Mostrar Conjugation in Portuguese
mostrar means “to show” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 81 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to show, and it is completely regular: mostro, mostras, mostra, mostramos, mostrais, mostram. Its pretérito perfeito is mostrei, mostraste, mostrou, and its participle is mostrado. It takes the thing shown and the person it is shown to. This page gives you the complete conjugation of mostrar — 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 mostro o livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I show the book to Maria.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: mostrar
- English: to show
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: mostrando
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: mostrado
- 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 mostrar, 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 mostrar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about mostrar
- 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 mostrado. 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 mostrando and the past participle is mostrado: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. There is no present participle form listed for this verb in the verified tables. If you know those two 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 mostrar. 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 | mostro |
| tu | mostras |
| ele/ela | mostra |
| nós | mostramos |
| vós | mostrais |
| eles/elas | mostram |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu mostro o livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I show the book to Maria”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | mostrei |
| tu | mostraste |
| ele/ela | mostrou |
| nós | mostrámos |
| vós | mostrastes |
| eles/elas | mostraram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu mostrei o livro à Maria ontem.” — “I showed the book to Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | mostrava |
| tu | mostravas |
| ele/ela | mostrava |
| nós | mostrávamos |
| vós | mostráveis |
| eles/elas | mostravam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu mostrava o livro à Maria antigamente.” — “I used to show the book to Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | mostrara |
| tu | mostraras |
| ele/ela | mostrara |
| nós | mostráramos |
| vós | mostráreis |
| eles/elas | mostraram |
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 mostrara o livro à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had shown the book to Maria”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | mostrarei |
| tu | mostrarás |
| ele/ela | mostrará |
| nós | mostraremos |
| vós | mostrareis |
| eles/elas | mostrarão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu mostrarei o livro à Maria amanhã.” — “I will show the book to Maria”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | mostraria |
| tu | mostrarias |
| ele/ela | mostraria |
| nós | mostraríamos |
| vós | mostraríeis |
| eles/elas | mostrariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu mostraria o livro à Maria um dia.” — “I would show the book to Maria”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho mostrado |
| tu | tens mostrado |
| ele/ela | tem mostrado |
| nós | temos mostrado |
| vós | tendes mostrado |
| eles/elas | têm mostrado |
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 mostrado o livro à Maria esta semana.” — “He has shown the book to Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha mostrado |
| tu | tinhas mostrado |
| ele/ela | tinha mostrado |
| nós | tínhamos mostrado |
| vós | tínheis mostrado |
| eles/elas | tinham mostrado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha mostrado o livro à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had shown the book to Maria”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei mostrado |
| tu | terás mostrado |
| ele/ela | terá mostrado |
| nós | teremos mostrado |
| vós | tereis mostrado |
| eles/elas | terão mostrado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei mostrado o livro à Maria até amanhã.” — “I will have shown the book to Maria”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria mostrado |
| tu | terias mostrado |
| ele/ela | teria mostrado |
| nós | teríamos mostrado |
| vós | teríeis mostrado |
| eles/elas | teriam mostrado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria mostrado o livro à Maria ontem.” — “I would have shown the book to Maria”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | mostre |
| tu | mostres |
| ele/ela | mostre |
| nós | mostremos |
| vós | mostreis |
| eles/elas | mostrem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu mostre o livro à Maria.” — “It is important that I show the book to Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | mostrasse |
| tu | mostrasses |
| ele/ela | mostrasse |
| nós | mostrássemos |
| vós | mostrásseis |
| eles/elas | mostrassem |
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 mostrasse o livro à Maria.” — “It was important that I show the book to Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | mostrar |
| tu | mostrares |
| ele/ela | mostrar |
| nós | mostrarmos |
| vós | mostrardes |
| eles/elas | mostrarem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu mostrar o livro à Maria, é bom.” — “If I show the book to Maria, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | mostra |
| ele/ela | mostre |
| nós | mostremos |
| vós | mostrai |
| eles/elas | mostrem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Mostra o livro à Maria!” — “Show the book to Maria!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não mostres |
| ele/ela | não mostre |
| nós | não mostremos |
| vós | não mostreis |
| eles/elas | não mostrem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não mostres o livro à Maria.” — “Do not show the book to Maria.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha mostrado |
| tu | tenhas mostrado |
| ele/ela | tenha mostrado |
| nós | tenhamos mostrado |
| vós | tenhais mostrado |
| eles/elas | tenham mostrado |
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 mostrado o livro à Maria.” — “It is important that I have shown the book to Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse mostrado |
| tu | tivesses mostrado |
| ele/ela | tivesse mostrado |
| nós | tivéssemos mostrado |
| vós | tivésseis mostrado |
| eles/elas | tivessem mostrado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse mostrado o livro à Maria.” — “It was important that I had shown the book to Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver mostrado |
| tu | tiveres mostrado |
| ele/ela | tiver mostrado |
| nós | tivermos mostrado |
