Eu preciso seguir o mapa.

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Breakdown of Eu preciso seguir o mapa.

• precisar: to need
• o mapa: the map
• seguir: to follow

Questions & Answers about Eu preciso seguir o mapa.

Do I need to say Eu, or can I just say Preciso seguir o mapa?

Yes, you can very naturally say just Preciso seguir o mapa.

In Brazilian Portuguese, the verb ending often already shows who the subject is. Preciso means I need, so eu is optional here.

• Eu preciso seguir o mapa. = a little more explicit
• Preciso seguir o mapa. = very common and natural

People often include eu for emphasis, clarity, or contrast:

• Eu preciso seguir o mapa, mas você não.
  I need to follow the map, but you don’t.

What does preciso mean here? Is it related to English precise?

Here, preciso is the 1st person singular form of the verb precisar, meaning to need.

• eu preciso = I need
• você precisa = you need
• nós precisamos = we need

It does look like English precise, and there is a connection, but be careful: in this sentence it is a verb, not an adjective.

Compare:

• Eu preciso seguir o mapa. = I need to follow the map.
• O mapa é preciso. = The map is precise/accurate.

So preciso can be:

• a verb form: I need
• an adjective: precise / accurate

Why is there no de after preciso?