Dirigir Conjugation in Portuguese
dirigir means “to drive, to direct” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 531 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to drive and to direct, and it is regular apart from its spelling: the stem-final g becomes j before a and o, so the eu form is dirijo and the preterite is dirigi. Its present is dirijo, diriges, dirige, and its participle is dirigido. It is the verb for driving a car and for directing a company or a film. This page gives you the complete conjugation of dirigir — 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 dirijo um carro todos os dias.” — “I drive a car.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: dirigir
- English: to drive, to direct
- Verb type: Regular -ir verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: dirigindo
- Present participle: dirigente
- Past participle: dirigido
- 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 dirigir, 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 dirigir in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about dirigir
- 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 stem-final g becomes j before a and o, so the eu form is dirijo and the subjunctive eu form is dirija.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle dirigido. 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 dirigindo, the present participle is dirigente and the past participle is dirigido: 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 dirigir. 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 | dirijo |
| tu | diriges |
| ele/ela | dirige |
| nós | dirigimos |
| vós | dirigis |
| eles/elas | dirigem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu dirijo um carro todos os dias.” — “I drive a car”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dirigi |
| tu | dirigiste |
| ele/ela | dirigiu |
| nós | dirigimos |
| vós | dirigistes |
| eles/elas | dirigiram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu dirigi um carro ontem.” — “I drove a car”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dirigia |
| tu | dirigias |
| ele/ela | dirigia |
| nós | dirigíamos |
| vós | dirigíeis |
| eles/elas | dirigiam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu dirigia um carro antigamente.” — “I used to drive a car”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dirigira |
| tu | dirigiras |
| ele/ela | dirigira |
| nós | dirigíramos |
| vós | dirigíreis |
| eles/elas | dirigiram |
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 dirigira um carro antes do jantar.” — “I had driven a car”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dirigirei |
| tu | dirigirás |
| ele/ela | dirigirá |
| nós | dirigiremos |
| vós | dirigireis |
| eles/elas | dirigirão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu dirigirei um carro amanhã.” — “I will drive a car”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dirigiria |
| tu | dirigirias |
| ele/ela | dirigiria |
| nós | dirigiríamos |
| vós | dirigiríeis |
| eles/elas | dirigiriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu dirigiria um carro um dia.” — “I would drive a car”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho dirigido |
| tu | tens dirigido |
| ele/ela | tem dirigido |
| nós | temos dirigido |
| vós | tendes dirigido |
| eles/elas | têm dirigido |
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 dirigido um carro esta semana.” — “He has driven a car”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha dirigido |
| tu | tinhas dirigido |
| ele/ela | tinha dirigido |
| nós | tínhamos dirigido |
| vós | tínheis dirigido |
| eles/elas | tinham dirigido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha dirigido um carro antes do jantar.” — “I had driven a car”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei dirigido |
| tu | terás dirigido |
| ele/ela | terá dirigido |
| nós | teremos dirigido |
| vós | tereis dirigido |
| eles/elas | terão dirigido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei dirigido um carro até amanhã.” — “I will have driven a car”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria dirigido |
| tu | terias dirigido |
| ele/ela | teria dirigido |
| nós | teríamos dirigido |
| vós | teríeis dirigido |
| eles/elas | teriam dirigido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria dirigido um carro ontem.” — “I would have driven a car”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dirija |
| tu | dirijas |
| ele/ela | dirija |
| nós | dirijamos |
| vós | dirijais |
| eles/elas | dirijam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu dirija um carro.” — “It is important that I drive a car”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dirigisse |
| tu | dirigisses |
| ele/ela | dirigisse |
| nós | dirigíssemos |
| vós | dirigísseis |
| eles/elas | dirigissem |
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 dirigisse um carro.” — “It was important that I drive a car”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | dirigir |
| tu | dirigires |
| ele/ela | dirigir |
| nós | dirigirmos |
| vós | dirigirdes |
| eles/elas | dirigirem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu dirigir um carro, é bom.” — “If I drive a car, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | dirige |
| ele/ela | dirija |
| nós | dirijamos |
| vós | dirigi |
| eles/elas | dirijam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Dirige um carro!” — “Drive a car!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não dirijas |
| ele/ela | não dirija |
| nós | não dirijamos |
| vós | não dirijais |
| eles/elas | não dirijam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não dirijas um carro.” — “Do not drive a car.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha dirigido |
| tu | tenhas dirigido |
| ele/ela | tenha dirigido |
| nós | tenhamos dirigido |
| vós | tenhais dirigido |
| eles/elas | tenham dirigido |
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 dirigido um carro.” — “It is important that I have driven a car”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse dirigido |
| tu | tivesses dirigido |
| ele/ela | tivesse dirigido |
| nós | tivéssemos dirigido |
| vós | tivésseis dirigido |
| eles/elas | tivessem dirigido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse dirigido um carro.” — “It was important that I had driven a car”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver dirigido |
| tu | tiveres dirigido |
| ele/ela | tiver dirigido |
| nós | tivermos dirigido |
