Eu preciso fazer isso agora.

I need to do this now.

Breakdown of Eu preciso fazer isso agora.

• eu: I
• agora: now
• precisar de: to need
• fazer: to do

Questions & Answers about Eu preciso fazer isso agora.

Why is it “preciso” and not “precisa”?

In Portuguese, precisar in the present tense conjugates as:
• eu preciso (I need),
• você/ele/ela precisa (you/he/she needs),
• nós precisamos (we need),
• vocês/eles/elas precisam (you plural/they need).

Because the subject is eu (I), the correct form is preciso.

In which situations do you use “preciso” instead of “tenho que”?

Both “Eu preciso fazer isso agora” and “Eu tenho que fazer isso agora” can mean “I need to do this now.” However, using “preciso” sounds more direct about your need rather than an obligation. “tenho que” can sound slightly stronger, implying an obligation or necessity coming from an external requirement.

How do you pronounce “preciso” properly?

In Brazilian Portuguese, the “c” before “i” is pronounced like an English “s” (so “pre-see-zo”), and the “s” between two vowels in “preciso” often sounds like a “z” in many Brazilian accents (resulting in a “pre-SEE-zoo” effect). However, there is some regional variation, so you might also hear it with a softer “s” sound.

What’s the role of “agora” in this sentence?

“Agora” means “now,” emphasizing that the action needs to be done immediately or at this moment. If you remove “agora,” you lose the sense of urgency or immediacy.

Is there a difference between using “isso” and other demonstratives like “isto” or “aquilo”?

In Brazilian Portuguese, “isso” is typically used for something that’s not too far from the speaker or the person spoken to, or for something more abstract already in the context. “isto” is used for something very close to the speaker, and “aquilo” for something distant. In everyday speech, Brazilian Portuguese speakers often use “isso” more generally no matter the distance.