Pedir Conjugation in Portuguese
pedir means “to ask for” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 49 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to ask for something, and it takes a direct object — peço um café. The eu form is peço, with ç, while the other present forms keep the d: pedes, pede, pedimos, pedis, pedem. Its pretérito perfeito is pedi, pediste, pediu, so the past is completely regular. Do not confuse it with perguntar, which means to ask a question of a person. This page gives you the complete conjugation of pedir — 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 peço um café todos os dias.” — “I ask for a coffee.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: pedir
- English: to ask for
- Verb type: Regular -ir verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: pedindo
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: pedido
- 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 pedir, 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 pedir in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about pedir
- 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 pedido. 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 pedindo and the past participle is pedido: 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 pedir. 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 | peço |
| tu | pedes |
| ele/ela | pede |
| nós | pedimos |
| vós | pedis |
| eles/elas | pedem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu peço um café todos os dias.” — “I ask for a coffee”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pedi |
| tu | pediste |
| ele/ela | pediu |
| nós | pedimos |
| vós | pedistes |
| eles/elas | pediram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu pedi um café ontem.” — “I asked for a coffee”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pedia |
| tu | pedias |
| ele/ela | pedia |
| nós | pedíamos |
| vós | pedíeis |
| eles/elas | pediam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu pedia um café antigamente.” — “I used to ask for a coffee”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pedira |
| tu | pediras |
| ele/ela | pedira |
| nós | pedíramos |
| vós | pedíreis |
| eles/elas | pediram |
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 pedira um café antes do jantar.” — “I had asked for a coffee”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pedirei |
| tu | pedirás |
| ele/ela | pedirá |
| nós | pediremos |
| vós | pedireis |
| eles/elas | pedirão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu pedirei um café amanhã.” — “I will ask for a coffee”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pediria |
| tu | pedirias |
| ele/ela | pediria |
| nós | pediríamos |
| vós | pediríeis |
| eles/elas | pediriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu pediria um café um dia.” — “I would ask for a coffee”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho pedido |
| tu | tens pedido |
| ele/ela | tem pedido |
| nós | temos pedido |
| vós | tendes pedido |
| eles/elas | têm pedido |
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 pedido um café esta semana.” — “He has asked for a coffee”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha pedido |
| tu | tinhas pedido |
| ele/ela | tinha pedido |
| nós | tínhamos pedido |
| vós | tínheis pedido |
| eles/elas | tinham pedido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha pedido um café antes do jantar.” — “I had asked for a coffee”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei pedido |
| tu | terás pedido |
| ele/ela | terá pedido |
| nós | teremos pedido |
| vós | tereis pedido |
| eles/elas | terão pedido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei pedido um café até amanhã.” — “I will have asked for a coffee”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria pedido |
| tu | terias pedido |
| ele/ela | teria pedido |
| nós | teríamos pedido |
| vós | teríeis pedido |
| eles/elas | teriam pedido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria pedido um café ontem.” — “I would have asked for a coffee”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | peça |
| tu | peças |
| ele/ela | peça |
| nós | peçamos |
| vós | peçais |
| eles/elas | peçam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu peça um café.” — “It is important that I ask for a coffee”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pedisse |
| tu | pedisses |
| ele/ela | pedisse |
| nós | pedíssemos |
| vós | pedísseis |
| eles/elas | pedissem |
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 pedisse um café.” — “It was important that I ask for a coffee”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pedir |
| tu | pedires |
| ele/ela | pedir |
| nós | pedirmos |
| vós | pedirdes |
| eles/elas | pedirem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu pedir um café, é bom.” — “If I ask for a coffee, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | pede |
| ele/ela | peça |
| nós | peçamos |
| vós | pedi |
| eles/elas | peçam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Pede um café!” — “Ask for a coffee!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não peças |
| ele/ela | não peça |
| nós | não peçamos |
| vós | não peçais |
| eles/elas | não peçam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não peças um café.” — “Do not ask for a coffee.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha pedido |
| tu | tenhas pedido |
| ele/ela | tenha pedido |
| nós | tenhamos pedido |
| vós | tenhais pedido |
| eles/elas | tenham pedido |
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 pedido um café.” — “It is important that I have asked for a coffee”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse pedido |
| tu | tivesses pedido |
| ele/ela | tivesse pedido |
| nós | tivéssemos pedido |
| vós | tivésseis pedido |
| eles/elas | tivessem pedido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse pedido um café.” — “It was important that I had asked for a coffee”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver pedido |
| tu | tiveres pedido |
| ele/ela | tiver pedido |
| nós | tivermos pedido |
| vós | tiverdes pedido |
