fazíamos

Fazíamos is the first-person plural imperfect indicative form of the Portuguese verb fazer, meaning we did or we were doing. It expresses actions that were habitual in the past or actions in progress over a past period. In narrative, fazíamos can set scenes or describe repeated activities, similar to saying “we used to do” or “we were doing” in English.

Morphology and etymology: the form comes from the verb fazer, whose imperfect stem is faz- plus the regular imperfect ending -ávamos for nós. The full conjugation in the imperfect is eu fazia, tu fazias, ele fazia, nós fazíamos, vós fazíeis, eles faziam. Fazer is etymologically derived from Latin facere; the modern Portuguese form reflects historical changes from Latin and early Romance pronunciation.

Usage notes: fazíamos is common in spoken and written Portuguese to describe habitual past actions or to recount past routines. It can be contrasted with estar fazendo (past continuous) or with fizemos (a simple past/completed action). In Portugal and Brazil, the same form is understood, though regional preferences may guide alternative phrasings such as “fazíamos parte” (we used to be part) or “estávamos a fazer” (we were doing) in formal contexts.

Examples:

- Nós fazíamos pão todas as manhãs antes de vender na feira.

- Quando éramos crianças, fazíamos planos que nunca realizávamos.

- Naquela época, fazíamos visitas quase toda semana.

Related forms and equivalents in other tenses or moods (for reference): eu fazia, tu fazias, ele fazia; nós fazíamos; vós fazíeis; eles faziam. Fazemos a usar fazíamos para situar ações passadas habituais ou em desenvolvimento, sem indicar apenas conclusão.