Receber Conjugation in Portuguese
receber means “to receive” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 282 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to receive something, and it is completely regular: recebo, recebes, recebe, recebemos, recebeis, recebem. Its pretérito perfeito is recebi, recebeste, recebeu, and its participle is recebido. It is the verb for receiving letters, messages, guests and gifts. This page gives you the complete conjugation of receber — 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 recebo uma carta todos os dias.” — “I receive a letter.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: receber
- English: to receive
- Verb type: Regular -er verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: recebendo
- Present participle: recebente
- Past participle: recebido
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -er verbs; pattern er in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for receber, 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 receber in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about receber
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -er 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 recebido. 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 recebendo, the present participle is recebente and the past participle is recebido: 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 receber. 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 | recebo |
| tu | recebes |
| ele/ela | recebe |
| nós | recebemos |
| vós | recebeis |
| eles/elas | recebem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu recebo uma carta todos os dias.” — “I receive a letter”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | recebi |
| tu | recebeste |
| ele/ela | recebeu |
| nós | recebemos |
| vós | recebestes |
| eles/elas | receberam |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu recebi uma carta ontem.” — “I received a letter”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | recebia |
| tu | recebias |
| ele/ela | recebia |
| nós | recebíamos |
| vós | recebíeis |
| eles/elas | recebiam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu recebia uma carta antigamente.” — “I used to receive a letter”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | recebera |
| tu | receberas |
| ele/ela | recebera |
| nós | recebéramos |
| vós | recebéreis |
| eles/elas | receberam |
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 recebera uma carta antes do jantar.” — “I had received a letter”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | receberei |
| tu | receberás |
| ele/ela | receberá |
| nós | receberemos |
| vós | recebereis |
| eles/elas | receberão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu receberei uma carta amanhã.” — “I will receive a letter”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | receberia |
| tu | receberias |
| ele/ela | receberia |
| nós | receberíamos |
| vós | receberíeis |
| eles/elas | receberiam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu receberia uma carta um dia.” — “I would receive a letter”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho recebido |
| tu | tens recebido |
| ele/ela | tem recebido |
| nós | temos recebido |
| vós | tendes recebido |
| eles/elas | têm recebido |
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 recebido uma carta esta semana.” — “He has received a letter”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha recebido |
| tu | tinhas recebido |
| ele/ela | tinha recebido |
| nós | tínhamos recebido |
| vós | tínheis recebido |
| eles/elas | tinham recebido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha recebido uma carta antes do jantar.” — “I had received a letter”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei recebido |
| tu | terás recebido |
| ele/ela | terá recebido |
| nós | teremos recebido |
| vós | tereis recebido |
| eles/elas | terão recebido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei recebido uma carta até amanhã.” — “I will have received a letter”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria recebido |
| tu | terias recebido |
| ele/ela | teria recebido |
| nós | teríamos recebido |
| vós | teríeis recebido |
| eles/elas | teriam recebido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria recebido uma carta ontem.” — “I would have received a letter”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | receba |
| tu | recebas |
| ele/ela | receba |
| nós | recebamos |
| vós | recebais |
| eles/elas | recebam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu receba uma carta.” — “It is important that I receive a letter”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | recebesse |
| tu | recebesses |
| ele/ela | recebesse |
| nós | recebêssemos |
| vós | recebêsseis |
| eles/elas | recebessem |
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 recebesse uma carta.” — “It was important that I receive a letter”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | receber |
| tu | receberes |
| ele/ela | receber |
| nós | recebermos |
| vós | receberdes |
| eles/elas | receberem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu receber uma carta, é bom.” — “If I receive a letter, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | recebe |
| ele/ela | receba |
| nós | recebamos |
| vós | recebei |
| eles/elas | recebam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Recebe uma carta!” — “Receive a letter!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não recebas |
| ele/ela | não receba |
| nós | não recebamos |
| vós | não recebais |
| eles/elas | não recebam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não recebas uma carta.” — “Do not receive a letter.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha recebido |
| tu | tenhas recebido |
| ele/ela | tenha recebido |
| nós | tenhamos recebido |
| vós | tenhais recebido |
| eles/elas | tenham recebido |
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 recebido uma carta.” — “It is important that I have received a letter”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse recebido |
| tu | tivesses recebido |
| ele/ela | tivesse recebido |
| nós | tivéssemos recebido |
| vós | tivésseis recebido |
| eles/elas | tivessem recebido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse recebido uma carta.” — “It was important that I had received a letter”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver recebido |
| tu | tiveres recebido |
| ele/ela | tiver recebido |
| nós | tivermos recebido |
| vós | tiverdes recebido |
