Breakdown of Hoje eu preciso pagar o aluguel, mas a fatura de internet ainda não chegou.
eu
I
não
not
hoje
today
precisar
to need
Questions & Answers about Hoje eu preciso pagar o aluguel, mas a fatura de internet ainda não chegou.
Why does Portuguese include eu here? Can I drop the subject pronoun?
Yes, you can often drop subject pronouns in Portuguese because the verb ending already shows the person.
- Hoje eu preciso pagar o aluguel... is perfectly natural and slightly more explicit/emphatic.
- Hoje preciso pagar o aluguel... is also correct and common in conversation.
People tend to keep eu more when contrasting ideas, clarifying who, or sounding more deliberate.
What does preciso mean here, and what verb is it from?
preciso is the 1st person singular (I) present tense of precisar (to need).
So eu preciso = I need / I have to (depending on context). In this sentence it’s essentially I need to / I have to pay.
Why is it preciso pagar (verb + infinitive)? Do I need de after precisar?
Both exist, but they’re used differently:
- precisar + infinitive (no de) is the most common way to say need to do something: preciso pagar (I need to pay).
- precisar de + noun/pronoun is used for need something: preciso de dinheiro (I need money). So here preciso pagar is the expected structure.
Why is there o in o aluguel? Is the article required?