Portuguese Phrase
Meu pai era engenheiro.
Meaning
This sentence uses the imperfect past tense to describe a person's profession in the past. It suggests a continuous state or a long-term occupation rather than a brief event. It is the standard way to talk about what someone used to do for a living.
When to use
Use this phrase when sharing biographical information about your family or discussing career histories. It is suitable for both casual conversations and professional networking when talking about your background.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Meupaieraengenheiro
Possessive Pronouns
'Meu' is the masculine singular possessive pronoun. In Brazil, it is frequently used without the definite article 'o'.
Imperfect Tense
'Era' is the third-person singular imperfect form of 'ser'. It is used for descriptions, characteristics, and habitual actions in the past.
Nouns for Professions
'Engenheiro' is the masculine noun for engineer. If the father were a mother, you would change it to 'Minha mãe era engenheira'.
🗨In Conversation
O que seu pai fazia antigamente?
What did your father do in the past?
Meu pai era engenheiro.
My father was an engineer.
✕Common Mistakes
Meu pai era um engenheiro.
In Portuguese, the indefinite article is usually omitted before professions unless they are modified by an adjective.
Meu pai foi engenheiro.
While 'foi' is correct for a specific completed period, 'era' is more natural for describing a long-term state or background in the past.
↔Alternatives
O meu pai trabalhava como engenheiro.
My father worked as an engineer.
Meu pai exercia a profissão de engenheiro.
My father practiced the profession of engineer.
Cultural Tip
In many Portuguese-speaking cultures, mentioning a parent's profession is a common way to establish social context. In Brazil, it's common to drop the article before 'meu', whereas in Portugal, people often say 'O meu pai'.