Tenho Estudado vs. Estudei: Two Portuguese Past Patterns — Practice

Use tenho estudado for a recent pattern or ongoing activity

The pattern ter in the present plus a past participle can describe an activity that has been happening repeatedly or continuing over a recent period: tenho estudado (I have been studying / I’ve been studying regularly). In Brazilian Portuguese, this form does not simply replace the simple past in every sentence where English uses have.

Add a time phrase or context to show the pattern: ultimamente, esta semana, todos os dias. The exact interpretation depends on what the speaker says around the verb.

Use the simple past for a completed event

Estudei is the simple past of estudar. Use it to report a completed event or a bounded period in the past, especially when a time such as ontem or no sábado tells the listener when it happened. English may use either “I studied” or “I have studied,” but Portuguese often chooses the tense according to the meaning and time frame.

Remember: Use tenho estudado for a repeated or continuing recent pattern and estudei for a completed past event. Build the contrast with time phrases rather than mapping each English tense word-for-word.

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’ve been studying Portuguese every day.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Tenho estudado português todos os dias.

2. She has been working from home this week.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela tem trabalhado de casa nesta semana.

3. It has been raining a lot over the last few days.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Tem chovido bastante nos últimos dias.

4. I studied for an hour yesterday.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Estudei por uma hora ontem.

5. I worked in Recife in 2024.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Trabalhei em Recife em 2024.

6. I’ve read that book twice.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Li esse livro duas vezes.

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.

Use tenho estudado for a repeated or continuing recent pattern and estudei for a completed past event. Build the contrast with time phrases rather than mapping each English tense word-for-word.

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 Tenho Estudado vs. Estudei: Two Portuguese Past 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.