Need in Portuguese

19 de April de 2013

Hello everyone! How are you today? What do you need to do to be fluent in Portuguese? Do you think you need to study grammar or practice speaking? What is your personal need in Portuguese? In our Dica today, we’ll study the verb to Need in Portuguese! Let’s start learning the uses of the verb and then study the conjugations of the two forms for this meaning with all verb endings highlighted. Take a look!

Meanings of the verb to need in Portuguese

First you need to know thatΒ in Portuguese we can use a few different structures to expressΒ the idea of the verbΒ toΒ need.Β The verbs are:Β precisarΒ (need to),Β precisar deΒ (need),Β andΒ ter queΒ (have to).

PrecisarΒ  Β +Β  Β verb in the infinitive
PrecisarΒ  Β +Β  Β deΒ  +Β  noun/object
TerΒ  Β +Β  Β queΒ  Β +Β  Β verb in the infinitive

We use these structures to talk about our needs and obligations; things we need or have to do. For example, you have a class scheduled at 5pm at our school in Copacabana and you’re explaining to a friend that you’re in a rush to arrive at the school on time “Eu tenho que chegar Γ s 5” or “Eu preciso chegar Γ s 5”. And the other form we use to express the need of something such as needing to eat because you’re hungry “Eu preciso comer alguma coisa”. Easy right?

Precisar in Portuguese is a regular verb from the group of verbs which end in -AR. Here you can see this verb conjugation with all endings highlighted to see clearly the changes. Let’s take a look at how we conjugate the verb precisarΒ in Portuguese.

Indicative

Present Past Simple Imperfect Past
Eu preciso Eu precisei Eu precisava
VocΓͺ precisa VocΓͺ precisou VocΓͺ precisava
Ele/ ela precisa Ele/ ela precisou Ele/ ela precisava
NΓ³s precisamos NΓ³s precisamos NΓ³s precisΓ‘vamos
VocΓͺs precisam VocΓͺs precisaram VocΓͺs precisavam
Eles/ elas precisam Eles/ elas precisaram Eles/ elas precisavam

 

Past pluperfect simple Past pluperfect composed
Eu precisara Eu tinha precisado
VocΓͺ precisara VocΓͺ tinha precisado
Ele/ ela precisara Ele/ ela tinha precisado
NΓ³s precisΓ‘ramos NΓ³s tΓ­nhamos precisado
VocΓͺs precisaram VocΓͺs tinham precisado
Eles/ elas precisaram Eles/ elas tinham precisado

 

SimpleΒ Future ImmediateΒ Future Future of the past
Eu precisarei Eu vou precisar Eu precisaria
VocΓͺ precisarΓ‘ VocΓͺ vai precisar VocΓͺ precisaria
Ele/ ela precisarΓ‘ Ele/ ela vai precisar Ele/ ela precisaria
NΓ³s precisaremos NΓ³s vamos precisar NΓ³s precisarΓ­amos
VocΓͺs precisarΓ£o VocΓͺs vΓ£o precisar VocΓͺs precisariam
Eles/ elas precisarΓ£o Eles/ elas vΓ£o precisar Eles/ elas precisariam

 

Imperative

Affirmative Negative
Precise vocΓͺ NΓ£o precise vocΓͺ
Precise ele/ ela NΓ£o precise ele/ ela
Precisemos nΓ³s NΓ£o precisemos nΓ³s
Precisem vocΓͺs NΓ£o precisem vocΓͺs
Precisem eles/ elas NΓ£o precisem eles/ elas

 

Subjunctive

Present Imperfect Past Future
Que eu precise Se eu precisasse Quando eu precisar
Que vocΓͺ precise Se vocΓͺ precisasse Quando vocΓͺ precisar
Que ele/ela precise Se ele/ela precisasse Quando ele/ela precisar
Que nΓ³s precisemos Se nΓ³s precisΓ‘ssemos Quando nΓ³s precisarmos
Que vocΓͺs precisem Se vocΓͺs precisassem Quando vocΓͺs precisarem
Que eles/elas precisem Se eles/elas precisassem Quando eles precisarem

 

Other tenses

Personal infinitive Gerund Participle
Para precisar eu Precisando Precisado
Para precisar vocΓͺ
Para precisar ele/ela
Para precisarmos nΓ³s
Para precisarem vocΓͺs
Para precisarem eles/elas

 

Precisar + Verb in Portuguese

Here we have a form that’s a compound verb, this is when we use two different verbs to express an idea. So we use the verb precisar with an verb that is giving a explanation of what it is you need. This second verb is always in the infinitive form. We use this when we want to say that we need to do something.

