explicou

Explicou is the third-person singular form of the Portuguese verb explicar in the pretérito perfeito, the simple past tense. It means “he explained,” “she explained,” or “you explained” (formal). The verb explicar comes from Latin explicare, meaning to unfold or make clear, and shares its core sense with related verbs such as esclarecer and demonstrar.

In use, explicou signals that a past explanation or clarification occurred. Examples: Ele explicou a situação. Ela explicou por que não pôde comparecer. The form is part of the regular -ar verb conjugation in the pretérito perfeito, with other persons expressed by eu expliquei, tu explicaste (Portugal), você explicou, nós explicámos, vocês explicaram, eles explicaram. Regional varieties may vary in the prevalence of tu or vocês, but explicou remains the standard third-person singular form.

Explicou is common in both Brazilian and European Portuguese and appears in spoken language, journalism, and literature. It is distinct from explicação, the noun meaning “explanation,” and from explicando, the gerund meaning “explaining.”