Portuguese Phrase
Minha tarefa era corrigir isso.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘My task was to correct this.’ It describes a responsibility that existed in the past, emphasizing the action that needed to be done rather than who performed it.
When to use
Use this structure when you want to explain a past duty, especially in professional, academic, or project‑based settings. It works well in reports, debriefings, or when recounting what you were assigned to do.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Minhatarefaeracorrigirisso
Minha (possessive adjective)
Indicates ownership; agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies (feminine singular).
tarefa (noun)
A feminine noun meaning ‘task’ or ‘assignment’; commonly used in work or school contexts.
era (imperfect of ser)
The imperfect form of ‘ser’; used to describe a past state or ongoing situation.
corrigir (infinitive verb)
The infinitive form of the verb ‘to correct’; after ‘era’, the infinitive expresses what the task consisted of.
isso (demonstrative pronoun)
Points to something previously mentioned or visible; neutral gender, singular.
🗨In Conversation
Qual era a sua responsabilidade no projeto?
What was your responsibility in the project?
Minha tarefa era corrigir isso.
My task was to correct this.
✕Common Mistakes
Minha tarefa foi corrigir isso.
‘Foi’ is the preterite of ‘ser’; it would change the meaning to a completed past event rather than an ongoing duty.
Minha tarefa era corrigiu isso.
Using the past‑perfect form after ‘era’ creates a tense clash; the infinitive is required.
Meu tarefa era corrigir isso.
‘Meu’ is masculine; because ‘tarefa’ is feminine, the correct possessive is ‘minha’.
↔Alternatives
Eu precisava corrigir isso.
I needed to correct this.
Minha função era corrigir isso.
My role was to correct this.
Fui encarregado de corrigir isso.
I was assigned to correct this.
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian Portuguese, ‘tarefa’ is more formal than ‘trabalho’ (work) and is often used in academic or corporate contexts. The imperfect ‘era’ signals that the task was part of a larger, ongoing situation, not a one‑off event. Avoid mixing the imperfect with a past‑completed verb (e.g., *era corrigiu*), which is grammatically incorrect.