decresceu

Decresceu is a verb form in Portuguese meaning that something has decreased. It is the third person singular of the pretérito perfeito do indicativo (past simple) of the verb decrescer, used to describe a decrease that occurred in the past. The term is common in formal writing, such as statistical reports, news, and academic texts, to indicate a fall in numbers, levels, or intensity.

Originating from Latin decrescere, formed by de- (a reversal or downward direction) and crescere (to grow), decrescer conveys the idea of diminishing or going down from a previous level. In modern Portuguese, decrescer is primarily used in contexts involving quantitative change, measurements, or trends, rather than physical movement.

Conjugation and usage notes: Decresceu follows the regular pattern of -er verbs in the pretérito perfeito do indicativo for its third-person singular form. The full conjugation in the pretérito perfeito is: eu decresci, tu decresceste, ele/ela decresceu, nós decrescemos, vós decrescestes, eles/elas decresceram. The form decresceu is typically used when the subject is singular and in the past tense, such as a city, a country, a market, or a metric.

Examples of use include: “O número de casos decresceu ao longo do último trimestre.” “As vendas decresceram após o início da crise.” Note that, in everyday language, synonyms like diminuir, reduzir, ou cair may be used, but decrescer often carries a formal or statistical nuance.

See also: decrescer, decrescimento, decrescendo, decrescente.