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BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE VERB

tentar

to try

  • #41 most used
  • Regular -ar verb
  • Gerund: tentando
  • Past participle: tentado

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. eu I try
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you try
  3. nós we try
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all try

Past

Pretérito Perfeito · finished actions

  1. eu I tried
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you tried
  3. nós we tried
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all tried

Future

Futuro com ir · plans: “going to”

  1. eu I am going to try
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you are going to try
  3. nós we are going to try
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all are going to try

Imperfect

Pretérito Imperfeito · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. eu I used to try
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you used to try
  3. nós we used to try
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all used to try

Conditional

Futuro do Pretérito · “would”

  1. eu I would try
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente you would try
  3. nós we would try
  4. vocês, eles, elas you all would try

Present subjunctive

Presente do Subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

  1. eu (that) I try
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (that) you try
  3. nós (that) we try
  4. vocês, eles, elas (that) you all try

Past subjunctive

Imperfeito do Subjuntivo · “if I were”, “se …”

  1. eu (if) I tried
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (if) you tried
  3. nós (if) we tried
  4. vocês, eles, elas (if) you all tried

Future subjunctive

Futuro do Subjuntivo · “when” and “if” about the future

  1. eu (when) I try
  2. você, ele, ela, a gente (when) you try
  3. nós (when) we try
  4. vocês, eles, elas (when) you all try

Imperative

Imperativo · requests and orders

  1. você try!
  2. vocês try! (all of you)

How to use tentar

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Eu tento falar português todo dia.

    I try to speak Portuguese every day.

  2. Past

    Ele tentou ligar para você três vezes.

    He tried to call you three times.

  3. Future

    A gente vai tentar chegar antes das oito.

    We're going to try to get there before eight.

  4. Imperfect

    Ela tentava esconder, mas estava chorando.

    She was trying to hide it, but she was crying.

  5. Conditional

    Eu tentaria de novo no ano que vem.

    I would try again next year.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Quero que você tente pelo menos uma vez.

    I want you to try at least once.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Se a gente tentasse juntos, seria mais fácil.

    If we tried together, it would be easier.

  8. Future subjunctive

    Se você tentar abrir a porta, ela trava.

    If you try to open the door, it jams.

  9. Imperative

    Tente ligar de novo mais tarde.

    Try calling again later.

Good to know

  • "Tentar" is to attempt; to try food or clothes on is "experimentar" or "provar".

Where you hear tentar

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Brazilian Portuguese · Intermediate Level 1

  • Eu sempre tento chegar cedo. I always try to arrive early.
  • Eu tentei, mas não consegui. I tried, but I couldn't.
  • Amanhã eu vou tentar de novo. Tomorrow I'm going to try again.

Brazilian Portuguese · Intermediate Level 2

  • Eu sempre tento chegar na hora. I always try to arrive on time.
  • Eu tentei ligar para você ontem. I tried to call you yesterday.
  • A gente vai tentar de novo amanhã. We're going to try again tomorrow.
2
I Hope You Accept

Intermediate Level 1 · Tenta!

Free 19
Whoever Catches the Bouquet

Intermediate Level 1 · tentou · tentei

Needs a subscription 3
However Much I Like Her

Intermediate Level 2 · tente

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -ar verb.