Introduction

Correr means “to run”, and this page covers exactly one thing: correr in the present tense. The present is the tense Portuguese speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly, what is true in general, and what is happening right now. On this page you will find the full present table for correr, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the pretérito perfeito, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about correr in the present. It means to run, and it is completely regular: corro, corres, corre, corremos, correis, correm. Its pretérito perfeito is corri, correste, correu, and its participle is corrido. It is the verb for running in the park and for running a race. For example: “Ele corre no parque todos os dias.” — “He runs in the park.” Everything on this page uses the forms of correr exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Correr in the Present — full table

Person Form
eu corro
tu corres
ele/ela corre
nós corremos
vós correis
eles/elas correm
Gerund: correndo · Past participle: corrido
The gerund is correndo, which you use with estar to say what is happening at the same time as the main action: “Correndo no parque, aprendo muito.” — “While running in the park, I learn a lot.” The past participle is corrido, which you use with ter in the perfect tenses: tenho corrido is the pretérito perfeito composto, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how correr is used.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for correr, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

How the present of correr is formed

The present tense of correr has six forms: eu corro, tu corres, ele corre, nós corremos, vós correis, eles correm. Say them in order — eu, tu, ele, nós, vós, eles — and notice which forms share a stem and which do not. correr is regular: every form follows the standard -er endings — -o, -as, -a, -amos, -ais, -am for -ar verbs; -o, -es, -e, -emos, -eis, -em for -er verbs; and -o, -es, -e, -imos, -is, -em for -ir verbs — so once you know the pattern you can build every tense from the stem. There are no surprises in any tense — the tables below are exactly what the endings predict. The present is the tense you will use most, so learn these six forms before you learn any other tense of this verb.

Two things about the present of correr are worth noticing. First, the nós and vós forms are the anchor of the verb: the imperfect is built from the same stem, and the present subjunctive takes its nós and vós forms from the same stem, so learning corremos and correis pays off in three tenses at once. Second, the present is the tense Portuguese uses where English would often use the continuous form, so corro can mean both “I run” and “I am running” — context tells the listener which one you mean.

Because correr is regular in the present, the six forms follow the standard -er endings exactly. Once you know the pattern for one regular -er verb, you know it for all of them — only the stem changes. That is why the present of a regular verb is the cheapest tense to learn in the whole language.

When to use the present of correr

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use correr in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Habits and routines

The present tense is the tense of routine. When something happens every day, every week or every morning, the present is the natural choice, and correr is no exception. Use time expressions such as todos os dias, sempre or todas as semanas to make the routine explicit. Example: “Eu corro no parque todos os dias.” — “I run in the park.”

2. General truths

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about correr does not need a time expression, because it is true whenever you say it. Example: “Ele corre no parque todos os dias.” — “He runs in the park.”

3. What is happening right now

The present also describes an action in progress at this very moment. Portuguese often prefers the simple present where English would use the continuous form, so a sentence with correr in the present can mean both “I do this” and “I am doing this now”. Context tells the listener which one you mean. Example: “Nós corremos no parque todos os dias.” — “We run in the park.”

4. Scheduled future events

Portuguese uses the present for something already fixed in the near future, especially with a time expression. It sounds more certain than the future tense, because the plan is already made. Example: “Tu corres no parque todos os dias.” — “You run in the park.”

5. Narration and commentary

In stories, instructions and live commentary, the present brings the action into the room. A recipe, a game or a story told in the present feels immediate, and correr in the present is the tense that carries it. Example: “Eles correm no parque todos os dias.” — “They run in the park.”

Present Tense vs Pretérito Perfeito: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the pretérito perfeito, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, general truths and what is happening now, while the pretérito perfeito describes one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is the time frame — and with it, the tense. Notice how the present sentences use words such as todos os dias or sempre, while the pretérito perfeito sentences use ontem or na semana passada. Those time words are your best clue when you are choosing a tense.

