Sair Conjugation in Portuguese
sair means “to go out” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 61 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to go out and to leave a place, and it is completely regular: saio, sais, sai, saímos, saís, saem. Its pretérito perfeito is saí, saíste, saiu, saímos, saístes, saíram — note the accent on the eu and tu forms. This page gives you the complete conjugation of sair — 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 saio com a Maria todos os dias.” — “I go out with Maria.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: sair
- English: to go out
- Verb type: Regular -ir verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: saindo
- Present participle: sainte
- Past participle: saído
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -ir verbs; pattern air in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for sair, 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 sair in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about sair
- 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 saído. 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 saindo, the present participle is sainte and the past participle is saído: 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 sair. 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 | saio |
| tu | sais |
| ele/ela | sai |
| nós | saímos |
| vós | saís |
| eles/elas | saem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu saio com a Maria todos os dias.” — “I go out with Maria”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | saí |
| tu | saíste |
| ele/ela | saiu |
| nós | saímos |
| vós | saístes |
| eles/elas | saíram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu saí com a Maria ontem.” — “I went out with Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | saía |
| tu | saías |
| ele/ela | saía |
| nós | saíamos |
| vós | saíeis |
| eles/elas | saíam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu saía com a Maria antigamente.” — “I used to go out with Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | saíra |
| tu | saíras |
| ele/ela | saíra |
| nós | saíramos |
| vós | saíreis |
| eles/elas | saíram |
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 saíra com a Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had gone out with Maria”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sairei |
| tu | sairás |
| ele/ela | sairá |
| nós | sairemos |
| vós | saireis |
| eles/elas | sairão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu sairei com a Maria amanhã.” — “I will go out with Maria”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sairia |
| tu | sairias |
| ele/ela | sairia |
| nós | sairíamos |
| vós | sairíeis |
| eles/elas | sairiam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu sairia com a Maria um dia.” — “I would go out with Maria”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho saído |
| tu | tens saído |
| ele/ela | tem saído |
| nós | temos saído |
| vós | tendes saído |
| eles/elas | têm saído |
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 saído com a Maria esta semana.” — “He has gone out with Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha saído |
| tu | tinhas saído |
| ele/ela | tinha saído |
| nós | tínhamos saído |
| vós | tínheis saído |
| eles/elas | tinham saído |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha saído com a Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had gone out with Maria”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei saído |
| tu | terás saído |
| ele/ela | terá saído |
| nós | teremos saído |
| vós | tereis saído |
| eles/elas | terão saído |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei saído com a Maria até amanhã.” — “I will have gone out with Maria”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria saído |
| tu | terias saído |
| ele/ela | teria saído |
| nós | teríamos saído |
| vós | teríeis saído |
| eles/elas | teriam saído |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria saído com a Maria ontem.” — “I would have gone out with Maria”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | saia |
| tu | saias |
| ele/ela | saia |
| nós | saiamos |
| vós | saiais |
| eles/elas | saiam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu saia com a Maria.” — “It is important that I go out with Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | saísse |
| tu | saísses |
| ele/ela | saísse |
| nós | saíssemos |
| vós | saísseis |
| eles/elas | saíssem |
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 saísse com a Maria.” — “It was important that I go out with Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | sair |
| tu | saíres |
| ele/ela | sair |
| nós | sairmos |
| vós | sairdes |
| eles/elas | saírem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu sair com a Maria, é bom.” — “If I go out with Maria, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | sai |
| ele/ela | saia |
| nós | saiamos |
| vós | saí |
| eles/elas | saiam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Sai com a Maria!” — “Go out with Maria!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não saias |
| ele/ela | não saia |
| nós | não saiamos |
| vós | não saiais |
| eles/elas | não saiam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não saias com a Maria.” — “Do not go out with Maria.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha saído |
| tu | tenhas saído |
| ele/ela | tenha saído |
| nós | tenhamos saído |
| vós | tenhais saído |
| eles/elas | tenham saído |
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 saído com a Maria.” — “It is important that I have gone out with Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse saído |
| tu | tivesses saído |
| ele/ela | tivesse saído |
| nós | tivéssemos saído |
| vós | tivésseis saído |
| eles/elas | tivessem saído |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse saído com a Maria.” — “It was important that I had gone out with Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver saído |
| tu | tiveres saído |
| ele/ela | tiver saído |
| nós | tivermos saído |
| vós | tiverdes saído |
