Conseguir Conjugation in Portuguese
conseguir means “to manage” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 442 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to manage to do something and to succeed, and it is a stem-change verb: the present eu form is consigo, with i, while the tu form keeps e — consegues, consegue, conseguimos, conseguis, conseguem. Its pretérito perfeito is consegui, conseguiste, conseguiu, and its participle is conseguido. It usually takes an infinitive after it. This page gives you the complete conjugation of conseguir — 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 consiguo terminar o trabalho todos os dias.” — “I manage to finish the work.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: conseguir
- English: to manage
- Verb type: Regular -ir verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: conseguindo
- Present participle: conseguinte
- Past participle: conseguido
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -ir verbs; pattern ir in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for conseguir, 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 conseguir in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about conseguir
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -ir 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 conseguido. 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 conseguindo, the present participle is conseguinte and the past participle is conseguido: 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 conseguir. 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 | consiguo |
| tu | consegues |
| ele/ela | consegue |
| nós | conseguimos |
| vós | conseguis |
| eles/elas | conseguem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu consiguo terminar o trabalho todos os dias.” — “I manage to finish the work”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | consegui |
| tu | conseguiste |
| ele/ela | conseguiu |
| nós | conseguimos |
| vós | conseguistes |
| eles/elas | conseguiram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu consegui terminar o trabalho ontem.” — “I managed to finish the work”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | conseguia |
| tu | conseguias |
| ele/ela | conseguia |
| nós | conseguíamos |
| vós | conseguíeis |
| eles/elas | conseguiam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu conseguia terminar o trabalho antigamente.” — “I used to manage to finish the work”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | conseguira |
| tu | conseguiras |
| ele/ela | conseguira |
| nós | conseguíramos |
| vós | conseguíreis |
| eles/elas | conseguiram |
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 conseguira terminar o trabalho antes do jantar.” — “I had managed to finish the work”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | conseguirei |
| tu | conseguirás |
| ele/ela | conseguirá |
| nós | conseguiremos |
| vós | conseguireis |
| eles/elas | conseguirão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu conseguirei terminar o trabalho amanhã.” — “I will manage to finish the work”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | conseguiria |
| tu | conseguirias |
| ele/ela | conseguiria |
| nós | conseguiríamos |
| vós | conseguiríeis |
| eles/elas | conseguiriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu conseguiria terminar o trabalho um dia.” — “I would manage to finish the work”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho conseguido |
| tu | tens conseguido |
| ele/ela | tem conseguido |
| nós | temos conseguido |
| vós | tendes conseguido |
| eles/elas | têm conseguido |
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 conseguido terminar o trabalho esta semana.” — “He has managed to finish the work”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha conseguido |
| tu | tinhas conseguido |
| ele/ela | tinha conseguido |
| nós | tínhamos conseguido |
| vós | tínheis conseguido |
| eles/elas | tinham conseguido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha conseguido terminar o trabalho antes do jantar.” — “I had managed to finish the work”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei conseguido |
| tu | terás conseguido |
| ele/ela | terá conseguido |
| nós | teremos conseguido |
| vós | tereis conseguido |
| eles/elas | terão conseguido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei conseguido terminar o trabalho até amanhã.” — “I will have managed to finish the work”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria conseguido |
| tu | terias conseguido |
| ele/ela | teria conseguido |
| nós | teríamos conseguido |
| vós | teríeis conseguido |
| eles/elas | teriam conseguido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria conseguido terminar o trabalho ontem.” — “I would have managed to finish the work”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | consigua |
| tu | consiguas |
| ele/ela | consigua |
| nós | consiguamos |
| vós | consiguais |
| eles/elas | consiguam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu consigua terminar o trabalho.” — “It is important that I manage to finish the work”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | conseguisse |
| tu | conseguisses |
| ele/ela | conseguisse |
| nós | conseguíssemos |
| vós | conseguísseis |
| eles/elas | conseguissem |
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 conseguisse terminar o trabalho.” — “It was important that I manage to finish the work”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | conseguir |
| tu | conseguires |
| ele/ela | conseguir |
| nós | conseguirmos |
| vós | conseguirdes |
| eles/elas | conseguirem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu conseguir terminar o trabalho, é bom.” — “If I manage to finish the work, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | consegue |
| ele/ela | consigua |
| nós | consiguamos |
| vós | consegui |
| eles/elas | consiguam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Consegue terminar o trabalho!” — “Manage to finish the work!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não consiguas |
| ele/ela | não consigua |
| nós | não consiguamos |
| vós | não consiguais |
| eles/elas | não consiguam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não consiguas terminar o trabalho.” — “Do not manage to finish the work.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha conseguido |
| tu | tenhas conseguido |
| ele/ela | tenha conseguido |
| nós | tenhamos conseguido |
| vós | tenhais conseguido |
| eles/elas | tenham conseguido |
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 conseguido terminar o trabalho.” — “It is important that I have managed to finish the work”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse conseguido |
| tu | tivesses conseguido |
| ele/ela | tivesse conseguido |
| nós | tivéssemos conseguido |
| vós | tivésseis conseguido |
| eles/elas | tivessem conseguido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse conseguido terminar o trabalho.” — “It was important that I had managed to finish the work”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver conseguido |
| tu | tiveres conseguido |
| ele/ela | tiver conseguido |
| nós | tivermos conseguido |
| vós | tiverdes conseguido |
