Necesito esto
/neθesito esto/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I need this" is translated into Spanish as Necesito esto.
For more specific contexts, you might use Necesito esto, ¿puedes ayudarme? to say "I need this, can you help me?"
What does it mean word for word?
Necesito is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb necesitar (to need), and esto is the neuter demonstrative pronoun meaning "this".
Which one should you use?
Use esto (neuter) when you are referring to an unidentified object, a situation or an abstract concept. If you are referring to a specific masculine noun, such as "this book" (este libro), you would use este instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject yo (I) is typically omitted because the verb ending -o in necesito already indicates that the subject is "I".
How do you pronounce it?
/neθesito esto/
Did you know?
- While esto refers to an unidentified object, if you use it to refer to a person, you are calling them an 'it' or a 'thing' rather than a human being.
- The verb necesitar is a cognate of the English word 'necessary'. Both trace their roots back to the Latin necessitas, which originally meant 'unavoidable' or 'inescapable'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying Necesito esto while pointing can be seen as more blunt or rude than the English equivalent if not accompanied by a polite por favor.
Examples in context
- Necesito esto.I need this.Tatoeba #1043529 by Shishir, translation #253814 by CK
- Necesitaría esto, por favorI would need this, please
- Necesito esto, ¿me lo prestas?I need this, can you lend it to me?
- Necesito esto para mi clase.I need this for my class.
- Lo siento, pero necesito esto ahora.I'm sorry, but I need this now.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are in an office looking at some paperwork.
- Mateo¿Qué haces con ese documento?What are you doing with that document?
- LucíaNecesito esto para la reunión.I need this for the meeting.
- MateoEstá bien, puedes quedártelo.Okay, you can keep it.
- LucíaGracias, Mateo.Thanks, Mateo.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
