necesitar
/neθesiˈtaɾ/
To need in Spanish is necesitar.
If you want to say you need to perform an action, you can place an infinitive directly after the verb, such as necesito comer (I need to eat).
How does it change in a sentence?
Necesitar is a regular -ar verb in the present tense. The first-person singular present indicative form is necesito (I need), the second-person singular present indicative is necesitas (you need, informal) and the third-person singular present indicative is necesita (he/she/you formal need).
How do you pronounce it?
/neθesiˈtaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use tener que (to have to) when they actually mean necesitar (to need), even though both can express necessity in certain contexts.
Did you know?
- While necesitar is used for general needs, Spanish speakers often use the phrase me hace falta to describe needing an object or a person.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, stating a need too directly with necesito can sound overly demanding, so people often soften it with me vendría bien meaning 'it would suit me'.
- The Spanish verb necesitar is a relatively late addition to the language, appearing in records only around the 17th century.
Examples in context
- Voy a necesitar su ayuda.I'm going to need your help.Tatoeba #1492057 by marcelostockle, translation #453197 by CM
- Tom va a necesitar ayuda.Tom is going to need help.Tatoeba #2656659 by Shishir, translation #3023649 by CK
- Voy a necesitar detalles.I'm going to need details.Tatoeba #2906837 by hayastan, translation #2544771 by CK
- Necesito tu apoyo.I need your support.
- ¿Necesita usted algo más?Do you need anything else?
- El proyecto necesita financiación.The project needs funding.
- Estas tareas requieren un enfoque riguroso.These tasks require a rigorous approach.
- El documento requiere su firma.The document requires your signature.
- Necesito un favor.I need a favor.
- ¡Necesitas relajarte un poco!You need to relax a bit!
- ¿Necesitáis ayuda con algo?Do you guys need help with anything?
- Tengo que estudiar para el examen.I need to study for the exam.
- ¿Tienes que irte temprano?Do you need to leave early?
- ¡Tenemos que hablar!We need to talk!
- Tengo menester de su consejo.I need your advice.
- ¿Tienen menester de ayuda externa?Do they need outside help?
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are planning a hiking trip.
- Lucía¿Necesitas que te ayude con la mochila?Do you need me to help you with the backpack?
- MateoNo, gracias, pero voy a necesitar agua.No, thanks, but I am going to need water.
- LucíaYo también necesito una botella nueva.I need a new bottle too.
- MateoPerfecto, vamos a la tienda ahora.Perfect, let's go to the store now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry necesitar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries necesitar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