| eles/elas | tiverem recebido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver recebido uma carta, é bom.” — “If I have received a letter, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | recebendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Recebendo uma carta, aprendo muito.” — “While receiving a letter, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | recebente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle recebente 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 recebente 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 | recebido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho recebido uma carta esta semana.” — “I have received a letter.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with receber, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu recebo uma carta todos os dias.” — “I receive a letter”
- “Tu recebeste uma carta ontem.” — “You received a letter”
- “Ele recebia uma carta antigamente.” — “He used to receive a letter”
- “Eu receberei uma carta amanhã.” — “I will receive a letter”
- “Tu receberias uma carta um dia.” — “You would receive a letter”
- “Ele tem recebido uma carta esta semana.” — “He has received a letter”
- “Eu tinha recebido uma carta antes do jantar.” — “I had received a letter”
- “Tu terás recebido uma carta até amanhã.” — “You will have received a letter”
- “É importante que eu receba uma carta.” — “It is important that I receive a letter”
- “Recebe uma carta!” — “Receive a letter!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu receber uma carta.”
✓ Right: “Eu recebo uma carta todos os dias.”
The infinitive receber never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form recebo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu recebes uma carta.”
✓ Right: “Eu recebo uma carta todos os dias.”
recebes is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with recebo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu recebo uma carta ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu recebi uma carta ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito recebi for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou recebido uma carta.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho recebido uma carta esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of receber is formed with ter plus the past participle recebido: the eu form is tenho recebido. 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 recebo uma carta.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu receba uma carta.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use receba here, not the indicative recebo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho recebendo uma carta.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho recebido uma carta esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle recebido, not the gerund recebendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on receber. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of receber in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) recebes
- B) recebo
- C) recebe
- D) recebemos
What is the ele/ela form of receber in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) recebi
- B) recebeste
- C) recebeu
- D) recebemos
What is the nós form of receber in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) recebia
- B) recebias
- C) recebíeis
- D) recebíamos
What is the tu form of receber in the Futuro do presente?
- A) receberás
- B) receberei
- C) receberá
- D) receberemos
What is the eu form of receber in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) receberias
- B) receberia
- C) receberíamos
- D) receberíeis
What is the ele/ela form of receber in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho recebido
- B) tens recebido
- C) tem recebido
- D) temos recebido
What is the ele/ela form of receber in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) recebas
- B) recebamos
- C) recebais
- D) receba
What is the eu form of receber in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) recebesse
- B) recebesses
- C) recebêssemos
- D) recebêsseis
What is the gerund of receber?
- A) recebido
- B) recebendo
- C) receber
- D) recebo
What does receber mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to pay
- C) to receive
- D) to buy
Answer key
- B) recebo — the correct form is recebo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) recebeu — the correct form is recebeu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) recebíamos — the correct form is recebíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) receberás — the correct form is receberás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) receberia — the correct form is receberia. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem recebido — the correct form is tem recebido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) receba — the correct form is receba. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) recebesse — the correct form is recebesse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) recebendo — the correct form is recebendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to receive — the correct form is to receive. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does receber mean in English?
receber means “to receive”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is receber regular or irregular?
receber is regular: it follows the ordinary -er pattern in every tense. The gerund is recebendo and the past participle is recebido.
What are the gerund and past participle of receber?
The gerund is recebendo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is recebido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho recebido.
Which auxiliary does receber take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
receber takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho recebido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle recebido.
How do I say “I receive” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu recebo uma carta todos os dias.” — “I receive a letter” The eu form of the present is recebo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of receber — every tense of receber in one place.
- Receber in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Receber 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.
- Vender conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Trazer 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 receber with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise receber with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise receber with the interactive tool.