Lesson 6 - Verb ser

In this lesson we are going to 'discover' the verb 'ser'. Most people fear verbs, but there is really nothing to fear. So, what does 'ser' mean?
It means 'to be'!
So when do we use it?
Well, basically, all the time. It is the most used verb of all and quite an important one to learn.

So how about an example?

• Esse cão é meu - that dog is mine 
• Este filme é bom - this film is good 
• Este café é meu? - is this coffee mine? 
• Hoje é terça feira - today is Tuesday 
• Este é o meu irmão - this is my brother 
• Ele é médico* - he is a doctor 

Also the plural, 'are'.

• Estes sapatos são novos - these shoes are new 
• Eles são amigos - they are friends 
• Os meus filhos são inteligentes - my children are intelligent 

This verb is irregular, that means that the way it changes does not follow a consistent pattern. However, ele, ela and você all take on the same form


Eu sou - I am
Tu és - you are (familiar)
Ele é - he is
Ela é - she is
Nós somos - we are
Vocês são - you (all) are. (in Liverpool we say 'yous').
Eles são - they are (masc)
Você é - you are (formal)

These verbs have to be learned off by heart. To see how to pronounce them, click here.
We us the 'tu' form, for close friends, animals and family.
We use the 'você' form, when we are speaking to somebody in a more formal setting, people we do not know on a personal level.
We use 'vocês' when we are speaking to more than one person at the same time.

• Tu és alto - you are a tall
• Você é medica* - you are a doctor
• Você é advogado? - are you a lawyer?
• Vocês são ingleses? - are you English?
• Vocês são inteligentes - you are (all) intelligent.

At first glance it seems difficult, but it really isn't. If we take a look at the verb 'to be' in English, we can see that it is also irregular.


I am
you are
he is
we are
they are

We would never say 'I is', 'he are' or 'they am', it is the same in Portuguese.
We use the verb SER for the things that best describe ones traits; profession, marital status, attributes, nationality. This also applied to things.

• O prédio é alto - the building is tall
• A casa é grande - the house is big
• A mesa é pequena - the table is small
• O carro é azul - the car is blue

Imagine describing yourself or somebody else, it is most likely you would use the verb ser.

Eg:

• (Eu) sou Ana - I am Ana (who you are)
• (Eu) sou mãe - I am a mother (what you are)
• Ele é médico - he is a doctor (profession)
• Ela é bonita - she is beautiful (description/ attribute)
• Ele é alto - he is tall (description/ attribute)
• Eles são amigos - they are friends. (relationships)
• (Nós) somos irmãos - we are brother and sister. (relationships)

When you want to say, I am not, we are not etc. you just place 'não' before the verb.

• Eu não sou francesa - I am not French (f)
• Eu não sou médica - I am not a doctor (f)
• Ele não é alto - he is not tall (m)
• Nós não somos amigos - we are not friends
• O João não é inteligente - João is not intelligent

Read the above phrases over and over until you can say them without looking! Then translate the following:

1. They are brother and sister
2. She is a mother
3. I am not a doctor
4. João is a father
5. She is French
6. They are not lawyers
7. The house is not big
8. The car is not blue
9. The table is big
10. This coffee is not mine
11. That dog is not mine
12. The house is blue

*note: if the subject is feminine the noun changes to feminine
Médico (m) changes to médica (f)
Alto = alta
Bonito = bonita