Verb POR and others

The Verb “Pôr” in Portuguese: Meaning, Derived Verbs, and Comparison to English

In Portuguese, the verb “pôr” means “to put.” It’s similar to the English verb “to put,” and it’s often used when placing or positioning something. Portuguese has some verbs derived from “pôr,” each with unique meanings. Let’s explore “pôr” and its derivatives in simple terms.

Meaning of “Pôr” and Examples

The verb “pôr” means “to put,” just like in English. Here are some examples in Portuguese and English:

1. Eu vou pôr o livro na mesa.
   (I am going to put the book on the table.)
2. Ela põe as chaves no bolso.
   (She puts the keys in her pocket.)
3. Nós sempre pomos o lixo para fora à noite.
   (We always put the trash out at night.)

In each example, “pôr” is used similarly to “put” in English, showing the action of placing something.

For “put” we usually use the verb “colocar”, it is REGULAR and EASY to learn.

1. Eu vou colocar o copo na mesa.
   (I am going to place the glass on the table.)
2. Eles colocam as roupas no armário.
   (They put the clothes in the closet.)
3. Você pode colocar o seu nome aqui?
   (Can you put your name here?)

Conjugation of “Pôr” in the Present and Past Tense

Here’s how “pôr” is conjugated in the present and past tenses. These are some of the most common forms to use.

Present Tense

Portuguese	English
Eu ponho	I put
Você/Ele/Ela põe	You/He/She puts
Nós pomos	We put
Vocês/Eles põem	You all/They put

Past Tense (Simple Past)

Portuguese	English
Eu pus	I put (past)
Você/Ele/Ela pôs	You/He/She put
Nós pusemos	We put
Vocês/Eles puseram	You all/They put

Derived Verbs from “Pôr” and Their Meanings

There are several important verbs derived from “pôr,” each with a prefix that changes the meaning slightly. Let’s look at some common ones.

1. Supor (to suppose)

“Supor” is a combination of “pôr” with the prefix “su-,” meaning “to suppose” or “to assume.”

• Eu suponho que ela venha.
  (I suppose she will come.)
• Você supõe que isso seja verdade?
  (Do you suppose that’s true?)
• Eles supõem que todos saibam disso.
  (They suppose everyone knows about it.)

2. Compor (to compose)

“Compor” means “to compose” and usually refers to creating or putting something together.

• Ela compõe músicas lindas.
  (She composes beautiful songs.)
• Você quer compor algo novo?
  (Do you want to compose something new?)

3. Propor (to propose)

“Propor” significa “propor uma ideia ou sugestão.” É como “suggest” ou “propose” in english.

Exemplos:

• Ele propôs uma nova ideia para o projeto.
  (He proposed a new idea for the project.)
• Ela sempre propõe soluções criativas.
  (She always proposes creative solutions.)

4. Repor (to replace or restock)

“Repor” significa “colocar algo de volta” ou “repor estoque.” In english, is “to replace” or “to restock.”

Exemplos:

• Nós precisamos repor os produtos nas prateleiras.
  (We need to restock the products on the shelves.)
• Ele repôs os itens danificados.
  (He replaced the damaged items.)
• Ela repõe a energia descansando.
  (She restores her energy by resting.)

5. Expor (to expose or exhibit)

“Expor” significa “mostrar” ou “expor ao público.” It is “to expose” ou “to exhibit” in english.

Exemplos:

• O museu vai expor novas pinturas.
  (The museum will exhibit new paintings.)
• Ele expôs seu ponto de vista claramente.
  (He exposed his point of view clearly.)
• Queremos expor o problema ao público.
  (We want to expose the problem to the public.)

6. Transpor (to overcome or transpose)

“Transpor” significa “superar um obstáculo” ou “mover algo.” In english, is “to overcome” ou “to transpose.”

Exemplos:

• O engenheiro transpôs o rio com uma ponte.
  (The engineer crossed the river with a bridge.)
• Precisamos transpor esses desafios.
  (We need to overcome these challenges.)

This verb is not so usual in daily life.

7. Decompor (to decompose or break down)

“Decompor” significa “desmontar” ou “separar em partes.” In english, é “to decompose” ou “to break down.”

Exemplos:

• As folhas caídas começam a se decompor.
  (The fallen leaves begin to decompose.)

 8. Impor (to impose)

“Impor” means “to impose.” It combines “pôr” with “im-” to show force or insistence on something.

• O governo impõe novas regras.
  (The government imposes new rules.)
• Ele impõe sua opinião em todos.
  (He imposes his opinion on everyone.)

Exercício: Complete as frases com a forma correta do verbo apropriado.

1. O museu vai ______ novas obras de arte na próxima semana.
2. Precisamos ______ os produtos nas prateleiras antes da abertura da loja.
3. Ele ______ a ideia de um novo método para o projeto.
4. As plantas caídas no jardim começam a se ______ com o tempo.
5. Eles conseguiram ______ os desafios com determinação.

Gabarito:

1. expor
2. repor
3. propôs
4. decompor
5. transpor