Levantar Conjugation in Portuguese
levantar means “to lift” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 121 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to lift and to get up, and it is completely regular. As a daily-routine verb it usually appears with a time word — levanto cedo — and it is the natural partner of acordar, which means to wake up. This page gives you the complete conjugation of levantar — 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 levanto cedo todos os dias.” — “I get up early.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: levantar
- English: to lift
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: levantando
- Present participle: levantante
- Past participle: levantado
- 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 levantar, 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 levantar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about levantar
- 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 levantado. 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 levantando, the present participle is levantante and the past participle is levantado: 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 levantar. 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 | levanto |
| tu | levantas |
| ele/ela | levanta |
| nós | levantamos |
| vós | levantais |
| eles/elas | levantam |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu levanto cedo todos os dias.” — “I get up early”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levantei |
| tu | levantaste |
| ele/ela | levantou |
| nós | levantámos |
| vós | levantastes |
| eles/elas | levantaram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu levantei cedo ontem.” — “I got up early”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levantava |
| tu | levantavas |
| ele/ela | levantava |
| nós | levantávamos |
| vós | levantáveis |
| eles/elas | levantavam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu levantava cedo antigamente.” — “I used to get up early”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levantara |
| tu | levantaras |
| ele/ela | levantara |
| nós | levantáramos |
| vós | levantáreis |
| eles/elas | levantaram |
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 levantara cedo antes do jantar.” — “I had got up early”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levantarei |
| tu | levantarás |
| ele/ela | levantará |
| nós | levantaremos |
| vós | levantareis |
| eles/elas | levantarão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu levantarei cedo amanhã.” — “I will get up early”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levantaria |
| tu | levantarias |
| ele/ela | levantaria |
| nós | levantaríamos |
| vós | levantaríeis |
| eles/elas | levantariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu levantaria cedo um dia.” — “I would get up early”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho levantado |
| tu | tens levantado |
| ele/ela | tem levantado |
| nós | temos levantado |
| vós | tendes levantado |
| eles/elas | têm levantado |
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 levantado cedo esta semana.” — “He has got up early”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha levantado |
| tu | tinhas levantado |
| ele/ela | tinha levantado |
| nós | tínhamos levantado |
| vós | tínheis levantado |
| eles/elas | tinham levantado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha levantado cedo antes do jantar.” — “I had got up early”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei levantado |
| tu | terás levantado |
| ele/ela | terá levantado |
| nós | teremos levantado |
| vós | tereis levantado |
| eles/elas | terão levantado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei levantado cedo até amanhã.” — “I will have got up early”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria levantado |
| tu | terias levantado |
| ele/ela | teria levantado |
| nós | teríamos levantado |
| vós | teríeis levantado |
| eles/elas | teriam levantado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria levantado cedo ontem.” — “I would have got up early”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levante |
| tu | levantes |
| ele/ela | levante |
| nós | levantemos |
| vós | levanteis |
| eles/elas | levantem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu levante cedo.” — “It is important that I get up early”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levantasse |
| tu | levantasses |
| ele/ela | levantasse |
| nós | levantássemos |
| vós | levantásseis |
| eles/elas | levantassem |
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 levantasse cedo.” — “It was important that I get up early”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | levantar |
| tu | levantares |
| ele/ela | levantar |
| nós | levantarmos |
| vós | levantardes |
| eles/elas | levantarem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu levantar cedo, é bom.” — “If I get up early, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | levanta |
| ele/ela | levante |
| nós | levantemos |
| vós | levantai |
| eles/elas | levantem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Levanta cedo!” — “Get up early!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não levantes |
| ele/ela | não levante |
| nós | não levantemos |
| vós | não levanteis |
| eles/elas | não levantem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não levantes cedo.” — “Do not get up early.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha levantado |
| tu | tenhas levantado |
| ele/ela | tenha levantado |
| nós | tenhamos levantado |
| vós | tenhais levantado |
| eles/elas | tenham levantado |
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 levantado cedo.” — “It is important that I have got up early”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse levantado |
| tu | tivesses levantado |
| ele/ela | tivesse levantado |
| nós | tivéssemos levantado |
| vós | tivésseis levantado |
| eles/elas | tivessem levantado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse levantado cedo.” — “It was important that I had got up early”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver levantado |
| tu | tiveres levantado |
| ele/ela | tiver levantado |
| nós | tivermos levantado |
| vós | tiverdes levantado |