Examples

Esta semana, eu preciso estudar portuguΓͺs.
This week, I need to study Portuguese.

Eu preciso lerΒ mais as Dicas do dia.
I need to read the Dicas of the day more.

VocΓͺ precisa falarΒ comigo?
Do you need to speak to me?

Elas precisam escutar as mΓΊsicas da Adriana Calcanhotto.
They need to listen to Adriana Calcanhotto’s music.

Precisar de + noun in Portuguese

If we need a thing, rather than an action, we use a noun connected to the verb precisar in Portuguese by the preposition DE and it’s variations. We’ll use the verb precisar with a noun when we need something, like an object. Pay attention to the examples we have below.

Examples

O computador dela quebrou, ela precisa de um novo.
Her computer is broken, she needs a new one.

Ele precisa da tardeΒ para relaxar.
He needs the afternoon to relax.

NΓ³s precisamos do carroΒ novo.
We need the new car.

Eles precisam de um livro de PortuguΓͺs legal para aprender portuguΓͺs em 30 dias.
TheyΒ need a good Portuguese book to learn Portuguese in 30 days.

Have to in Portuguese

However, there are situations where we have an idea of obligation that the verb precisar in Portuguese does not give the correct meaning. For this situations, we use the verb ter que plus a verb in the infinitive form to represent the obligation to do something. Take a look at the conjugation of the verb Ter in the Present Tense then we’ll look at the use of this verb with the meaning of Have to.

Verb Ter Conjugation in Portuguese. Eu tenho VocΓͺ tem Ele/Ela tem NΓ³s temos VocΓͺs tem Eles/Elas tem

Examples

Eu tenho queΒ aprender PortuguΓͺs para me mudar para o Brasil.
I have to learn Portuguese to move to Brasil.

EuΒ tenho queΒ estudarΒ mais.
I have to study more.

Ela tem que viajar na prΓ³xima semana para SΓ£o Paulo.
She has to travel to SΓ£o Paulo nextΒ week.

VocΓͺs tΓͺm que ver o novo filme β€˜Vai que dΓ‘ certo’. Acho que Γ© bem legal.
You have to watch the new movie β€˜Vai que dΓ‘ certo’. I think it’s really cool.

Exercises with Need in Portuguese

Complete the gaps with the correct conjugation of the verb Need in Portuguese:

  1. Eu ______ acordar cedo para ir Γ  aula amanhΓ£. (Simple Future)
  2. NΓ³s ______ prestar atenΓ§Γ£o na aula. (Simple present)
  3. Ela ______Β  ______ de uma fantasia para o carnaval. (Immediate Future)
  4. Eles ______ muito quando eram mais jovens. (Imperfect Past)
  5. VocΓͺs ______Β  chegar cedo para conhecer oΒ Cristo Redentor. (Simple Past)
  6. Eu ______Β  ______ dizer que te amo. (Present Continuous)
  7. Acho que vocΓͺs ______ de um sapato confortΓ‘vel para o passeio. (Future of the Past)
  8. Se eles ______ de ajuda, eles teriam avisado. (Imperfect Past)
  9. Talvez eles nΓ£o ______ chegar tΓ£o cedo para aula. (Present Subjunctive)
  10. NΓ³s _____Β  _____ do seu telefone mas agora estΓ‘ tudo resolvido. (Pluperfect Composed)

Now, make a list of things that you will need toΒ orΒ have to do when you arrive in Rio de Janeiro. Let me suggest something to your list: Practice Portuguese with a group of students from our school in a fun RioLIVE! Activity.

That’s it, dear students!

After this Dica you now know how to say what you need in Portuguese. Let’s go to our Facebook and make sentences in Portuguese!

XOXO <3

Ler esta Dica em PortuguΓͺs Β  Β  Β  Β  leer esta dica en espaΓ±ol
Click in the links below to see more related Dicas
Estar com em PortuguΓͺs
DifferenΓ§a entre Achar e Pensar
ExpressΓ΅s com o verbo Ter
Verbo Ter em PortuguΓͺs

 

 

Exercises with Need in Portuguese: answers

  1. precisarei
  2. precisamos
  3. vai precisar
  4. precisavam
  5. precisaram
  6. estou precisando
  7. precisariam
  8. precisassem
  9. precisem
  10. tΓ­nhamos precisado