Viver Conjugation in Portuguese
viver means “to live” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 21 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to live somewhere and to live a life, and it is completely regular: vivo, vives, vive, vivemos, viveis, vivem. It is the verb for where you live, how long you have lived somewhere, and for life itself. This page gives you the complete conjugation of viver — 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 vivo em Lisboa todos os dias.” — “I live in Lisbon.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: viver
- English: to live
- Verb type: Regular -er verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: vivendo
- Present participle: vivente
- Past participle: vivido
- 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 viver, 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 viver in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about viver
- 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 vivido. 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 vivendo, the present participle is vivente and the past participle is vivido: 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 viver. 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 | vivo |
| tu | vives |
| ele/ela | vive |
| nós | vivemos |
| vós | viveis |
| eles/elas | vivem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu vivo em Lisboa todos os dias.” — “I live in Lisbon”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vivi |
| tu | viveste |
| ele/ela | viveu |
| nós | vivemos |
| vós | vivestes |
| eles/elas | viveram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu vivi em Lisboa ontem.” — “I lived in Lisbon”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vivia |
| tu | vivias |
| ele/ela | vivia |
| nós | vivíamos |
| vós | vivíeis |
| eles/elas | viviam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu vivia em Lisboa antigamente.” — “I used to live in Lisbon”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vivera |
| tu | viveras |
| ele/ela | vivera |
| nós | vivéramos |
| vós | vivéreis |
| eles/elas | viveram |
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 vivera em Lisboa antes do jantar.” — “I had lived in Lisbon”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | viverei |
| tu | viverás |
| ele/ela | viverá |
| nós | viveremos |
| vós | vivereis |
| eles/elas | viverão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu viverei em Lisboa amanhã.” — “I will live in Lisbon”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | viveria |
| tu | viverias |
| ele/ela | viveria |
| nós | viveríamos |
| vós | viveríeis |
| eles/elas | viveriam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu viveria em Lisboa um dia.” — “I would live in Lisbon”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho vivido |
| tu | tens vivido |
| ele/ela | tem vivido |
| nós | temos vivido |
| vós | tendes vivido |
| eles/elas | têm vivido |
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 vivido em Lisboa esta semana.” — “He has lived in Lisbon”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha vivido |
| tu | tinhas vivido |
| ele/ela | tinha vivido |
| nós | tínhamos vivido |
| vós | tínheis vivido |
| eles/elas | tinham vivido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha vivido em Lisboa antes do jantar.” — “I had lived in Lisbon”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei vivido |
| tu | terás vivido |
| ele/ela | terá vivido |
| nós | teremos vivido |
| vós | tereis vivido |
| eles/elas | terão vivido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei vivido em Lisboa até amanhã.” — “I will have lived in Lisbon”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria vivido |
| tu | terias vivido |
| ele/ela | teria vivido |
| nós | teríamos vivido |
| vós | teríeis vivido |
| eles/elas | teriam vivido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria vivido em Lisboa ontem.” — “I would have lived in Lisbon”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | viva |
| tu | vivas |
| ele/ela | viva |
| nós | vivamos |
| vós | vivais |
| eles/elas | vivam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu viva em Lisboa.” — “It is important that I live in Lisbon”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | vivesse |
| tu | vivesses |
| ele/ela | vivesse |
| nós | vivêssemos |
| vós | vivêsseis |
| eles/elas | vivessem |
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 vivesse em Lisboa.” — “It was important that I live in Lisbon”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | viver |
| tu | viveres |
| ele/ela | viver |
| nós | vivermos |
| vós | viverdes |
| eles/elas | viverem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu viver em Lisboa, é bom.” — “If I live in Lisbon, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | vive |
| ele/ela | viva |
| nós | vivamos |
| vós | vivei |
| eles/elas | vivam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Vive em Lisboa!” — “Live in Lisbon!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não vivas |
| ele/ela | não viva |
| nós | não vivamos |
| vós | não vivais |
| eles/elas | não vivam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não vivas em Lisboa.” — “Do not live in Lisbon.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha vivido |
| tu | tenhas vivido |
| ele/ela | tenha vivido |
| nós | tenhamos vivido |
| vós | tenhais vivido |
| eles/elas | tenham vivido |
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 vivido em Lisboa.” — “It is important that I have lived in Lisbon”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse vivido |
| tu | tivesses vivido |
| ele/ela | tivesse vivido |
| nós | tivéssemos vivido |
| vós | tivésseis vivido |
| eles/elas | tivessem vivido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse vivido em Lisboa.” — “It was important that I had lived in Lisbon”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver vivido |
| tu | tiveres vivido |
| ele/ela | tiver vivido |
| nós | tivermos vivido |
| vós | tiverdes vivido |
