necesitamos
“necesitamos” means “we need” in Spanish (present tense; expressing a current need).
we need, we needed
Also: we require
📝 In Action
Necesitamos más agua, por favor.
A1We need more water, please.
Necesitamos hablar sobre el plan de mañana.
A2We need to talk about tomorrow's plan.
Ayer necesitamos comprar leche y pan.
A2Yesterday we needed to buy milk and bread.
Para terminar el proyecto a tiempo, necesitamos la ayuda de todos.
B1To finish the project on time, we need everyone's help.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: necesitamos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly says 'Yesterday we needed to work'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'necessitās', which meant 'need, compulsion, or something unavoidable'. It has kept a very similar meaning over the centuries.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'necesitamos' means 'we need' or 'we needed'?
You have to look for clues in the rest of the sentence. Time words are your best friend! If you see 'hoy' (today) or 'ahora' (now), it means 'we need'. If you see 'ayer' (yesterday) or 'anoche' (last night), it means 'we needed'.
What's the difference between 'necesitamos' (past) and 'necesitábamos'?
Great question! Use 'necesitamos' for a need at a specific, finished moment in the past ('Yesterday, we needed a taxi'). Use 'necesitábamos' for a need that was ongoing, repeated, or part of a background story ('When we lived in the city, we always needed a taxi').