Continuar a or Continuar Fazendo? Two Portuguese Patterns — Practice

Use continuar + gerund in Brazilian Portuguese

In Brazilian Portuguese, continuar + gerund is a common way to say that an action keeps going: continuar estudando (continue studying), continuar trabalhando (continue working).

The gerund often ends in -ando, -endo, or -indo. It remains unchanged while the main verb continuar agrees with the subject.

Recognize continuar a + infinitive

You may also encounter continuar a + infinitive, such as continuar a estudar. It is grammatical and more common in some varieties and contexts; in Brazilian speech, the gerund pattern is especially familiar.

Recognize both forms when reading or listening. When you are speaking Brazilian Portuguese, continue + gerund is a useful default pattern.

Distinguish continuing from starting again

Continuar describes an action that carries on. Recomeçar means to start again, often after a pause. Choose the verb that matches whether the action never stopped or began again.

For descriptions of an action in progress right now, see our estar plus gerund guide.

Remember: Describe one action you are continuing and one you are starting again. Choose continuar or recomeçar before building the sentence.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. I’m going to keep studying Portuguese.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vou continuar estudando português.

2. She continues working from home.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela continua trabalhando em casa.

3. We’ll keep practicing tomorrow.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vamos continuar praticando amanhã.

4. We continued the conversation after lunch.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Continuamos a conversa depois do almoço.

5. He continued to work.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ele continuou a trabalhar.

6. She kept talking with the teacher.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela continuou falando com a professora.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Describe one action you are continuing and one you are starting again. Choose continuar or recomeçar before building the sentence.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Continuar a or Continuar Fazendo? Two Portuguese Patterns lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.