Macanese

Conjugate Verbs

Facts

More information:

    Introduction

    A small number of elderly women in Macau speak it as mother tongue.

    The Verb

    Macanese does not inflect verbs: for example, io sam means "I am," and ele sam means "he/she is."

    Progressive action (denoted in English by the "-ing" verbal forms) is denoted by a separate particle ta, presumably derived from Portuguese está ("it is"). Completed actions are likewise indicated by the particle ja, presumably from Portuguese já ("right now" or "already").

    Verblist