| eles/elas | tiverem pedido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver pedido um café, é bom.” — “If I have asked for a coffee, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | pedindo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Pedindo um café, aprendo muito.” — “While asking for a coffee, I learn a lot.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | pedido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho pedido um café esta semana.” — “I have asked for a coffee.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with pedir, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu peço um café todos os dias.” — “I ask for a coffee”
- “Tu pediste um café ontem.” — “You asked for a coffee”
- “Ele pedia um café antigamente.” — “He used to ask for a coffee”
- “Eu pedirei um café amanhã.” — “I will ask for a coffee”
- “Tu pedirias um café um dia.” — “You would ask for a coffee”
- “Ele tem pedido um café esta semana.” — “He has asked for a coffee”
- “Eu tinha pedido um café antes do jantar.” — “I had asked for a coffee”
- “Tu terás pedido um café até amanhã.” — “You will have asked for a coffee”
- “É importante que eu peça um café.” — “It is important that I ask for a coffee”
- “Pede um café!” — “Ask for a coffee!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu pedir um café.”
✓ Right: “Eu peço um café todos os dias.”
The infinitive pedir never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form peço.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu pedes um café.”
✓ Right: “Eu peço um café todos os dias.”
pedes is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with peço.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu peço um café ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu pedi um café ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito pedi for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou pedido um café.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho pedido um café esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of pedir is formed with ter plus the past participle pedido: the eu form is tenho pedido. 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 peço um café.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu peça um café.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use peça here, not the indicative peço.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho pedindo um café.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho pedido um café esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle pedido, not the gerund pedindo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on pedir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of pedir in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) pedes
- B) peço
- C) pede
- D) pedimos
What is the ele/ela form of pedir in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) pedi
- B) pediste
- C) pediu
- D) pedimos
What is the nós form of pedir in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) pedia
- B) pedias
- C) pedíeis
- D) pedíamos
What is the tu form of pedir in the Futuro do presente?
- A) pedirás
- B) pedirei
- C) pedirá
- D) pediremos
What is the eu form of pedir in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) pedirias
- B) pediria
- C) pediríamos
- D) pediríeis
What is the ele/ela form of pedir in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho pedido
- B) tens pedido
- C) tem pedido
- D) temos pedido
What is the ele/ela form of pedir in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) peças
- B) peçamos
- C) peçais
- D) peça
What is the eu form of pedir in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) pedisse
- B) pedisses
- C) pedíssemos
- D) pedísseis
What is the gerund of pedir?
- A) pedido
- B) pedindo
- C) pedir
- D) peço
What does pedir mean in English?
- A) to receive
- B) to pay
- C) to ask for
- D) to buy
Answer key
- B) peço — the correct form is peço. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) pediu — the correct form is pediu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) pedíamos — the correct form is pedíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) pedirás — the correct form is pedirás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) pediria — the correct form is pediria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem pedido — the correct form is tem pedido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) peça — the correct form is peça. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) pedisse — the correct form is pedisse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) pedindo — the correct form is pedindo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to ask for — the correct form is to ask for. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does pedir mean in English?
pedir means “to ask for”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is pedir regular or irregular?
pedir is regular: it follows the ordinary -ir pattern in every tense. The gerund is pedindo and the past participle is pedido.
What are the gerund and past participle of pedir?
The gerund is pedindo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is pedido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho pedido.
Which auxiliary does pedir take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
pedir takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho pedido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle pedido.
How do I say “I ask for” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu peço um café todos os dias.” — “I ask for a coffee” The eu form of the present is peço, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of pedir — every tense of pedir in one place.
- Pedir in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Pedir 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.
- Abrir conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Dirigir 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 pedir with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise pedir with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise pedir with the interactive tool.