| eles/elas | tiverem vivido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver vivido em Lisboa, é bom.” — “If I have lived in Lisbon, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | vivendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Vivendo em Lisboa, aprendo muito.” — “While living in Lisbon, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | vivente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle vivente 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 vivente 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 | vivido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho vivido em Lisboa esta semana.” — “I have lived in Lisbon.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with viver, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu vivo em Lisboa todos os dias.” — “I live in Lisbon”
- “Tu viveste em Lisboa ontem.” — “You lived in Lisbon”
- “Ele vivia em Lisboa antigamente.” — “He used to live in Lisbon”
- “Eu viverei em Lisboa amanhã.” — “I will live in Lisbon”
- “Tu viverias em Lisboa um dia.” — “You would live in Lisbon”
- “Ele tem vivido em Lisboa esta semana.” — “He has lived in Lisbon”
- “Eu tinha vivido em Lisboa antes do jantar.” — “I had lived in Lisbon”
- “Tu terás vivido em Lisboa até amanhã.” — “You will have lived in Lisbon”
- “É importante que eu viva em Lisboa.” — “It is important that I live in Lisbon”
- “Vive em Lisboa!” — “Live in Lisbon!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu viver em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “Eu vivo em Lisboa todos os dias.”
The infinitive viver never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form vivo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu vives em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “Eu vivo em Lisboa todos os dias.”
vives is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with vivo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu vivo em Lisboa ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu vivi em Lisboa ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito vivi for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou vivido em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho vivido em Lisboa esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of viver is formed with ter plus the past participle vivido: the eu form is tenho vivido. 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 vivo em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu viva em Lisboa.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use viva here, not the indicative vivo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho vivendo em Lisboa.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho vivido em Lisboa esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle vivido, not the gerund vivendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on viver. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of viver in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) vives
- B) vivo
- C) vive
- D) vivemos
What is the ele/ela form of viver in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) vivi
- B) viveste
- C) viveu
- D) vivemos
What is the nós form of viver in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) vivia
- B) vivias
- C) vivíeis
- D) vivíamos
What is the tu form of viver in the Futuro do presente?
- A) viverás
- B) viverei
- C) viverá
- D) viveremos
What is the eu form of viver in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) viverias
- B) viveria
- C) viveríamos
- D) viveríeis
What is the ele/ela form of viver in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho vivido
- B) tens vivido
- C) tem vivido
- D) temos vivido
What is the ele/ela form of viver in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) vivas
- B) vivamos
- C) vivais
- D) viva
What is the eu form of viver in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) vivesse
- B) vivesses
- C) vivêssemos
- D) vivêsseis
What is the gerund of viver?
- A) vivido
- B) vivendo
- C) viver
- D) vivo
What does viver mean in English?
- A) to be
- B) to have
- C) to live
- D) —
Answer key
- B) vivo — the correct form is vivo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) viveu — the correct form is viveu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) vivíamos — the correct form is vivíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) viverás — the correct form is viverás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) viveria — the correct form is viveria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem vivido — the correct form is tem vivido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) viva — the correct form is viva. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) vivesse — the correct form is vivesse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) vivendo — the correct form is vivendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to live — the correct form is to live. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does viver mean in English?
viver means “to live”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is viver regular or irregular?
viver is regular: it follows the ordinary -er pattern in every tense. The gerund is vivendo and the past participle is vivido.
What are the gerund and past participle of viver?
The gerund is vivendo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is vivido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho vivido.
Which auxiliary does viver take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
viver takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho vivido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle vivido.
How do I say “I live” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu vivo em Lisboa todos os dias.” — “I live in Lisbon” The eu form of the present is vivo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of viver — every tense of viver in one place.
- Viver in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Viver 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.
- Ser conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Ter 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 viver with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise viver with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise viver with the interactive tool.