Ocorrir

Ocorrer is a Portuguese verb meaning to occur, to take place, or to happen. It is used primarily to describe events or situations that come into being rather than actions performed by a subject. The verb often appears in impersonal constructions or in journalistic and formal writing.

Grammatical notes and usage patterns: Ocorrer is a regular -er verb, so it follows standard -er conjugation patterns in many tenses. In the present indicative, forms include eu ocorro, tu ocorres, ele ocorre, nós ocorremos, eles ocorrem. The pretérito perfeito forms como ocorreu and ocorreram are used for completed past events, while the imperfect ocorria and ocorriam describe ongoing or repeated past occurrences. Subjunctive forms such as ocorra, ocorras, ocorra, ocorramos, ocorram are used in clauses expressing doubt, possibility, or conditions. The verb is typically intransitive or impersonal; it does not take a direct object. It can be followed by locations or time with prepositions, e.g., ocorreu na cidade, ocorreu ontem.

Etymology and related terms: Ocorrer derives from Latin occurrere, with senses connected to “to run to meet” or “to happen.” It is often contrasted with acontecer, which is more commonly used in everyday speech to denote events or happenings, while ocorrer is common in formal or technical contexts and in news reporting.

Examples: O que ocorreu ontem surpreendeu a todos. Ocorreram falhas no sistema durante a madrugada. Esse fenômeno pode ocorrer em várias circunstâncias. Não ocorreu nenhum problema. See also: acontecer, tornar-se, evento.