perguntar

Etymology

From Old Portuguese preguntar, from Latin percontārī, present active infinitive of percontor (“I inquire”).

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /peɾ.ɡũ.ˈta(ɾ))/
  • (Paulista) IPA^(key): /ˌpeɹ.ɡũ.ˈta(ɹ)/
  • (South Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˌpeɻ.ɡũ.ˈta(ɻ)/
• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /pɨɾ.ɣũ.ˈtaɾ/
• Hyphenation: per‧gun‧tar

Verb

perguntar (first-person singular present indicative pergunto, past participle perguntado)

1. (transitive) to ask (request an answer)

   Pergunta a alguém. ― Ask anybody.

   Alguém perguntou por você. ― Someone asked for you.

2. (takes a reflexive pronoun) to wonder (to query in the mind)

   "Que horas são", perguntou-se.

   "What time is it?" he wondered.