Nós precisamos ouvir música agora.

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Breakdown of Nós precisamos ouvir música agora.

• precisar: to need
• nós: we
• música: music
• ouvir: to listen to

Questions & Answers about Nós precisamos ouvir música agora.

Why do we say nós precisamos instead of nós precisa?

In Portuguese, precisamos is the first-person plural form of the verb precisar, which must agree with the subject nós (meaning we). Using nós precisa would be incorrect because it doesn’t match the expected verb conjugation for we.

What’s the difference between ouvir and escutar?

Both verbs can mean to listen, but ouvir often implies to hear (focusing on the act of perceiving sound), while escutar can suggest a more active process of listening attentively. In everyday usage, they’re frequently interchangeable, but if you want to emphasize paying close attention, escutar might be preferred.

Why is música used in the singular form here instead of músicas?

In Portuguese, it’s common to say ouvir música in a general sense (like “listen to music” in English). Even if you're listening to multiple songs, you often use the singular música when referring to music in general. If you specifically wanted to say you’re listening to multiple pieces of music, then ouvir músicas (plural) could be used, but it’s less common as a general statement.

Can we say A gente precisa ouvir música agora instead?

Yes, you can. A gente is widely used in Brazilian Portuguese as an informal equivalent to nós. Grammatically, a gente requires third-person singular conjugation (precisa instead of precisamos). Both are correct but can sound slightly different in formality and style.

Is the word order flexible for agora in this sentence?

Absolutely. You can place agora at the beginning (e.g., Agora nós precisamos ouvir música) or after nós (e.g., Nós, agora, precisamos ouvir música). In Portuguese, shifting the position of agora can slightly change emphasis, but it doesn’t alter the core meaning.