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Quick Grammar Reference
P o r t u g u e s e O n l i n e

>>Adjectives >  Past Participles as Adjectives

A past participle has only one form unless it is used as an adjective. In this case, it follows the same rules explained in the section on forming regular adjectives. A past participle is always used as four-form regular adjective:

Past participles from -ar verbs:

Past participles from -er and -ir verbs:

Past participles are commonly used as adjectives in the passive voice. They must vary to match the number and gender of the noun they describe. In the passive phrase os apartamentos são construídos the apartments are built, the past participle of construir to build (construído built) describes the masculine plural noun apartamentos apartments, so it is modified to reflect that (apartamentos construídos built apartments).

Some past participles may have a separate translation when used as an adjective. The invariable past participle of passar to pass used in tem passado it has past does not necessarily translate the same as the adjective passado in os anos passados the last year (although we can also say the past years). Furthermore, a steak that is described as bem passado is well done.