As I get ready for my upcoming trip to Brazil, I want to share some useful tips on how to express what you need in Portuguese using the verb precisar. Whether you’re planning to say “Eu preciso de dinheiro para a viagem” (I need cash for the trip) or “Preciso comprar um biquíni novo” (I need to buy a new bikini), understanding how to use precisar in Portuguese correctly will make your conversations smoother and more natural.
The Verb Precisar in Portuguese
The most common way to express needs in Portuguese is by using the verb precisar.
It’s a regular verb ending in –ar, making it straightforward to conjugate.
While we also have the verb necessitar, which also translates as “to need”, it is more formal and often used in written or formal contexts.
For everyday conversations and common needs, precisar is the preferred choice. It’s practical and widely understood, ensuring your requests and needs are communicated effectively in daily interactions.
How to Say You Need To Do Something: Precisar + Verb
In Brazilian Portuguese, there are two key points to remember when using precisar followed by another verb, essentially when you need to express that you need to do something:
- Don’t use a preposition: When precisar is followed by another verb, it does not require a preposition.
- Use the infinitive form: The verb that follows precisar should always be in its infinitive (base) form.
For example:
- Eu preciso tirar dinheiro para a viagem. (I need to withdraw cash for the trip.)
- Preciso comprar um biquíni novo assim que chegar ao Brasil. (I need to buy a new bikini as soon as I get to Brazil.)
- A gente precisa comprar presentes para minha família. (We need to buy gifts for my family.)
How to Use Precisar When Talking About Things You Need: Precisar + Noun
When the verb precisar is followed by a noun – which can be a thing, a person, or any object – you need to include the preposition de or one of its contractions.
For example:
- Eu preciso de dinheiro para a viagem. (I need cash for the trip.)
- Eu preciso de um biquíni novo assim que chegar ao Brasil. (I need a new bikini as soon as I get to Brazil.)
- A gente precisa de presentes para minha família. (We need gifts for my family.)
Let’s see some examples using contractions of the preposition “de”:
1. Mariana precisa deste livro. (Mariana needs this book.)
• Here, deste is a contraction of de + este (this).
2. Você precisa daquelas revistas? (Do you need those magazines?)
• Here, daquelas is a contraction of de + aquelas (those).
3. Preciso do seu número de telefone. (I need your phone number.)
• Here, do is a contraction of de + o (the).
4. Cadê o dicionário? Estou precisando dele. (Where is the dictionary? I need it.)
• Here, dele is a contraction of de + ele (it).
The contraction, whether masculine (do) or feminine (da), depends on the gender of the word that follows the verb precisar. For example, do is used for masculine words and da is used for feminine words. The same reasoning applies to contractions with other articles or with pronouns.
For more details on contractions with demonstrative pronouns like isto, este, aquilo, aquele, and aquela, check out my lesson on the difference Between ESTE, ESSE, ISSO in Portuguese where I cover all the contractions of these pronouns with “de” and other prepositions.
Why English Speakers Struggle with Precisar in Portuguese
A common mistake for English speakers learning Portuguese is to omit the preposition de when using precisar followed by a noun. In English, you say “I need money,” without any word between “need” and “money.” However, in Portuguese, you must include the preposition: preciso de dinheiro.
Conversely, when precisar is followed by another verb, English speakers often want to insert a preposition, similar to the English construction “I need to buy something.” This can lead to saying “preciso de comprar alguma coisa”, which is incorrect. In Brazilian Portuguese, no preposition is used in this context: preciso comprar alguma coisa.
For a nostalgic trip (well, nostalgic for me because I was so young 🤣), check out my video from 2009 – back in the days of QuickCapture, if you even remember that. It’s one of my first on-camera lessons, and while the quality might be a bit low, you can hear the pronunciation of the examples. Enjoy!
Now you’re ready to practice your Portuguese!
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