Precisar de vs. Precisar + Verb: Say What You Need in Portuguese — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Use precisar de before a noun
When you need a person or thing, use precisar de + noun. The de combines with articles in familiar ways: de + o becomes do and de + a becomes da.
The meaning is close to ‘need’ or ‘require.’ Add por favor or a short explanation to make a request more considerate.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Preciso de ajuda com esta mala. | I need help with this suitcase. |
| Ela precisa do endereço completo. | She needs the full address. |
| A gente precisa de mais tempo. | We need more time. |
Connect directly to an infinitive for an action
When the thing you need is an action, precisar commonly connects directly to the infinitive: preciso sair (I need to leave), precisa ligar (needs to call). No de is needed in this pattern.
Listen for what follows the verb. A noun usually takes de; a second verb in the infinitive usually follows without it.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Preciso sair antes das seis. | I need to leave before six. |
| Você precisa confirmar a reserva. | You need to confirm the reservation. |
| Eles precisam conversar com a gerente. | They need to speak with the manager. |
Remember: Use precisar de + noun, and precisar + infinitive for an action: preciso de um carro, preciso ir.
Check your understanding
Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.
Recall the Portuguese, then say it
Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.
I need help with this suitcase.
Show a Portuguese answer
Preciso de ajuda com esta mala.
She needs the full address.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ela precisa do endereço completo.
We need more time.
Show a Portuguese answer
A gente precisa de mais tempo.
I need to leave before six.
Show a Portuguese answer
Preciso sair antes das seis.
You need to confirm the reservation.
Show a Portuguese answer
Você precisa confirmar a reserva.
They need to speak with the manager.
Show a Portuguese answer
Eles precisam conversar com a gerente.
Make the phrase useful to you
Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.
Use precisar de + noun, and precisar + infinitive for an action: preciso de um carro, preciso ir.
Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.
Sources and your next lesson
This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Precisar de vs. Precisar + Verb: Say What You Need in Portuguese lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.
To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.
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