The Portuguese verb "ler" means "to read" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "ler" across all 5 tenses. New to Portuguese verbs? Start with the Portuguese verb guide.
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How to Conjugate "ler" in the Present Tense
Presente do indicativo Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | leio |
| tu | you (informal) | lês |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | lê |
| nós | we | lemos |
| vós | you all (formal) | ledes |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | leem |
Ele lê as notícias na internet.
say it LEH
He reads the news on the internet.
In other languages
- French Il lit les nouvelles sur Internet.
- German Er liest die Nachrichten im Internet.
- Spanish Él lee las noticias en internet.
- Dutch Hij leest het nieuws op internet.
Eu leio um livro de histórias.
say it LAY-oo
I read a story book.
In other languages
- French Je lis un livre d'histoires.
- German Ich lese ein Geschichtenbuch.
- Spanish Leo un libro de cuentos.
- Dutch Ik lees een verhalenboek.
How to Conjugate "ler" in the Past (completed) Tense
Pretérito perfeito simples Actions completed in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | li |
| tu | you (informal) | leste |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | leu |
| nós | we | lemos |
| vós | you all (formal) | lestes |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | leram |
Ele leu a carta.
say it LEH-OO
He read the letter.
In other languages
- French Il a lu la lettre.
- German Er las den Brief.
- Spanish Él leyó la carta.
- Dutch Hij las de brief.
Eu li o jornal.
say it LEE
I read the newspaper.
In other languages
- French Je lis le journal.
- German Ich lese die Zeitung.
- Spanish Leo el periódico.
- Dutch Ik lees de krant.
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Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "ler" in the Past (ongoing) Tense
Pretérito imperfeito Actions that were ongoing in the past| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | lia |
| tu | you (informal) | lias |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | lia |
| nós | we | líamos |
| vós | you all (formal) | líeis |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | liam |
Ela lia histórias para o filho.
say it LEE-ah
She used to read stories to her son.
In other languages
- French Elle avait l'habitude de lire des histoires à son fils.
- German Sie hat ihrem Sohn früher Geschichten vorgelesen.
- Spanish Ella solía leerle cuentos a su hijo.
- Dutch Zij las vroeger verhalen voor aan haar zoon.
Eu lia um livro todas as noites.
say it LEE-ah
I used to read a book every night.
In other languages
- French J'avais l'habitude de lire un livre chaque soir.
- German Ich las früher jeden Abend ein Buch.
- Spanish Solía leer un libro cada noche.
- Dutch Ik las vroeger elke avond een boek.
How to Conjugate "ler" in the Future Tense
Futuro do presente Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | lerei |
| tu | you (informal) | lerás |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | lerá |
| nós | we | leremos |
| vós | you all (formal) | lereis |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | lerão |
Ela lerá as notícias todas.
say it luh-RAH
She will read all the news.
In other languages
- French Elle lira toutes les nouvelles.
- German Sie wird alle Nachrichten lesen.
- Spanish Ella leerá todas las noticias.
- Dutch Zij zal al het nieuws lezen.
Eu lerei este livro amanhã.
say it luh-RAY
I will read this book tomorrow.
In other languages
- French Je lirai ce livre demain.
- German Ich werde dieses Buch morgen lesen.
- Spanish Leeré este libro mañana.
- Dutch Ik zal dit boek morgen lezen.
How to Conjugate "ler" in the Would (conditional) Tense
Condicional Hypothetical actions| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| eu | I | leria |
| tu | you (informal) | lerias |
| ele/ela/você | he/she/you (formal) | leria |
| nós | we | leríamos |
| vós | you all (formal) | leríeis |
| eles/elas/vocês | they/you all | leriam |
Ela leria a carta em voz alta.
say it luh-REE-ah
She would read the letter aloud.
In other languages
- French Elle lirait la lettre à voix haute.
- German Sie würde den Brief laut vorlesen.
- Spanish Ella leería la carta en voz alta.
- Dutch Zij zou de brief hardop voorlezen.
Eu leria esse livro todo.
say it luh-REE-oo
I would read this whole book.
In other languages
- French Je lirais tout ce livre.
- German Ich würde dieses ganze Buch lesen.
- Spanish Yo leería este libro entero.
- Dutch Ik zou dit hele boek lezen.
Frequently Asked Questions About "ler"
Is "ler" regular or irregular in Portuguese?
"Ler" is an irregular Portuguese verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "ler" mean in English?
The Portuguese verb "ler" means "to read" in English.
How do you conjugate "ler" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Presente do indicativo): eu → leio, tu → lês, ele/ela/você → lê, nós → lemos, vós → ledes, eles/elas/vocês → leem.
How many tenses does "ler" have in Portuguese?
"Ler" is conjugated across 5 tenses in Portuguese: Present, Past (completed), Past (ongoing), Future, Would (conditional).
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