  • Present Tense: “Ele corre no parque todos os dias.” — “He runs in the park”
  • Pretérito Perfeito: “Ele correu no parque ontem.” — “He ran in the park”
  • The present sentence is a routine or a general truth; the pretérito perfeito sentence is one finished event. Todos os dias points to the present, ontem points to the pretérito perfeito.
  • Present Tense: “Eu corro no parque todos os dias.” — “I run in the park”
  • Pretérito Perfeito: “Eu corri no parque ontem.” — “I ran in the park”
  • The present sentence is a routine or a general truth; the pretérito perfeito sentence is one finished event. Todos os dias points to the present, ontem points to the pretérito perfeito.
  • Present Tense: “Tu corres no parque todos os dias.” — “You run in the park”
  • Pretérito Perfeito: “Tu correste no parque ontem.” — “You ran in the park”
  • The present sentence is a routine or a general truth; the pretérito perfeito sentence is one finished event. Todos os dias points to the present, ontem points to the pretérito perfeito.

Example sentences: correr in the present

Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions and the objects — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.

  1. “Eu corro no parque todos os dias.” — “I run in the park”
  2. “Tu corres no parque todos os dias.” — “You run in the park”
  3. “Ele corre no parque todos os dias.” — “He runs in the park”
  4. “Nós corremos no parque todos os dias.” — “We run in the park”
  5. “Vós correis no parque todos os dias.” — “You run in the park”
  6. “Eles correm no parque todos os dias.” — “They run in the park”
  7. “Eu corro no parque todos os dias.” — “I run in the park”
  8. “Ele corre no parque todos os dias.” — “He runs in the park”

Common mistakes

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.

  • Wrong: “Eu corres no parque.” Right: “Eu corro no parque todos os dias.” Why: The eu form is corro, not corres. corres is the tu form. Mixing the two persons is the most common error with this verb.
  • Wrong: “Nós corro no parque.” Right: “Nós corremos no parque todos os dias.” Why: Nós needs the nós form corremos. corro belongs with eu only. Learn the six forms as two groups — singular and plural — and the pattern becomes automatic.
  • Wrong: “Eu corro no parque todos os dias ontem.” Right: “Eu corri no parque ontem.” Why: Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito corri for a finished action yesterday.
  • Wrong: “Eu correr no parque.” Right: “Eu corro no parque todos os dias.” Why: The infinitive correr never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated form corro.

Quiz: test yourself

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

  1. What is the eu form of correr in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) corres
    • B) corro
    • C) corre
    • D) corremos

  2. What is the tu form of correr in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) corro
    • B) corre
    • C) corres
    • D) corremos

  3. What is the ele/ela form of correr in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) corro
    • B) corres
    • C) corremos
    • D) corre

  4. What is the nós form of correr in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) corremos
    • B) corro
    • C) corres
    • D) corre

  5. What is the vós form of correr in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) corro
    • B) correis
    • C) corres
    • D) corre

  6. What is the eles/elas form of correr in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) corro
    • B) corres
    • C) correm
    • D) corre

  7. What is the eu form of correr in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) corres
    • B) corre
    • C) corremos
    • D) corro

  8. What is the tu form of correr in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) corres
    • B) corro
    • C) corre
    • D) corremos

Answer key

  1. B) corro — the correct form is corro. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  2. C) corres — the correct form is corres. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  3. D) corre — the correct form is corre. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  4. A) corremos — the correct form is corremos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  5. B) correis — the correct form is correis. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  6. C) correm — the correct form is correm. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  7. D) corro — the correct form is corro. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  8. A) corres — the correct form is corres. The other options are other forms of the same verb.

Frequently asked questions

What does correr mean in English?

correr means “to run”. It is a regular -er verb.

How is the present tense of correr formed?

The six present forms are: eu corro, tu corres, ele corre, nós corremos, vós correis, eles correm. correr is regular: every form follows the standard -er endings, so once you know the pattern you can build every tense from the stem.

When do I use the present instead of the pretérito perfeito?

Use the present for habits, general truths and what is happening now. Use the pretérito perfeito for one finished action in the past. The time words are your best clue: todos os dias points to the present, ontem points to the pretérito perfeito.

What are the gerund and past participle of correr?

The gerund is correndo and the past participle is corrido.

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