
- D) poríeis
What is the ele/ela form of por in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho posto
- B) tens posto
- C) tem posto
- D) temos posto
What is the ele/ela form of por in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) ponhas
- B) ponhamos
- C) ponhais
- D) ponha
What is the eu form of por in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) pusesse
- B) pusesses
- C) puséssemos
- D) pusésseis
What is the gerund of por?
- A) posto
- B) pondo
- C) por
- D) ponho
What does por mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to put
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) ponho — the correct form is ponho. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) pôs — the correct form is pôs. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) púnhamos — the correct form is púnhamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) porás — the correct form is porás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) poria — the correct form is poria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem posto — the correct form is tem posto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) ponha — the correct form is ponha. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) pusesse — the correct form is pusesse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) pondo — the correct form is pondo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to put — the correct form is to put. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does por mean in English?
por means “to put”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is por regular or irregular?
por is irregular: it is irregular in presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito imperfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo, particípio, gerúndio, pretérito perfeito composto, pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto, futuro do presente composto, futuro do pretérito composto, presente do subjuntivo composto, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto, futuro do subjuntivo composto. The gerund is pondo and the past participle is posto.
What are the gerund and past participle of por?
The gerund is pondo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is posto — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho posto.
Which auxiliary does por take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
por takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho posto. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle posto.
How do I say “I put” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu ponho o livro na mesa todos os dias.” — “I put the book on the table” The eu form of the present is ponho, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of por — every tense of por in one place.
- Por in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Por 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.
- Portuguese irregular verbs — every common irregular Portuguese verb, grouped by pattern.
- Receber conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Vender 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 por with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise por with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise por with the interactive tool.