necesitamos
ne-se-si-TA-mos
Quick Reference
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Two Tenses, One Word
Necesitamos is special because it can mean 'we need' (right now) or 'we needed' (in the past). The rest of the sentence, with words like 'ahora' (now) or 'ayer' (yesterday), will tell you which one it is.
The 'We' Ending: -amos
For most verbs that end in '-ar' (like necesitar, hablar, cantar), the ending '-amos' tells you that 'we' (nosotros/nosotras) are doing the action in the present.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Adding an extra 'para' or 'a'
Mistake: "Necesitamos a ir a la tienda."
Correction: Necesitamos ir a la tienda. When you need *to do* something, just put the second verb in its basic '-ar', '-er', or '-ir' form right after `necesitamos`. No extra words needed in between!
⭐ Usage Tips
Needing Things vs. Needing to Do Things
It's simple! Follow necesitamos with a thing: Necesitamos un coche (We need a car). Or follow it with an action: Necesitamos dormir (We need to sleep).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: necesitamos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly says 'Yesterday we needed to work'?
📚 More Resources
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').