8 Verb to be – Verbo ser
VERB SER (to be)
The verb “ser” is one of the two most important verbs in Portuguese, the other being “estar.”
The verb “ser” is used to express the following permanent or inherent qualities or characteristics of a person, place, or thing, such as:
- innate or intrinsic qualities or characteristics
- identity
- gender
- origin
- occupation
- religion
- nationality
- marital status
The verb “ser” is not used to describe temporary or situational conditions, for which “estar” is used instead.
Here are some examples of using the verb “ser” in Portuguese:
- Eu sou brasileiro/a. – I am Brazilian.
- Tu és estudante. – You (informal, Pt, LA) are a student.
- Você é estudante. – You (informal, Br) are a student.
- O senhor é professor? – Are you (formal, masculine) are a professor/teacher?
- A senhora é professora. – You (formal, feminine) are a professor/teacher.
- Ele não é médico? – Isn’t he a doctor?
- Ela não é médica. – She is a doctor.
- Nós somos amigos. – We are friends.
- Vocês são de Portugal .– You (formal, plural) are from Portugal.
- Os senhores são de Cabo Verde? – Are you (formal, plural, masculine) from Cape Verde?
- As senhoras são de Cabo Verde? – Are you (formal, plural, masculine) from Cape Verde?
- Eles não são engenheiros. – They (masculine) are engineers.
- Elas não são engenheiras. – They (feminine) are engineers.
Key Takeaways
Note that the conjugation of “ser” changes according to the subject pronoun, just like any other verb in Portuguese. It is important to understand the difference between “ser” and “estar” in Portuguese, as their usage affects the meaning of a sentence.
The present tense conjugation of the verb “ser” in Portuguese is as follows:
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- Eu sou (I am)
- Tu és (You are)
- Você é (You are)
- O senhor é (You are)
- A senhora é (You are)
- Ele é (He is)
- Ela é (She is)
- Nós somos (We are)
- Vocês são (You all are)
- Os senhores são (You all are)
- As senhoras são (You all are)
- Eles são (They are)
- Elas são (They are)
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EXERCISES
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Working with a partner, take turns describing yourselves.
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Describe the people you see in these pictures using the grammar and vocabulary learned in this chapter.
3. Complete these sentences with the correct conjugation of the verb SER:
Eu ___________ americano/a.
Nós ____________ muito inteligentes.
Você __________ tímido/a?
Ela não __________ preguiçosa.
Vocês ____________ honestos/as?
Ele ____________ um pouco engraçado.
Eles _____________ interessantes.
Elas ____________ interessantes.
