Vem vs. Vêm: Singular or Plural in Portuguese — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Use vem for a singular subject
Vem is a present-tense form of vir used with você, ele, or ela. It means ‘comes’ or ‘is coming.’ Write it without a circumflex for a singular subject.
The phrase vem de can identify someone’s origin or the source of an object: ela vem de Recife, o som vem da sala.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Ela vem de Recife. | She comes from Recife. |
| Você vem jantar conosco? | Are you coming to dinner with us? |
| O barulho vem da rua. | The noise is coming from the street. |
Use vêm for a plural subject
Vêm is the present-tense form of vir for vocês, eles, and elas. The circumflex marks the plural subject. Compare ele vem at six with eles vêm at six.
This accent distinction parallels tem/têm: singular vem, plural vêm. Learn the pair with the subject pronouns you use most often in Brazilian Portuguese.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Meus amigos vêm amanhã. | My friends are coming tomorrow. |
| Vocês vêm de carro? | Are you all coming by car? |
| As notícias vêm de fontes diferentes. | The news comes from different sources. |
Remember: Write vem for você/ele/ela and vêm for vocês/eles/elas. The circumflex marks the plural form of vir.
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.
She comes from Recife.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ela vem de Recife.
Are you coming to dinner with us?
Show a Portuguese answer
Você vem jantar conosco?
The noise is coming from the street.
Show a Portuguese answer
O barulho vem da rua.
My friends are coming tomorrow.
Show a Portuguese answer
Meus amigos vêm amanhã.
Are you all coming by car?
Show a Portuguese answer
Vocês vêm de carro?
The news comes from different sources.
Show a Portuguese answer
As notícias vêm de fontes diferentes.
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.
Write vem for você/ele/ela and vêm for vocês/eles/elas. The circumflex marks the plural form of vir.
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 Vem vs. Vêm: Singular or Plural in Portuguese? 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.
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