lo necesito
/lo neθesito/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "I need him" is translated as lo necesito.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the direct object pronoun lo (him/it) and the first-person singular present indicative of necesitar (to need). Literally, it translates to "it/him I need".
Which one should you use?
The form lo necesito can mean both "I need him" and "I need it" when referring to a masculine noun. To say "I need her", you must use the feminine object pronoun la to form la necesito.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are speaking directly to the person you need, use te necesito instead of lo necesito.
How do you pronounce it?
/lo neθesito/
Did you know?
- The verb necesitar is often paired with the phrase a gritos to say lo necesito a gritos, which means 'I need him desperately'. This literally translates to 'I need him with screams'.
- If you are in Spain, you might hear le necesito instead of lo necesito. This is called 'leísmo', a regional habit of using the indirect object pronoun for people, even when the grammar technically calls for a direct object.
- In some Latin American dialects, lo necesito can be used to express a strong emotional or romantic longing, rather than just a practical requirement. In these contexts, it functions more like the English 'I pine for him'.
Examples in context
- Lo necesito aquí.I need him here.This sentence is useful for practicing the placement of lo necesito in a sentence.Tatoeba #13849358 by mervert1, translation #11160061 by sundown
- Me hace falta, no puedo vivir sin élI need him, I can't live without him
- Lo necesito para el proyecto.I need him for the project.
- Si no está, lo necesito pronto.If he is not here, I need him soon.
Example conversation
María is looking for a specific coworker to help her.
- María¿Dónde está Mateo?Where is Mateo?
- MateoEstá en una reunión.He is in a meeting.
- MaríaQué mal, lo necesito ahora.That's too bad, I need him now.
- MateoLe diré que venga pronto.I will tell him to come soon.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
