Vir Conjugation in Portuguese
vir means “to come” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 8 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It is the verb of coming and arriving from somewhere else, and it also appears in expressions for where someone comes from. Its present is irregular — venho, vens, vem, vimos, vindes, vêm — and its pretérito perfeito is vim, vieste, veio, viemos, viestes, vieram. Do not confuse it with ver, which means to see. This page gives you the complete conjugation of vir — 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 venho a casa todos os dias.” — “I come home.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: vir
- English: to come
- Verb type: Irregular -ir verb
- Irregular in: presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito imperfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo, particípio, pretérito perfeito composto, pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto, futuro do presente composto, futuro do pretérito composto, presente do subjuntivo composto, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto, futuro do subjuntivo composto
- Gerund: vindo
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: vindo
- 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 vir, 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 vir in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about vir
- It is irregular in 17 tense(s): presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito imperfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo, particípio, pretérito perfeito composto, pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto, futuro do presente composto, futuro do pretérito composto, presente do subjuntivo composto, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto, futuro do subjuntivo composto. Learn those forms as a set instead of guessing them from the infinitive, because the stem changes in ways no rule predicts.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle vindo. 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 vindo and the past participle is vindo: 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 vir. 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 | venho |
| tu | vens |
| ele/ela | vem |
| nós | vimos |
| vós | vindes |
| eles/elas | vêm |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu venho a casa todos os dias.” — “I come home”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vim |
| tu | vieste |
| ele/ela | veio |
| nós | viemos |
| vós | viestes |
| eles/elas | vieram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu vim a casa ontem.” — “I came home”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vinha |
| tu | vinhas |
| ele/ela | vinha |
| nós | vínhamos |
| vós | vínheis |
| eles/elas | vinham |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu vinha a casa antigamente.” — “I used to come home”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | viera |
| tu | vieras |
| ele/ela | viera |
| nós | viéramos |
| vós | viéreis |
| eles/elas | vieram |
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 viera a casa antes do jantar.” — “I had come home”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | virei |
| tu | virás |
| ele/ela | virá |
| nós | viremos |
| vós | vireis |
| eles/elas | virão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu virei a casa amanhã.” — “I will come home”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | viria |
| tu | virias |
| ele/ela | viria |
| nós | viríamos |
| vós | viríeis |
| eles/elas | viriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu viria a casa um dia.” — “I would come home”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho vindo |
| tu | tens vindo |
| ele/ela | tem vindo |
| nós | temos vindo |
| vós | tendes vindo |
| eles/elas | têm vindo |
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 vindo a casa esta semana.” — “He has come home”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha vindo |
| tu | tinhas vindo |
| ele/ela | tinha vindo |
| nós | tínhamos vindo |
| vós | tínheis vindo |
| eles/elas | tinham vindo |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha vindo a casa antes do jantar.” — “I had come home”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei vindo |
| tu | terás vindo |
| ele/ela | terá vindo |
| nós | teremos vindo |
| vós | tereis vindo |
| eles/elas | terão vindo |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei vindo a casa até amanhã.” — “I will have come home”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria vindo |
| tu | terias vindo |
| ele/ela | teria vindo |
| nós | teríamos vindo |
| vós | teríeis vindo |
| eles/elas | teriam vindo |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria vindo a casa ontem.” — “I would have come home”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | venha |
| tu | venhas |
| ele/ela | venha |
| nós | venhamos |
| vós | venhais |
| eles/elas | venham |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu venha a casa.” — “It is important that I come home”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | viesse |
| tu | viesses |
| ele/ela | viesse |
| nós | viéssemos |
| vós | viésseis |
| eles/elas | viessem |
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 viesse a casa.” — “It was important that I come home”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vier |
| tu | vieres |
| ele/ela | vier |
| nós | viermos |
| vós | vierdes |
| eles/elas | vierem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu vier a casa, é bom.” — “If I come home, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | vem |
| ele/ela | venha |
| nós | venhamos |
| vós | vinde |
| eles/elas | venham |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Vem a casa!” — “Come home!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não venhas |
| ele/ela | não venha |
| nós | não venhamos |
| vós | não venhais |
| eles/elas | não venham |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não venhas a casa.” — “Do not come home.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha vindo |
| tu | tenhas vindo |
| ele/ela | tenha vindo |
| nós | tenhamos vindo |
| vós | tenhais vindo |
| eles/elas | tenham vindo |
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 vindo a casa.” — “It is important that I have come home”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse vindo |
| tu | tivesses vindo |
| ele/ela | tivesse vindo |
| nós | tivéssemos vindo |
| vós | tivésseis vindo |
| eles/elas | tivessem vindo |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse vindo a casa.” — “It was important that I had come home”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver vindo |
