So, what are nominal forms? They are basically verb forms that play a similar role as nouns, adverbs, and adjectives. Unlike other verb forms, they do not indicate tense, mood, or person on their own. Instead, they depend on context (i.e. the surrounding conjugated verbs) to relay that information.
The 3 nominal verb forms in Portuguese are:
- infinitivo – infinitive
- gerúndio – gerund
- particípio passado – past participle
As we cover compound tenses involving nominal forms below, we’ll be using ter (impersonal infinitive), ter/teres/termos/terem (personal infinitive), tendo (gerund), and, of course, past participles.
Before we begin, here’s a simplified overview, using the past participle escrito (written) as an example:
- infinitivo impessoal composto: ter escritoto have written
- infinitivo pessoal composto: teres escritoyou having written
- gerúndio composto: tendo escritohaving written
Now let’s look closer at each one, as we need a bit more context to differentiate these!
Infinitivo Impessoal Composto
The compound form of the infinitivo impessoal (impersonal infinitive) refers to a completed action or fact (something in the past). In European Portuguese, it’s used when the subject is not clearly defined, or when it is the same as the subject of the main clause. It often appears with verbs that make use of prepositions (such as de and por), or with phrasal verbs.
To form the infinitivo impessoal composto simply use ter + past participle.
Deve ter sido muito difícilIt must have been very difficult
Não me lembro de ter chegado a casaI don't remember getting home, I don't remember having arrived home
Sinto-me mal por ter dito aquilo ao MárioI feel bad for saying that to Mario, I feel bad for having said that to Mario
Não queria ter acordado tardeI didn't want to wake up late, I didn't want to have woken up late
Infinitivo Pessoal Composto
The infinitivo pessoal (personal infinitive), unlike the impessoal, is the only nominal form that can be conjugated according to number and gender.
Like the infinito impessoal composto, it’s also used to indicate an action that took place in the past. We can use it when the subject is clearly defined and/or when it’s someone other than the subject of the main clause.
As a reminder, the verb endings for ter in the personal infinitive are:
- eu ter
- tu teres
- ele/ela/você ter
- nós termos
- eles/elas/vocês terem
To create the compound tense, as usual, you just add the past participle.
Já foi bom eu ter chegado a horasIt's a good thing I arrived on time, My having arrived on time was a good thing
Não me lembro de teres chegado a casaI don't remember you getting home, I don't remember you having arrived home
Ele ficou chateado por termos contado a verdadeHe was upset that we told the truth, He was upset about us having told the truth
Gerúndio Composto
The compound form of the gerund also refers to the past, and it can indicate either a sustained action that isn’t happening anymore, or a unique incident. It appears in gerund clauses, describing something that took place either before or after the main event.
The compound gerund is just tendo + past participle of the main verb.
Ela trabalhou como atriz, tendo participado em dezenas de filmes e sériesShe worked as an actress, having participated in dozens of films and series
Eu escorreguei no gelo, tendo batido com a cabeça na cadeiraI slipped on the ice and hit my head on the chair
Eles ficaram sem emprego, tendo mais tarde emigrado para o CanadáThey were out of work, and later emigrated to Canada