| vós | tiverdes dirigido |
| eles/elas | tiverem dirigido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver dirigido um carro, é bom.” — “If I have driven a car, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | dirigindo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Dirigindo um carro, aprendo muito.” — “While driving a car, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | dirigente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle dirigente 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 dirigente 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 | dirigido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho dirigido um carro esta semana.” — “I have driven a car.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with dirigir, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu dirijo um carro todos os dias.” — “I drive a car”
- “Tu dirigiste um carro ontem.” — “You drove a car”
- “Ele dirigia um carro antigamente.” — “He used to drive a car”
- “Eu dirigirei um carro amanhã.” — “I will drive a car”
- “Tu dirigirias um carro um dia.” — “You would drive a car”
- “Ele tem dirigido um carro esta semana.” — “He has driven a car”
- “Eu tinha dirigido um carro antes do jantar.” — “I had driven a car”
- “Tu terás dirigido um carro até amanhã.” — “You will have driven a car”
- “É importante que eu dirija um carro.” — “It is important that I drive a car”
- “Dirige um carro!” — “Drive a car!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu dirigir um carro.”
✓ Right: “Eu dirijo um carro todos os dias.”
The infinitive dirigir never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form dirijo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu diriges um carro.”
✓ Right: “Eu dirijo um carro todos os dias.”
diriges is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with dirijo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu dirijo um carro ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu dirigi um carro ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito dirigi for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou dirigido um carro.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho dirigido um carro esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of dirigir is formed with ter plus the past participle dirigido: the eu form is tenho dirigido. 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 dirijo um carro.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu dirija um carro.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use dirija here, not the indicative dirijo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho dirigindo um carro.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho dirigido um carro esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle dirigido, not the gerund dirigindo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on dirigir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of dirigir in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) diriges
- B) dirijo
- C) dirige
- D) dirigimos
What is the ele/ela form of dirigir in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) dirigi
- B) dirigiste
- C) dirigiu
- D) dirigimos
What is the nós form of dirigir in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) dirigia
- B) dirigias
- C) dirigíeis
- D) dirigíamos
What is the tu form of dirigir in the Futuro do presente?
- A) dirigirás
- B) dirigirei
- C) dirigirá
- D) dirigiremos
What is the eu form of dirigir in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) dirigirias
- B) dirigiria
- C) dirigiríamos
- D) dirigiríeis
What is the ele/ela form of dirigir in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho dirigido
- B) tens dirigido
- C) tem dirigido
- D) temos dirigido
What is the ele/ela form of dirigir in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) dirijas
- B) dirijamos
- C) dirijais
- D) dirija
What is the eu form of dirigir in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) dirigisse
- B) dirigisses
- C) dirigíssemos
- D) dirigísseis
What is the gerund of dirigir?
- A) dirigido
- B) dirigindo
- C) dirigir
- D) dirijo
What does dirigir mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to drive, to direct
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) dirijo — the correct form is dirijo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) dirigiu — the correct form is dirigiu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) dirigíamos — the correct form is dirigíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) dirigirás — the correct form is dirigirás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) dirigiria — the correct form is dirigiria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem dirigido — the correct form is tem dirigido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) dirija — the correct form is dirija. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) dirigisse — the correct form is dirigisse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) dirigindo — the correct form is dirigindo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to drive, to direct — the correct form is to drive, to direct. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does dirigir mean in English?
dirigir means “to drive, to direct”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is dirigir regular or irregular?
dirigir is regular: it follows the ordinary -ir pattern in every tense. The gerund is dirigindo and the past participle is dirigido.
What are the gerund and past participle of dirigir?
The gerund is dirigindo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is dirigido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho dirigido.
Which auxiliary does dirigir take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
dirigir takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho dirigido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle dirigido.
How do I say “I drive” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu dirijo um carro todos os dias.” — “I drive a car” The eu form of the present is dirijo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of dirigir — every tense of dirigir in one place.
- Dirigir in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Dirigir 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 dirigir with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise dirigir with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise dirigir with the interactive tool.