The Descriptive Past III

Dialog — Past Descriptions of People

This unit has no traditional dialog. Instead, it presents a series of practices that build “past descriptions” of people and situations using imperfect tense forms.

Sample Description: Bill

Portuguese	English
Bill era americano.	Bill was American.
Ele era funcionário no Departamento de Estado.	He was an officer in the State Department.
Ele falava português bem.	He spoke Portuguese well.
Ele tinha muita chance de praticar.	He had a lot of chance to practice.
Por quê? Porque ele morava e trabalhava no Rio.	Why? Because he lived and worked in Rio.

Sample Description: Yara

Portuguese	English
Yara era brasileira.	Yara was Brazilian.
Ela era de São Paulo.	She was from São Paulo.
Ela falava inglês bem.	She spoke English well.
Ela falava sem sotaque.	She spoke without an accent.
Ela trabalhava no Rio.	She worked in Rio.
Ela viajava muito.	She travelled a lot.
Ela passava os fins de semana em casa.	She spent weekends at home.
Ela ia à praia.	She would go to the beach.
Ela gostava do trabalho dela.	She liked her work.

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Notes on Grammar

Part I — Irregular Imperfect: ser → era

The verb ser (“to be”) has an irregular imperfect form: era.

	Form
eu	era
ele/ela	era
nós	éramos
eles/elas	eram

Portuguese	English
Eu era funcionário.	I was an officer.
Ela era secretária.	She was a secretary.
Ela era solteira.	She was single.
Ele era o presidente.	He was the president.
Nós éramos americanos.	We were Americans.
Eles eram brasileiros.	They were Brazilians.
Eles eram de Nova Iorque.	They were from New York.

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Part II — Irregular Imperfect: ter → tinha

The verb ter (“to have”) has an irregular imperfect form: tinha.

	Form
eu	tinha
ele/ela	tinha
nós	tínhamos
eles/elas	tinham

Portuguese	English
Eu tinha sotaque inglês.	I had an English accent.
Ela tinha um Ford.	She had a Ford.
Nós tínhamos certeza.	We were sure (had certainty).
Eles tinham razão.	They were right (had reason).
Eles tinham duas casas.	They had two houses.

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Part III — Imperfect of estar → estava

The verb estar is regular in the imperfect: estava.

	Form
eu	estava
ele/ela	estava
nós	estávamos
eles/elas	estavam

Portuguese	English
Eu estava com fome.	I was hungry.
Eu estava com sono.	I was sleepy.
Eu estava cansado.	I was tired.
Ele estava com pressa.	He was in a hurry.
Nós estávamos com fome.	We were hungry.
Eles estavam cansados.	They were tired.

Key concept — Past Description: With ser, estar, and ter, the imperfect often describes conditions and states that existed at some point in the past, without implying recurring action. This is “past description.”

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Part IV — Imperfect of pretender → pretendia

Portuguese	English
Eu pretendo voltar.	I am planning to return. (present)
Eu pretendia voltar.	I was planning to return. (past)
Ele pretendia ler.	He was planning to read.
Nós pretendíamos sair.	We were planning to leave.
Eles pretendiam ficar.	They were planning to stay.

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Part V — Imperfect of querer → queria

Portuguese	English
Eu quero levar.	I want to take. (present)
Eu queria levar.	I wanted to take. (past)
Eu queria passar uma semana.	I wanted to spend a week.
Ele queria dirigir.	He wanted to drive.
Ele queria descansar.	He wanted to rest.
Nós queríamos ficar.	We wanted to stay.
Eles queriam sair.	They wanted to leave.

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Part VI — Imperfect of ir → ia

Portuguese	English
Eu vou estudar.	I am going to study. (present)
Eu ia estudar.	I was going to study. (past)
Ele ia mandar.	He was going to send.
Nós íamos ficar.	We were going to stay.
Eles iam ficar.	They were going to stay.

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Part VII — Imperfect of saber → sabia

Portuguese	English
Eu sei.	I know. (present)
Eu sabia.	I knew / I used to know. (past)
Ele não sabia.	He didn’t know.
Nós sabíamos.	We knew.
Eles sabiam.	They knew.

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Summary: Key Irregular Imperfect Forms

Verb	eu/ele	nós	eles
ser	era	éramos	eram
ter	tinha	tínhamos	tinham
estar	estava	estávamos	estavam
ir	ia	íamos	iam
querer	queria	queríamos	queriam
pretender	pretendia	pretendíamos	pretendiam
saber	sabia	sabíamos	sabiam

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Practice Drills (Selected)

Drill — Past Description

Describe these states in Portuguese:

Group I — with estar:

1. I was awake.
2. I was tired.
3. He was in a hurry.
4. He was hungry.
5. The traffic was terrible.

Group II — with ter:

1. I had an English accent.
2. She had a Portuguese accent.
3. We were sure.
4. They were right.

Group III — with ser:

1. I was an officer.
2. She was a teacher.
3. We were Americans.
4. They were Brazilians.
5. He was married.

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Translation Drill

1. Bill was American. He was an officer.
2. He spoke Portuguese well. He had a lot of chance to practice.
3. She was from São Paulo. She spoke English without an accent.
4. I was planning to return. → Eu pretendia voltar.
5. I wanted to spend a week. → Eu queria passar uma semana.
6. I was going to study. → Eu ia estudar.
7. I didn’t know he was the boss. → Eu não sabia que ele era o chefe.
8. Is that true? — It sure is! → É verdade? — É mesmo!
9. Is that true? — It can’t be! → É verdade? — Não pode ser!

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Key Vocabulary Summary

Portuguese	English
era / éramos / eram	was (ser) / we were / they were
tinha / tínhamos / tinham	had / we had / they had
estava / estávamos / estavam	was (estar) / we were / they were
ia / íamos / iam	was going / we were going / they were going
queria / queríamos / queriam	wanted / we wanted / they wanted
pretendia / pretendíamos / pretendiam	was planning / we were planning / they were planning
sabia / sabíamos / sabiam	knew / we knew / they knew
É verdade?	Is that true?
É mesmo!	It sure is! / Indeed!
Não pode ser!	It can’t be!
Que pena!	What a pity!
o funcionário	officer, government employee
o trabalho	work
o fim de semana	weekend
a chance	chance, opportunity