mergulhou

Mergulhou is a Portuguese verb form that represents the third-person singular pretérito perfeito do indicativo of mergulhar. It translates as "dove" or "plunged" and is used to indicate a completed action of submerging, typically into water, but it can also be used metaphorically to mean immersing oneself in a task, subject, or experience.

The verb mergulhar itself describes the act of submerging or diving. Its etymology traces back to the sense of submerging or sinking and is linked to the Latin mergere, meaning to dip or sink. In everyday usage, mergulhar covers both physical diving (into a pool or sea) and figurative diving into activities, work, or study.

As a regular -ar verb, mergulhar follows standard conjugation patterns in the pretérito perfeito. Typical forms include eu mergulhei, você mergulhou, ele mergulhou, nós mergulhamos, vocês mergulharam. The form mergulhou specifically corresponds to “he/she/you (formal) dived” in the past. In Brazilian Portuguese, the second-person singular is commonly you (tu/voce) depending on regional preference, but the third-person form mergulhou remains standard for past narrative.

Examples of use:

- O nadador mergulhou no lago ao sinal verde.

- Ela mergulhou nos estudos para a prova de amanhã.

- O mergulhador mergulhou com sucesso e retornou à superfície com a câmera.