Pensar Conjugation in Portuguese
pensar means “to think” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 89 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It is the verb of thinking and of having an opinion, used with em for thinking about someone or something, and with que for a thought in words. It is completely regular: penso, pensas, pensa, pensamos, pensais, pensam. This page gives you the complete conjugation of pensar — 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 penso na Maria todos os dias.” — “I think about Maria.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: pensar
- English: to think
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: pensando
- Present participle: pensante
- Past participle: pensado
- 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 pensar, 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 pensar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about pensar
- 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 pensado. 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 pensando, the present participle is pensante and the past participle is pensado: 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 pensar. 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 | penso |
| tu | pensas |
| ele/ela | pensa |
| nós | pensamos |
| vós | pensais |
| eles/elas | pensam |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu penso na Maria todos os dias.” — “I think about Maria”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pensei |
| tu | pensaste |
| ele/ela | pensou |
| nós | pensámos |
| vós | pensastes |
| eles/elas | pensaram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu pensei na Maria ontem.” — “I thought about Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pensava |
| tu | pensavas |
| ele/ela | pensava |
| nós | pensávamos |
| vós | pensáveis |
| eles/elas | pensavam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu pensava na Maria antigamente.” — “I used to think about Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pensara |
| tu | pensaras |
| ele/ela | pensara |
| nós | pensáramos |
| vós | pensáreis |
| eles/elas | pensaram |
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 pensara na Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had thought about Maria”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pensarei |
| tu | pensarás |
| ele/ela | pensará |
| nós | pensaremos |
| vós | pensareis |
| eles/elas | pensarão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu pensarei na Maria amanhã.” — “I will think about Maria”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pensaria |
| tu | pensarias |
| ele/ela | pensaria |
| nós | pensaríamos |
| vós | pensaríeis |
| eles/elas | pensariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu pensaria na Maria um dia.” — “I would think about Maria”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho pensado |
| tu | tens pensado |
| ele/ela | tem pensado |
| nós | temos pensado |
| vós | tendes pensado |
| eles/elas | têm pensado |
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 pensado na Maria esta semana.” — “He has thought about Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha pensado |
| tu | tinhas pensado |
| ele/ela | tinha pensado |
| nós | tínhamos pensado |
| vós | tínheis pensado |
| eles/elas | tinham pensado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha pensado na Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had thought about Maria”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei pensado |
| tu | terás pensado |
| ele/ela | terá pensado |
| nós | teremos pensado |
| vós | tereis pensado |
| eles/elas | terão pensado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei pensado na Maria até amanhã.” — “I will have thought about Maria”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria pensado |
| tu | terias pensado |
| ele/ela | teria pensado |
| nós | teríamos pensado |
| vós | teríeis pensado |
| eles/elas | teriam pensado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria pensado na Maria ontem.” — “I would have thought about Maria”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pense |
| tu | penses |
| ele/ela | pense |
| nós | pensemos |
| vós | penseis |
| eles/elas | pensem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu pense na Maria.” — “It is important that I think about Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pensasse |
| tu | pensasses |
| ele/ela | pensasse |
| nós | pensássemos |
| vós | pensásseis |
| eles/elas | pensassem |
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 pensasse na Maria.” — “It was important that I think about Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | pensar |
| tu | pensares |
| ele/ela | pensar |
| nós | pensarmos |
| vós | pensardes |
| eles/elas | pensarem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu pensar na Maria, é bom.” — “If I think about Maria, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | pensa |
| ele/ela | pense |
| nós | pensemos |
| vós | pensai |
| eles/elas | pensem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Pensa na Maria!” — “Think about Maria!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não penses |
| ele/ela | não pense |
| nós | não pensemos |
| vós | não penseis |
| eles/elas | não pensem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não penses na Maria.” — “Do not think about Maria.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha pensado |
| tu | tenhas pensado |
| ele/ela | tenha pensado |
| nós | tenhamos pensado |
| vós | tenhais pensado |
| eles/elas | tenham pensado |
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 pensado na Maria.” — “It is important that I have thought about Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse pensado |
| tu | tivesses pensado |
| ele/ela | tivesse pensado |
| nós | tivéssemos pensado |
| vós | tivésseis pensado |
| eles/elas | tivessem pensado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse pensado na Maria.” — “It was important that I had thought about Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver pensado |
| tu | tiveres pensado |
| ele/ela | tiver pensado |
| nós | tivermos pensado |
| vós | tiverdes pensado |