| eles/elas | tiverem saído |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver saído com a Maria, é bom.” — “If I have gone out with Maria, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | saindo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Saindo com a Maria, aprendo muito.” — “While going out with Maria, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | sainte |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle sainte 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 sainte 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 | saído |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho saído com a Maria esta semana.” — “I have gone out with Maria.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with sair, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu saio com a Maria todos os dias.” — “I go out with Maria”
- “Tu saíste com a Maria ontem.” — “You went out with Maria”
- “Ele saía com a Maria antigamente.” — “He used to go out with Maria”
- “Eu sairei com a Maria amanhã.” — “I will go out with Maria”
- “Tu sairias com a Maria um dia.” — “You would go out with Maria”
- “Ele tem saído com a Maria esta semana.” — “He has gone out with Maria”
- “Eu tinha saído com a Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had gone out with Maria”
- “Tu terás saído com a Maria até amanhã.” — “You will have gone out with Maria”
- “É importante que eu saia com a Maria.” — “It is important that I go out with Maria”
- “Sai com a Maria!” — “Go out with Maria!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu sair com a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu saio com a Maria todos os dias.”
The infinitive sair never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form saio.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu sais com a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu saio com a Maria todos os dias.”
sais is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with saio.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu saio com a Maria ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu saí com a Maria ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito saí for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou saído com a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho saído com a Maria esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of sair is formed with ter plus the past participle saído: the eu form is tenho saído. 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 saio com a Maria.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu saia com a Maria.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use saia here, not the indicative saio.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho saindo com a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho saído com a Maria esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle saído, not the gerund saindo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on sair. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of sair in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) sais
- B) saio
- C) sai
- D) saímos
What is the ele/ela form of sair in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) saí
- B) saíste
- C) saiu
- D) saímos
What is the nós form of sair in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) saía
- B) saías
- C) saíeis
- D) saíamos
What is the tu form of sair in the Futuro do presente?
- A) sairás
- B) sairei
- C) sairá
- D) sairemos
What is the eu form of sair in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) sairias
- B) sairia
- C) sairíamos
- D) sairíeis
What is the ele/ela form of sair in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho saído
- B) tens saído
- C) tem saído
- D) temos saído
What is the ele/ela form of sair in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) saias
- B) saiamos
- C) saiais
- D) saia
What is the eu form of sair in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) saísse
- B) saísses
- C) saíssemos
- D) saísseis
What is the gerund of sair?
- A) saído
- B) saindo
- C) sair
- D) saio
What does sair mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to go out
- D) —
Answer key
- B) saio — the correct form is saio. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) saiu — the correct form is saiu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) saíamos — the correct form is saíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) sairás — the correct form is sairás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) sairia — the correct form is sairia. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem saído — the correct form is tem saído. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) saia — the correct form is saia. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) saísse — the correct form is saísse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) saindo — the correct form is saindo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to go out — the correct form is to go out. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does sair mean in English?
sair means “to go out”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is sair regular or irregular?
sair is regular: it follows the ordinary -ir pattern in every tense. The gerund is saindo and the past participle is saído.
What are the gerund and past participle of sair?
The gerund is saindo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is saído — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho saído.
Which auxiliary does sair take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
sair takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho saído. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle saído.
How do I say “I go out” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu saio com a Maria todos os dias.” — “I go out with Maria” The eu form of the present is saio, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of sair — every tense of sair in one place.
- Sair in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Sair 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.
- Ir conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Vir 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 sair with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise sair with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise sair with the interactive tool.