Breakdown of Eu preciso de dinheiro para viajar.
eu
I
para
to
precisar de
to need
viajar
to travel
o dinheiro
the money
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Questions & Answers about Eu preciso de dinheiro para viajar.
Why is de used after preciso?
In Portuguese, the verb precisar (meaning to need) always requires the preposition de before its object. You cannot say preciso dinheiro; it must be preciso de dinheiro.
Could we omit eu at the beginning of the sentence?
Yes. Portuguese often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already indicates the person. In everyday speech you can simply say preciso de dinheiro para viajar.
Why is there no article before dinheiro?
Here dinheiro is treated as a mass noun, so it takes no article when referring to an unspecified amount. To say some money, you would use algum dinheiro.
What is the role of para in this sentence?
Para introduces purpose and translates as in order to. It explains the reason you need the money.
Can we say pra viajar instead of para viajar?
Yes. In informal Brazilian Portuguese, para is commonly contracted to pra in speech. In writing, para remains more standard.
Why not use por viajar instead of para viajar?
Para expresses purpose (in order to). Por would imply cause, means or duration, not purpose.
What tense and person is preciso?
It is the first-person singular present indicative of precisar, so it means I need.
Why is viajar in the infinitive form?
After the preposition para, you always use the infinitive form of a verb when expressing purpose.
Could we move para viajar to the front of the sentence?
Yes. You can say Para viajar, eu preciso de dinheiro with the same meaning, often to put emphasis on the purpose.
Can we use necessitar instead of precisar?
Yes. Necessitar de is a synonym of precisar de, but it sounds more formal and is less common in everyday Brazilian speech.