adoperaste

Adoperaste is a verb form that appears in some Romance language varieties as the second-person singular preterite (tu) of the verb adoperar, meaning to employ, use, or apply. The form is typically encountered in older or regional varieties rather than in standard contemporary usage.

Etymology and background: adoperar is a cognate of Latin operare, with a prefix ad- and a sense related to applying or utilizing resources. The construction reflects a family of verbs in Romance languages that convey the act of using something for a purpose, often in a more formal or archaic register than everyday equivalents.

Usage and status: In modern standard Portuguese, adoperar is considered archaic or regional, with more common verbs for the same sense being usar or empregar. Consequently, adoperaste, the tu-preterite form, is rarely used in everyday speech and is more likely found in historical texts, poetic contexts, or dialectal writing. When encountered, it carries the same basic meaning as “you used” or “you employed” in the past tense.

Conjugation note and example: Adoperaste is the second-person singular preterite indicative form of adoperar. For example: Tu adoperaste as ferramentas com cuidado. Translation: You used the tools with care. This illustrates how the form situates a completed past action directed at a familiar “you” subject.

See also: adoperar, emplear, usar.