necesita
/ne-se-SI-ta/
he needs / she needs / it needs
As a statement, necesita means 'he needs,' 'she needs,' or 'it needs,' as in 'The car needs gasoline'.
necesita(Verb)
he needs / she needs / it needs
?As a statement about a third person
,you need
?As a formal statement (for 'usted')
📝 In Action
Ella necesita ayuda con la tarea.
A1She needs help with the homework.
El coche necesita gasolina.
A1The car needs gasoline.
Usted necesita un bolígrafo para firmar el documento.
A2You (formal) need a pen to sign the document.
💡 Grammar Points
Who is 'necesita' for?
'Necesita' is used for three different 'people': 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), and 'usted' (the formal 'you'). The situation or the rest of the sentence will tell you who is being talked about.
Needing to DO something
To say someone needs TO DO an action, just add the basic '-ar', '-er', or '-ir' form of the second verb. For example, 'Él necesita comer' (He needs to eat).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up 'tú' and 'usted'
Mistake: "Usted necesitas un taxi."
Correction: Usted necesita un taxi. The formal 'usted' always uses the same verb ending as 'él' and 'ella'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Your Go-To for 'Needs'
This is your all-purpose word for expressing any kind of need, from something physical like 'necesita agua' (needs water) to an action like 'necesita salir' (needs to leave).
Used as an informal command, necesita means 'need' or 'get,' often used to advise someone to acquire a needed item, such as a jacket.
📝 In Action
Si tienes frío, necesita una chaqueta.
A2If you're cold, get a jacket. (informal command)
Para mejorar, necesita más práctica.
B1To improve, you need more practice. (informal command)
💡 Grammar Points
Giving an Informal Command
'Necesita' is the command form for 'tú' (the informal 'you'). It looks exactly the same as the statement form for 'él/ella/usted', so context is key to know if it's a statement or a friendly order.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong command form
Mistake: "When speaking to a friend: 'Necesite un lápiz.'"
Correction: Say 'Necesita un lápiz.' The form 'necesite' is the command for the formal 'usted'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Softer than a direct order
Using 'necesita' as a command can sound softer and more like strong advice than a direct order like '¡Toma!' (Take!). It's like saying 'You need to...'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: necesita
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'necesita' to talk about what 'yo' (I) need?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'necesita' and 'necesitas'?
'Necesitas' (with an 's' at the end) is used when you're talking to one person informally (tú), like a friend. 'Necesita' (no 's') is used for 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or when you're talking to someone formally (usted).
How do I say 'I need' or 'we need'?
To say 'I need', you use 'yo necesito'. To say 'we need', you use 'nosotros necesitamos'. The ending of the verb changes depending on who you're talking about.