| eles/elas | tiverem conseguido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver conseguido terminar o trabalho, é bom.” — “If I have managed to finish the work, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | conseguindo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Conseguindo terminar o trabalho, aprendo muito.” — “While managing to finish the work, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | conseguinte |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle conseguinte 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 conseguinte 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 | conseguido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho conseguido terminar o trabalho esta semana.” — “I have managed to finish the work.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with conseguir, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu consiguo terminar o trabalho todos os dias.” — “I manage to finish the work”
- “Tu conseguiste terminar o trabalho ontem.” — “You managed to finish the work”
- “Ele conseguia terminar o trabalho antigamente.” — “He used to manage to finish the work”
- “Eu conseguirei terminar o trabalho amanhã.” — “I will manage to finish the work”
- “Tu conseguirias terminar o trabalho um dia.” — “You would manage to finish the work”
- “Ele tem conseguido terminar o trabalho esta semana.” — “He has managed to finish the work”
- “Eu tinha conseguido terminar o trabalho antes do jantar.” — “I had managed to finish the work”
- “Tu terás conseguido terminar o trabalho até amanhã.” — “You will have managed to finish the work”
- “É importante que eu consigua terminar o trabalho.” — “It is important that I manage to finish the work”
- “Consegue terminar o trabalho!” — “Manage to finish the work!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu conseguir terminar o trabalho.”
✓ Right: “Eu consiguo terminar o trabalho todos os dias.”
The infinitive conseguir never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form consiguo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu consegues terminar o trabalho.”
✓ Right: “Eu consiguo terminar o trabalho todos os dias.”
consegues is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with consiguo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu consiguo terminar o trabalho ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu consegui terminar o trabalho ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito consegui for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou conseguido terminar o trabalho.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho conseguido terminar o trabalho esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of conseguir is formed with ter plus the past participle conseguido: the eu form is tenho conseguido. 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 consiguo terminar o trabalho.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu consigua terminar o trabalho.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use consigua here, not the indicative consiguo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho conseguindo terminar o trabalho.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho conseguido terminar o trabalho esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle conseguido, not the gerund conseguindo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on conseguir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of conseguir in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) consegues
- B) consiguo
- C) consegue
- D) conseguimos
What is the ele/ela form of conseguir in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) consegui
- B) conseguiste
- C) conseguiu
- D) conseguimos
What is the nós form of conseguir in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) conseguia
- B) conseguias
- C) conseguíeis
- D) conseguíamos
What is the tu form of conseguir in the Futuro do presente?
- A) conseguirás
- B) conseguirei
- C) conseguirá
- D) conseguiremos
What is the eu form of conseguir in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) conseguirias
- B) conseguiria
- C) conseguiríamos
- D) conseguiríeis
What is the ele/ela form of conseguir in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho conseguido
- B) tens conseguido
- C) tem conseguido
- D) temos conseguido
What is the ele/ela form of conseguir in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) consiguas
- B) consiguamos
- C) consiguais
- D) consigua
What is the eu form of conseguir in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) conseguisse
- B) conseguisses
- C) conseguíssemos
- D) conseguísseis
What is the gerund of conseguir?
- A) conseguido
- B) conseguindo
- C) conseguir
- D) consiguo
What does conseguir mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to manage
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) consiguo — the correct form is consiguo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) conseguiu — the correct form is conseguiu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) conseguíamos — the correct form is conseguíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) conseguirás — the correct form is conseguirás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) conseguiria — the correct form is conseguiria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem conseguido — the correct form is tem conseguido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) consigua — the correct form is consigua. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) conseguisse — the correct form is conseguisse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) conseguindo — the correct form is conseguindo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to manage — the correct form is to manage. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does conseguir mean in English?
conseguir means “to manage”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is conseguir regular or irregular?
conseguir is regular: it follows the ordinary -ir pattern in every tense. The gerund is conseguindo and the past participle is conseguido.
What are the gerund and past participle of conseguir?
The gerund is conseguindo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is conseguido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho conseguido.
Which auxiliary does conseguir take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
conseguir takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho conseguido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle conseguido.
How do I say “I manage” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu consiguo terminar o trabalho todos os dias.” — “I manage to finish the work” The eu form of the present is consiguo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of conseguir — every tense of conseguir in one place.
- Conseguir in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Conseguir 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.
- Pedir conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Abrir 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 conseguir with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise conseguir with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise conseguir with the interactive tool.