How to Say "you need" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “you need” is “necesita” — use 'necesita' when you are formally addressing a single person (usted) and telling them that they need something..
necesita
/ne-se-SI-ta//ne.seˈsi.ta/
Examples
Usted necesita un pasaporte para viajar.
You need a passport to travel.
Ella necesita ayuda con la tarea.
She needs help with the homework.
El coche necesita gasolina.
The car needs gasoline.
Usted necesita un bolígrafo para firmar el documento.
You (formal) need a pen to sign the document.
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).
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'.
necesitan
/ne-se-SEE-tan//ne.seˈsi.tan/
Examples
Los estudiantes necesitan estudiar para el examen.
The students need to study for the exam.
Ellos necesitan más tiempo para terminar el proyecto.
They need more time to finish the project.
Ustedes necesitan comprar los boletos antes del viernes.
You all need to buy the tickets before Friday.
Las plantas necesitan agua y sol para crecer.
The plants need water and sun to grow.
Who is 'necesitan'?
This one word can mean 'they need' or 'you all need' (when speaking formally). The context of the conversation will tell you which one it is.
Needing to DO something
When you need to do an action, just add the basic '-ar', '-er', or '-ir' form of the verb right after 'necesitan'. For example: 'Necesitan comer' (They need to eat). No extra 'to' is needed like in English.
Forgetting the pronoun
Mistake: “"Necesitan un coche." (Who needs a car? Them or you all?)”
Correction: When it might be confusing, it's clearer to say 'Ellos necesitan un coche' (They need a car) or 'Ustedes necesitan un coche' (You all need a car).
Singular vs. Plural 'You'
Related Translations
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