necesito comer
/neθesito komeɾ/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "I need to eat" is expressed as necesito comer.
The phrase is a statement used to express a physical requirement or a desire for food.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the first-person singular present indicative of necesitar (I need) and the infinitive comer (to eat).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the verb necesitar is followed directly by an infinitive to express the need to perform an action, such as in necesito comer algo (I need to eat something). However, if the subject of the needing and the subject of the eating are different, you must use necesito que followed by the subjunctive mood, for example: necesito que coma (I need him/her/it to eat).
How do you pronounce it?
/neθesito komeɾ/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, if you are extremely hungry, you might use the slang tengo un filo, which literally translates to 'I have an edge'.
- The verb comer is used in the common idiom comerse la cabeza, which means to overthink something or obsess over a problem.
- While necesito comer describes a hunger, saying tengo hambre (I have hunger) is actually the much more common way to say 'I am hungry' in daily Spanish conversation.
Examples in context
- Necesito comer para poder correr.I need to eat to be able to run.This sentence is useful for showing how to express the necessity of eating in order to perform an activity using necesito comer.Tatoeba #10631866 by DJ_Saidez, translation #10631867 by DJ_Saidez
- Por favor, necesito comer algo.Please, I need to eat something.
- ¡Estoy muriendo de hambre! ¿Podemos comer algo, por favor?I'm dying of hunger! Can we eat something, please?
- Necesito comer algo ahora.I need to eat something now.
- Tengo mucha hambre, necesito comer.I am very hungry, I need to eat.
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are walking in the park and feel hungry.
- MaríaAlejandro, necesito comer algo.Alejandro, I need to eat something.
- AlejandroYo también, tengo mucha hambre.Me too, I am very hungry.
- María¿Quieres ir a un restaurante?Do you want to go to a restaurant?
- AlejandroSí, vamos de inmediato.Yes, let's go immediately.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
