Verbal Locutions: The Art of Verbal Composition
Understand verbal locutions, their structures, meanings, and how to correctly use these verb combinations that function as a unit.
By FaleBrasil
Verbal locutions are combinations of two or more verbs that function as a semantic unit, expressing a single action or state. Composed of an auxiliary verb and a main verb, they enrich verbal expression with nuances of time, mood, aspect, and voice.
What are Verbal Locutions?
A verbal locution is formed by the combination of:
- Auxiliary verb (conjugated): expresses tense, mood, number, and person
- Main verb (nominal form): carries the primary meaning
- Intermediate verbs (optional): may appear between auxiliary and main
Basic Structure
| Component | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary | Grammatical marker | Vou, estava, tinha |
| Main | Meaning | estudar, fazendo, feito |
| Result | Complete locution | Vou estudar, estava fazendo |
Types of Verbal Locutions
1. Locutions with Infinitive
Express futurity, obligation, possibility, or intention:
- Ir + infinitive: Vou viajar amanhã (I’m going to travel tomorrow)
- Ter de/que + infinitive: Tenho que estudar (I have to study)
- Haver de + infinitive: Hei de conseguir (I shall succeed)
- Poder + infinitive: Posso ajudar (I can help)
- Dever + infinitive: Deve chegar cedo (Should arrive early)
2. Locutions with Gerund
Indicate action in progress or continuity:
- Estar + gerund: Estou trabalhando (I am working)
- Vir + gerund: Venho pensando nisso (I’ve been thinking about this)
- Andar + gerund: Anda estudando muito (Has been studying a lot)
- Ir + gerund: Foi melhorando aos poucos (Was gradually improving)
- Ficar + gerund: Ficou esperando (Kept waiting)
3. Locutions with Participle
Form compound tenses and passive voice:
- Ter/Haver + participle: Tenho estudado (I have been studying)
- Ser + participle: Foi aprovado (Was approved)
- Estar + participle: Está resolvido (It is resolved)
- Ficar + participle: Ficou surpreso (Became surprised)
Special Verbal Locutions
Aspectual Locutions
Indicate how the action develops over time:
| Locution | Aspect | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Começar a + infinitive | Inceptive | Começou a chover (It started to rain) |
| Estar para + infinitive | Imminence | Está para acontecer (It’s about to happen) |
| Acabar de + infinitive | Recent completion | Acabei de chegar (I just arrived) |
| Continuar a + infinitive | Continuative | Continua trabalhando (Continues working) |
| Parar de + infinitive | Cessative | Parou de fumar (Stopped smoking) |
| Voltar a + infinitive | Reiterative | Voltou a estudar (Started studying again) |
Modal Locutions
Express speaker’s attitude:
- Poder + infinitive: possibility/permission
- Dever + infinitive: obligation/probability
- Querer + infinitive: desire/will
- Precisar + infinitive: necessity
- Costumar + infinitive: habit
Compound Tenses with Locutions
Formation of Compound Tenses
| Compound Tense | Formation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Perfect | ter/haver + participle | Tenho feito (I have done) |
| Past Perfect | tinha/havia + participle | Tinha feito (I had done) |
| Future Perfect | terei/haverei + participle | Terei feito (I will have done) |
| Conditional Perfect | teria/haveria + participle | Teria feito (I would have done) |
Passive Voice with Locutions
Analytic Passive
- Simple: O livro foi lido (The book was read)
- Compound: O livro tem sido lido (The book has been read)
- With gerund: O livro está sendo lido (The book is being read)
Passive with Modal Verbs
- O trabalho pode ser feito hoje (The work can be done today)
- A tarefa deve ser entregue amanhã (The task must be delivered tomorrow)
- O problema precisa ser resolvido (The problem needs to be solved)
Common Mistakes and Precautions
1. Gerundism
❌ Vou estar enviando o relatório
✅ Enviarei o relatório / Vou enviar o relatório (I’ll send the report)
2. Agreement in Locutions
❌ Haviam sido feitos muitos progressos
✅ Havia sido feito muito progresso (Much progress had been made)
3. Inappropriate Tense
❌ Tenho ido ontem ao cinema
✅ Fui ontem ao cinema (I went to the movies yesterday)
Regional Differences
Brazil vs Portugal
| Brazil | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Estou fazendo | Estou a fazer |
| Vou fazer | Vou fazer / Hei-de fazer |
| Ando pensando | Ando a pensar |
Variations in Brazil
- South: Preserves more classical forms
- Northeast: Creative use of aspectual locutions
- Central-West: Indigenous language influence in some constructions
Locutions in Literature
Great writers use verbal locutions to create stylistic effects:
- Machado de Assis: “Ia dizendo que…” (suspensive narrative)
- Guimarães Rosa: “Foi se indo” (durative aspect)
- Clarice Lispector: “Estava sendo” (existentialism)
Communicative Importance
Verbal locutions allow:
- ✅ Expressing precise temporal nuances
- ✅ Indicating action aspects
- ✅ Modalizing discourse
- ✅ Creating stylistic effects
- ✅ Enriching verbal expression
Conclusion
Verbal locutions are powerful tools that demonstrate the richness and flexibility of Portuguese. Mastering them allows not only grammatical correctness but also expressiveness and communicative precision, essential for those seeking excellence in language use.