| eles/elas | tiverem pensado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver pensado na Maria, é bom.” — “If I have thought about Maria, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | pensando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Pensando na Maria, aprendo muito.” — “While thinking about Maria, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | pensante |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle pensante 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 pensante 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 | pensado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho pensado na Maria esta semana.” — “I have thought about Maria.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with pensar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu penso na Maria todos os dias.” — “I think about Maria”
- “Tu pensaste na Maria ontem.” — “You thought about Maria”
- “Ele pensava na Maria antigamente.” — “He used to think about Maria”
- “Eu pensarei na Maria amanhã.” — “I will think about Maria”
- “Tu pensarias na Maria um dia.” — “You would think about Maria”
- “Ele tem pensado na Maria esta semana.” — “He has thought about Maria”
- “Eu tinha pensado na Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had thought about Maria”
- “Tu terás pensado na Maria até amanhã.” — “You will have thought about Maria”
- “É importante que eu pense na Maria.” — “It is important that I think about Maria”
- “Pensa na Maria!” — “Think about Maria!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu pensar na Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu penso na Maria todos os dias.”
The infinitive pensar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form penso.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu pensas na Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu penso na Maria todos os dias.”
pensas is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with penso.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu penso na Maria ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu pensei na Maria ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito pensei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou pensado na Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho pensado na Maria esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of pensar is formed with ter plus the past participle pensado: the eu form is tenho pensado. 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 penso na Maria.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu pense na Maria.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use pense here, not the indicative penso.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho pensando na Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho pensado na Maria esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle pensado, not the gerund pensando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on pensar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of pensar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) pensas
- B) penso
- C) pensa
- D) pensamos
What is the ele/ela form of pensar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) pensei
- B) pensaste
- C) pensou
- D) pensámos
What is the nós form of pensar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) pensava
- B) pensavas
- C) pensáveis
- D) pensávamos
What is the tu form of pensar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) pensarás
- B) pensarei
- C) pensará
- D) pensaremos
What is the eu form of pensar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) pensarias
- B) pensaria
- C) pensaríamos
- D) pensaríeis
What is the ele/ela form of pensar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho pensado
- B) tens pensado
- C) tem pensado
- D) temos pensado
What is the ele/ela form of pensar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) penses
- B) pensemos
- C) penseis
- D) pense
What is the eu form of pensar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) pensasse
- B) pensasses
- C) pensássemos
- D) pensásseis
What is the gerund of pensar?
- A) pensado
- B) pensando
- C) pensar
- D) penso
What does pensar mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to think
- D) —
Answer key
- B) penso — the correct form is penso. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) pensou — the correct form is pensou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) pensávamos — the correct form is pensávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) pensarás — the correct form is pensarás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) pensaria — the correct form is pensaria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem pensado — the correct form is tem pensado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) pense — the correct form is pense. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) pensasse — the correct form is pensasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) pensando — the correct form is pensando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to think — the correct form is to think. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does pensar mean in English?
pensar means “to think”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is pensar regular or irregular?
pensar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is pensando and the past participle is pensado.
What are the gerund and past participle of pensar?
The gerund is pensando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is pensado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho pensado.
Which auxiliary does pensar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
pensar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho pensado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle pensado.
How do I say “I think” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu penso na Maria todos os dias.” — “I think about Maria” The eu form of the present is penso, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of pensar — every tense of pensar in one place.
- Pensar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Pensar 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 pensar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise pensar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise pensar with the interactive tool.