| vós | tiverdes mostrado |
| eles/elas | tiverem mostrado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver mostrado o livro à Maria, é bom.” — “If I have shown the book to Maria, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | mostrando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Mostrando o livro à Maria, aprendo muito.” — “While showing the book to Maria, I learn a lot.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | mostrado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho mostrado o livro à Maria esta semana.” — “I have shown the book to Maria.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with mostrar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu mostro o livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I show the book to Maria”
- “Tu mostraste o livro à Maria ontem.” — “You showed the book to Maria”
- “Ele mostrava o livro à Maria antigamente.” — “He used to show the book to Maria”
- “Eu mostrarei o livro à Maria amanhã.” — “I will show the book to Maria”
- “Tu mostrarias o livro à Maria um dia.” — “You would show the book to Maria”
- “Ele tem mostrado o livro à Maria esta semana.” — “He has shown the book to Maria”
- “Eu tinha mostrado o livro à Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had shown the book to Maria”
- “Tu terás mostrado o livro à Maria até amanhã.” — “You will have shown the book to Maria”
- “É importante que eu mostre o livro à Maria.” — “It is important that I show the book to Maria”
- “Mostra o livro à Maria!” — “Show the book to Maria!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu mostrar o livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu mostro o livro à Maria todos os dias.”
The infinitive mostrar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form mostro.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu mostras o livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu mostro o livro à Maria todos os dias.”
mostras is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with mostro.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu mostro o livro à Maria ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu mostrei o livro à Maria ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito mostrei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou mostrado o livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho mostrado o livro à Maria esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of mostrar is formed with ter plus the past participle mostrado: the eu form is tenho mostrado. 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 mostro o livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu mostre o livro à Maria.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use mostre here, not the indicative mostro.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho mostrando o livro à Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho mostrado o livro à Maria esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle mostrado, not the gerund mostrando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on mostrar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of mostrar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) mostras
- B) mostro
- C) mostra
- D) mostramos
What is the ele/ela form of mostrar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) mostrei
- B) mostraste
- C) mostrou
- D) mostrámos
What is the nós form of mostrar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) mostrava
- B) mostravas
- C) mostráveis
- D) mostrávamos
What is the tu form of mostrar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) mostrarás
- B) mostrarei
- C) mostrará
- D) mostraremos
What is the eu form of mostrar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) mostrarias
- B) mostraria
- C) mostraríamos
- D) mostraríeis
What is the ele/ela form of mostrar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho mostrado
- B) tens mostrado
- C) tem mostrado
- D) temos mostrado
What is the ele/ela form of mostrar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) mostres
- B) mostremos
- C) mostreis
- D) mostre
What is the eu form of mostrar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) mostrasse
- B) mostrasses
- C) mostrássemos
- D) mostrásseis
What is the gerund of mostrar?
- A) mostrado
- B) mostrando
- C) mostrar
- D) mostro
What does mostrar mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to show
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) mostro — the correct form is mostro. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) mostrou — the correct form is mostrou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) mostrávamos — the correct form is mostrávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) mostrarás — the correct form is mostrarás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) mostraria — the correct form is mostraria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem mostrado — the correct form is tem mostrado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) mostre — the correct form is mostre. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) mostrasse — the correct form is mostrasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) mostrando — the correct form is mostrando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to show — the correct form is to show. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does mostrar mean in English?
mostrar means “to show”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is mostrar regular or irregular?
mostrar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is mostrando and the past participle is mostrado.
What are the gerund and past participle of mostrar?
The gerund is mostrando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is mostrado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho mostrado.
Which auxiliary does mostrar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
mostrar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho mostrado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle mostrado.
How do I say “I show” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu mostro o livro à Maria todos os dias.” — “I show the book to Maria” The eu form of the present is mostro, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of mostrar — every tense of mostrar in one place.
- Mostrar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Mostrar 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.
- Pagar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Comprar 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 mostrar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise mostrar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise mostrar with the interactive tool.