| tu | tiveres vindo |
| ele/ela | tiver vindo |
| nós | tivermos vindo |
| vós | tiverdes vindo |
| eles/elas | tiverem vindo |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver vindo a casa, é bom.” — “If I have come home, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | vindo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Vindo a casa, aprendo muito.” — “While coming home, I learn a lot.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | vindo |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho vindo a casa esta semana.” — “I have come home.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with vir, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu venho a casa todos os dias.” — “I come home”
- “Tu vieste a casa ontem.” — “You came home”
- “Ele vinha a casa antigamente.” — “He used to come home”
- “Eu virei a casa amanhã.” — “I will come home”
- “Tu virias a casa um dia.” — “You would come home”
- “Ele tem vindo a casa esta semana.” — “He has come home”
- “Eu tinha vindo a casa antes do jantar.” — “I had come home”
- “Tu terás vindo a casa até amanhã.” — “You will have come home”
- “É importante que eu venha a casa.” — “It is important that I come home”
- “Vem a casa!” — “Come home!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu vir a casa.”
✓ Right: “Eu venho a casa todos os dias.”
The infinitive vir never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form venho.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu vens a casa.”
✓ Right: “Eu venho a casa todos os dias.”
vens is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with venho.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu venho a casa ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu vim a casa ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito vim for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou vindo a casa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho vindo a casa esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of vir is formed with ter plus the past participle vindo: the eu form is tenho vindo. 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 venho a casa.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu venha a casa.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use venha here, not the indicative venho.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho vindo a casa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho vindo a casa esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle vindo, not the gerund vindo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on vir. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of vir in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) vens
- B) venho
- C) vem
- D) vimos
What is the ele/ela form of vir in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) vim
- B) vieste
- C) veio
- D) viemos
What is the nós form of vir in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) vinha
- B) vinhas
- C) vínheis
- D) vínhamos
What is the tu form of vir in the Futuro do presente?
- A) virás
- B) virei
- C) virá
- D) viremos
What is the eu form of vir in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) virias
- B) viria
- C) viríamos
- D) viríeis
What is the ele/ela form of vir in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho vindo
- B) tens vindo
- C) tem vindo
- D) temos vindo
What is the ele/ela form of vir in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) venhas
- B) venhamos
- C) venhais
- D) venha
What is the eu form of vir in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) viesse
- B) viesses
- C) viéssemos
- D) viésseis
What is the gerund of vir?
- A) vir
- B) vindo
- C) venho
- D) —
What does vir mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to come
- D) —
Answer key
- B) venho — the correct form is venho. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) veio — the correct form is veio. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) vínhamos — the correct form is vínhamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) virás — the correct form is virás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) viria — the correct form is viria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem vindo — the correct form is tem vindo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) venha — the correct form is venha. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) viesse — the correct form is viesse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) vindo — the correct form is vindo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to come — the correct form is to come. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does vir mean in English?
vir means “to come”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is vir regular or irregular?
vir is irregular: it is irregular in presente, pretérito perfeito, pretérito imperfeito, pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples, presente do subjuntivo, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo, futuro do subjuntivo, imperativo afirmativo, imperativo negativo, particípio, pretérito perfeito composto, pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto, futuro do presente composto, futuro do pretérito composto, presente do subjuntivo composto, pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto, futuro do subjuntivo composto. The gerund is vindo and the past participle is vindo.
What are the gerund and past participle of vir?
The gerund is vindo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is vindo — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho vindo.
Which auxiliary does vir take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
vir takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho vindo. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle vindo.
How do I say “I come” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu venho a casa todos os dias.” — “I come home” The eu form of the present is venho, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of vir — every tense of vir in one place.
- Vir in the pretérito perfeito tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Vir 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.
- Portuguese irregular verbs — every common irregular Portuguese verb, grouped by pattern.
- Ir conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Dormir 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 vir with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise vir with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise vir with the interactive tool.