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Eu preciso terminar a tarefa antes da reunião.

Eu preciso terminar a tarefa antes da reunião.
I need to finish the task before the meeting.
FromLesson 9inHardcore Portuguese (Brazil)

Breakdown of Eu preciso terminar a tarefa antes da reunião.

eu
I
precisar
to need
antes de
before
terminar
to finish
a tarefa
the task
a reunião
the meeting

Questions & Answers about Eu preciso terminar a tarefa antes da reunião.

Why is there no de after preciso when it’s followed by terminar?
In Brazilian Portuguese, precisar + infinitive drops the preposition. So you say preciso terminar, not preciso de terminar. (If precisar takes a noun, you do use de, e.g. preciso de ajuda.)
Can I use ter que or ter de instead of precisar to express necessity?

Yes. There are three common patterns:

  • ter que + infinitive – very frequent in Brazil: Eu tenho que terminar a tarefa antes da reunião.
  • ter de + infinitive – more formal/European: Eu tenho de terminar a tarefa.
  • precisar + infinitive – also correct: Eu preciso terminar a tarefa.
Why is there no preposition before terminar a tarefa?
Terminar is a transitive verb (“to finish”), so it takes a direct object without any preposition, just like in English (“finish the task”).
Why is it a tarefa instead of uma tarefa?
  • a tarefa uses the definite article, pointing to a specific task you both know about.
  • uma tarefa would mean “a task” in general—any task.
Why is de + a contracted into da in antes da reunião?
Portuguese grammar requires merging de + a into da. So antes de a reunião becomes antes da reunião.
Could I say antes de uma reunião instead of antes da reunião?

Yes.

  • antes de uma reunião = “before a meeting” (any meeting).
  • antes da reunião = “before the meeting” (that specific meeting).
Do I have to include eu at the beginning of the sentence?

No. Portuguese is a pro-drop language, so you can omit eu if it’s clear:

  • Eu preciso terminar a tarefa...
  • Preciso terminar a tarefa...
Can I move the time expression to the front, like Antes da reunião, preciso terminar a tarefa?

Absolutely. Fronting an adverbial phrase is common:
Antes da reunião, preciso terminar a tarefa.

What’s the difference between antes de + noun and antes que + verb?
  • antes de + noun: use before a noun phrase, e.g. antes da reunião, antes do almoço.
  • antes que + subjunctive: use before a clause with its own verb, e.g. antes que a reunião comece (“before the meeting starts”).
How would I say “I need to finish the task before the meeting starts”?

Two main options:

  • Preciso terminar a tarefa antes que a reunião comece. (subjunctive)
  • Preciso terminar a tarefa antes de a reunião começar. (infinitive)
    In everyday speech, many Brazilians simply say antes da reunião and drop the verb.
What exactly does tarefa mean in English?
tarefa usually means task or assignment. In school contexts it can also mean homework.
What is the best English translation for reunião?
In most contexts, reunião = meeting (especially at work). Broadly it can be gathering or assembly, but “meeting” is the common translation.
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