| eles/elas | tiverem levantado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver levantado cedo, é bom.” — “If I have got up early, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | levantando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Levantando cedo, aprendo muito.” — “While getting up early, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | levantante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle levantante 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 levantante 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 | levantado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho levantado cedo esta semana.” — “I have got up early.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with levantar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu levanto cedo todos os dias.” — “I get up early”
- “Tu levantaste cedo ontem.” — “You got up early”
- “Ele levantava cedo antigamente.” — “He used to get up early”
- “Eu levantarei cedo amanhã.” — “I will get up early”
- “Tu levantarias cedo um dia.” — “You would get up early”
- “Ele tem levantado cedo esta semana.” — “He has got up early”
- “Eu tinha levantado cedo antes do jantar.” — “I had got up early”
- “Tu terás levantado cedo até amanhã.” — “You will have got up early”
- “É importante que eu levante cedo.” — “It is important that I get up early”
- “Levanta cedo!” — “Get up early!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu levantar cedo.”
✓ Right: “Eu levanto cedo todos os dias.”
The infinitive levantar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form levanto.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu levantas cedo.”
✓ Right: “Eu levanto cedo todos os dias.”
levantas is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with levanto.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu levanto cedo ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu levantei cedo ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito levantei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou levantado cedo.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho levantado cedo esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of levantar is formed with ter plus the past participle levantado: the eu form is tenho levantado. 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 levanto cedo.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu levante cedo.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use levante here, not the indicative levanto.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho levantando cedo.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho levantado cedo esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle levantado, not the gerund levantando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on levantar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of levantar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) levantas
- B) levanto
- C) levanta
- D) levantamos
What is the ele/ela form of levantar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) levantei
- B) levantaste
- C) levantou
- D) levantámos
What is the nós form of levantar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) levantava
- B) levantavas
- C) levantáveis
- D) levantávamos
What is the tu form of levantar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) levantarás
- B) levantarei
- C) levantará
- D) levantaremos
What is the eu form of levantar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) levantarias
- B) levantaria
- C) levantaríamos
- D) levantaríeis
What is the ele/ela form of levantar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho levantado
- B) tens levantado
- C) tem levantado
- D) temos levantado
What is the ele/ela form of levantar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) levantes
- B) levantemos
- C) levanteis
- D) levante
What is the eu form of levantar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) levantasse
- B) levantasses
- C) levantássemos
- D) levantásseis
What is the gerund of levantar?
- A) levantado
- B) levantando
- C) levantar
- D) levanto
What does levantar mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to lift
- D) —
Answer key
- B) levanto — the correct form is levanto. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) levantou — the correct form is levantou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) levantávamos — the correct form is levantávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) levantarás — the correct form is levantarás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) levantaria — the correct form is levantaria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem levantado — the correct form is tem levantado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) levante — the correct form is levante. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) levantasse — the correct form is levantasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) levantando — the correct form is levantando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to lift — the correct form is to lift. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does levantar mean in English?
levantar means “to lift”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is levantar regular or irregular?
levantar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is levantando and the past participle is levantado.
What are the gerund and past participle of levantar?
The gerund is levantando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is levantado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho levantado.
Which auxiliary does levantar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
levantar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho levantado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle levantado.
How do I say “I get up” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu levanto cedo todos os dias.” — “I get up early” The eu form of the present is levanto, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of levantar — every tense of levantar in one place.
- Levantar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Levantar 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 levantar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise levantar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise levantar with the interactive tool.