Portuguese conjugation explanation
Spelling change: -gar → -gu-
<p>The spelling of some verb forms changes in order <strong>to preserve the pronunciation</strong> of the infinitive. In verbs ending in <strong style="font-style: italic">-gar</strong>, the <span style="font-style: italic">g</span> is pronounced <span style="font-style: italic">/g/</span>. When <span style="font-style: italic">g</span> is followed by <span style="font-style: italic">e</span> or <span style="font-style: italic">i</span>, the pronunciation changes to <span style="font-style: italic">/ʒ/</span> (like in the word <span style="font-style: italic">plea<span style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">s</span>ure</span>). So, to preserve the <span style="font-style: italic">/g/</span> sound, we have to replace the <span style="font-style: italic">g</span> with <span style="font-style: italic">gu</span>.</p>
<p>Common verbs affected by this spelling change are: <span style="font-style: italic"><strong>chegar, pegar, jogar, ligar, pagar, entregar, larger, desligar, brigar, carregar</strong></span>, etc.</p>
<p>In the following conjugation tables, the affected verb forms of <span style="font-style: italic">chegar</span> are highlighted:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/2/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Pretérito Perfeito</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
eu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">cheguei<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
tu
</span>chegaste
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ele
</span>chegou
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nós
</span>chegamos <img src="/static/main/images/flags/brazil.png" title="Brazilian"></span>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nós
</span>chegámos <img src="/static/main/images/flags/portugal.png" title="European"></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vós
</span>chegastes
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
eles
</span>chegaram
</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/8/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente do Subjuntivo</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que eu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">chegue<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que tu
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">chegues<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que ele
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">chegue<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que nós
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">cheguemos<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que vós
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">chegueis<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
que eles
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">cheguem<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/11/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imperativo Afirmativo</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(tu)
</span>chega
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(você)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">chegue<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(nós)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">cheguemos<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(vós)
</span>chegai
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(vocês)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">cheguem<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>