Amar Conjugation in Portuguese
amar means “to love” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 52 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It is the verb of loving a person, a place or an activity, and it is completely regular. It is the model verb many textbooks use for the -ar conjugation because every form follows the pattern exactly. This page gives you the complete conjugation of amar — 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 amo a Maria todos os dias.” — “I love Maria.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: amar
- English: to love
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: amando
- Present participle: amante
- Past participle: amado
- 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 amar, 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 amar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about amar
- 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 amado. 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 amando, the present participle is amante and the past participle is amado: 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 amar. 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 | amo |
| tu | amas |
| ele/ela | ama |
| nós | amamos |
| vós | amais |
| eles/elas | amam |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu amo a Maria todos os dias.” — “I love Maria”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | amei |
| tu | amaste |
| ele/ela | amou |
| nós | amámos |
| vós | amastes |
| eles/elas | amaram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu amei a Maria ontem.” — “I loved Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | amava |
| tu | amavas |
| ele/ela | amava |
| nós | amávamos |
| vós | amáveis |
| eles/elas | amavam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu amava a Maria antigamente.” — “I used to love Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | amara |
| tu | amaras |
| ele/ela | amara |
| nós | amáramos |
| vós | amáreis |
| eles/elas | amaram |
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 amara a Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had loved Maria”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | amarei |
| tu | amarás |
| ele/ela | amará |
| nós | amaremos |
| vós | amareis |
| eles/elas | amarão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu amarei a Maria amanhã.” — “I will love Maria”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | amaria |
| tu | amarias |
| ele/ela | amaria |
| nós | amaríamos |
| vós | amaríeis |
| eles/elas | amariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu amaria a Maria um dia.” — “I would love Maria”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho amado |
| tu | tens amado |
| ele/ela | tem amado |
| nós | temos amado |
| vós | tendes amado |
| eles/elas | têm amado |
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 amado a Maria esta semana.” — “He has loved Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha amado |
| tu | tinhas amado |
| ele/ela | tinha amado |
| nós | tínhamos amado |
| vós | tínheis amado |
| eles/elas | tinham amado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha amado a Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had loved Maria”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei amado |
| tu | terás amado |
| ele/ela | terá amado |
| nós | teremos amado |
| vós | tereis amado |
| eles/elas | terão amado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei amado a Maria até amanhã.” — “I will have loved Maria”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria amado |
| tu | terias amado |
| ele/ela | teria amado |
| nós | teríamos amado |
| vós | teríeis amado |
| eles/elas | teriam amado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria amado a Maria ontem.” — “I would have loved Maria”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | ame |
| tu | ames |
| ele/ela | ame |
| nós | amemos |
| vós | ameis |
| eles/elas | amem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu ame a Maria.” — “It is important that I love Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | amasse |
| tu | amasses |
| ele/ela | amasse |
| nós | amássemos |
| vós | amásseis |
| eles/elas | amassem |
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 amasse a Maria.” — “It was important that I love Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | amar |
| tu | amares |
| ele/ela | amar |
| nós | amarmos |
| vós | amardes |
| eles/elas | amarem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu amar a Maria, é bom.” — “If I love Maria, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | ama |
| ele/ela | ame |
| nós | amemos |
| vós | amai |
| eles/elas | amem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Ama a Maria!” — “Love Maria!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não ames |
| ele/ela | não ame |
| nós | não amemos |
| vós | não ameis |
| eles/elas | não amem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não ames a Maria.” — “Do not love Maria.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha amado |
| tu | tenhas amado |
| ele/ela | tenha amado |
| nós | tenhamos amado |
| vós | tenhais amado |
| eles/elas | tenham amado |
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 amado a Maria.” — “It is important that I have loved Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse amado |
| tu | tivesses amado |
| ele/ela | tivesse amado |
| nós | tivéssemos amado |
| vós | tivésseis amado |
| eles/elas | tivessem amado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse amado a Maria.” — “It was important that I had loved Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver amado |
| tu | tiveres amado |
| ele/ela | tiver amado |
| nós | tivermos amado |
| vós | tiverdes amado |
| eles/elas | tiverem amado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver amado a Maria, é bom.” — “If I have loved Maria, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | amando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Amando a Maria, aprendo muito.” — “While loving Maria, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | amante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle amante 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 amante 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 | amado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho amado a Maria esta semana.” — “I have loved Maria.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with amar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu amo a Maria todos os dias.” — “I love Maria”
- “Tu amaste a Maria ontem.” — “You loved Maria”
- “Ele amava a Maria antigamente.” — “He used to love Maria”
- “Eu amarei a Maria amanhã.” — “I will love Maria”
- “Tu amarias a Maria um dia.” — “You would love Maria”
- “Ele tem amado a Maria esta semana.” — “He has loved Maria”
- “Eu tinha amado a Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had loved Maria”
- “Tu terás amado a Maria até amanhã.” — “You will have loved Maria”
- “É importante que eu ame a Maria.” — “It is important that I love Maria”
- “Ama a Maria!” — “Love Maria!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu amar a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu amo a Maria todos os dias.”
The infinitive amar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form amo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu amas a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu amo a Maria todos os dias.”
amas is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with amo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu amo a Maria ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu amei a Maria ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito amei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou amado a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho amado a Maria esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of amar is formed with ter plus the past participle amado: the eu form is tenho amado. 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 amo a Maria.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu ame a Maria.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use ame here, not the indicative amo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho amando a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho amado a Maria esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle amado, not the gerund amando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on amar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of amar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) amas
- B) amo
- C) ama
- D) amamos
What is the ele/ela form of amar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) amei
- B) amaste
- C) amou
- D) amámos
What is the nós form of amar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) amava
- B) amavas
- C) amáveis
- D) amávamos
What is the tu form of amar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) amarás
- B) amarei
- C) amará
- D) amaremos
What is the eu form of amar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) amarias
- B) amaria
- C) amaríamos
- D) amaríeis
What is the ele/ela form of amar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho amado
- B) tens amado
- C) tem amado
- D) temos amado
What is the ele/ela form of amar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) ames
- B) amemos
- C) ameis
- D) ame
What is the eu form of amar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) amasse
- B) amasses
- C) amássemos
- D) amásseis
What is the gerund of amar?
- A) amado
- B) amando
- C) amar
- D) amo
What does amar mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to love
- D) —
Answer key
- B) amo — the correct form is amo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) amou — the correct form is amou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) amávamos — the correct form is amávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) amarás — the correct form is amarás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) amaria — the correct form is amaria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem amado — the correct form is tem amado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) ame — the correct form is ame. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) amasse — the correct form is amasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) amando — the correct form is amando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to love — the correct form is to love. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does amar mean in English?
amar means “to love”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is amar regular or irregular?
amar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is amando and the past participle is amado.
What are the gerund and past participle of amar?
The gerund is amando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is amado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho amado.
Which auxiliary does amar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
amar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho amado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle amado.
How do I say “I love” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu amo a Maria todos os dias.” — “I love Maria” The eu form of the present is amo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of amar — every tense of amar in one place.
- Amar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Amar 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.
- Estar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Dar 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 amar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise amar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise amar with the interactive tool.