A2Lesson 7: Comparisons & Connectors
Past time expressions are essential markers that indicate when actions occurred, working hand-in-hand with Pretérito Perfeito to create clear temporal context.
ontem = yesterday; anteontem = day before yesterday
passado/a = last (semana passada, mês passado)
já = already, ever (in questions)
há + time = ago (há dois dias = two days ago)
em + specific time = in/on (em 2020, em março)
Position flexible: before or after verb
"Já" usually comes before the verb
Essential for clear past narration
Time expressions transform vague past statements into precise communication! Without them, "Eu viajei" (I traveled) leaves everyone wondering when. Add "semana passada" and suddenly it's clear. These markers are crucial for storytelling, making plans based on past events, and having natural conversations about what happened and when. They're the GPS coordinates of past experiences!
time expression + pretérito perfeito verb OR pretérito perfeito verb + time expression
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| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ontem | yesterday | Cheguei ontem |
| anteontem | day before yesterday | Saiu anteontem |
| ontem de manhã | yesterday morning | Liguei ontem de manhã |
| ontem à noite | last night | Dormi mal ontem à noite |
| ontem à tarde | yesterday afternoon | Choveu ontem à tarde |
"Ontem foi meu aniversário" (Yesterday was my birthday)
"Acordei tarde hoje de manhã" (I woke up late this morning)
"Há pouco ele estava aqui" (A little while ago he was here)
"Almocei há uma hora" (I had lunch an hour ago)
"Anteontem choveu muito" (It rained a lot the day before yesterday)
"Semana passada fui ao médico" (Last week I went to the doctor)
"Viajamos para Europa mês passado" (We traveled to Europe last month)
"Ano passado me formei" (Last year I graduated)
"Eles casaram domingo passado" (They got married last Sunday)
While usually before verb, can move for emphasis:
Normal: "Já comi" (I already ate)
Emphasis: "Comi já!" (I ate already!)
Question: "Comeu já?" (Did you eat already?)
"Semana passada" (feminine - a semana)
"Ano passado" (masculine - o ano)
But: "segunda passada" OR "segunda-feira passada" (both OK)
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