Spanish · Everyday Verbs
"to need" in Spanish: necesitar
necesitar
To need in Spanish is necesitar. Say yo necesito and necesito ayuda. Necesitar takes a noun or an infinitive: necesito dormir.
Travel desk
Necesito un mapa de la ciudad, por favor.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce necesitar
Say it
neh-seh-see-TAHR / neh-seh-SEE-toh
/ne.se.si.ˈtaɾ/
neh-seh-see-TAHR. Yo necesito is neh-seh-SEE-toh. Stress on SEE.
"to need" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| necesitar | to need Dictionary infinitive. | Dictionary infinitive. |
| yo necesito | I need Present first person. | Present first person. |
| necesito ayuda | I need help Travel survival. | Travel survival. |
| tú necesitas | you need Informal present. | Informal present. |
| necesitar dormir | to need to sleep Necesitar + infinitive. | Necesitar + infinitive. |
How to use necesitar in real life
- 1Travel desk
Necesito un mapa de la ciudad, por favor.
I need a city map, please.
Necesito + noun.
- 2Friend help
¿Necesitas que te acompañe?
Do you need me to go with you?
Necesitas with tú.
- 3Health
Necesito dormir más esta semana.
I need to sleep more this week.
Necesito + infinitive.
Mistakes English speakers make with necesitar
Incorrect: Yo necesitar agua.
Correct: Yo necesito agua.
Conjugate: yo necesito.
Incorrect: Yo tengo necesidad de agua (overly heavy).
Correct: Yo necesito agua.
Everyday speech prefers necesito + noun.
Good to know
Good to knowNecesito… is direct and normal in shops and travel. Soften with Por favor or ¿Me puede ayudar? Querer is want; necesitar is need. Both appear in polite requests.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Packing for a trip
ChatPal
¿Necesitas cargador extra?
Do you need an extra charger?
You
Sí. Necesito uno para el celular.
Yes. I need one for the phone.
ChatPal
Yo también necesito adaptador.
I also need an adapter.
You
Perfecto. Lo compramos en el aeropuerto.
Perfect. We'll buy it at the airport.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to need" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to need" in Spanish
How do I say I need…?
Yo necesito…
I need help?
Necesito ayuda.
Need to sleep?
Necesito dormir.
How do you pronounce necesito?
neh-seh-SEE-toh, stress on SEE.
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