Breakdown of Preciso de saber o meu tamanho antes de comprar este chapéu.
meu
my
de
of
precisar de
to need
comprar
to buy
este
this
antes
before
saber
to know
o tamanho
the size
o chapéu
the hat
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Questions & Answers about Preciso de saber o meu tamanho antes de comprar este chapéu.
Why is there a de after preciso?
In European Portuguese, the verb precisar (to need) is always followed by the preposition de when linking to a noun or an infinitive. For example, preciso de dinheiro (I need money) or preciso de saber (I need to know). In Brazilian Portuguese it’s common to drop the de before an infinitive (preciso saber), but even in Brazil you keep it before nouns.
Why do we say o meu tamanho instead of just meu tamanho?
In European Portuguese it’s standard to include the definite article o/a before possessive pronouns with body parts, clothes etc. So you say o meu carro, a minha casa, o meu tamanho. In Brazilian Portuguese speakers often omit the article (meu carro, minha casa, meu tamanho), although both are understood.
What is the role of antes de here? Could we just say antes comprar?
The phrase antes de (before) always needs the preposition de before an infinitive, so you must say antes de comprar. Saying antes comprar is ungrammatical. Alternatively, you could use a subjunctive clause with antes que plus the subject and verb, for example antes que eu compre este chapéu.
Why is este used for chapéu, and not esse or aquele?
Portuguese demonstratives signal proximity: este refers to something close to the speaker, esse to something close to the listener, and aquele to something far from both. By saying este chapéu, the speaker indicates that the hat is near them (e.g. they’re holding it or pointing at it).
Why do we use saber and not conhecer in preciso de saber?
In Portuguese saber means to know information, facts or how to do something, while conhecer means to be acquainted with or familiar with someone or something. Here you need a piece of information (your size), so saber is correct.
Could we rephrase antes de comprar este chapéu using a subordinated clause?
Yes. You can use antes que plus the subjunctive, for example antes que eu compre este chapéu. This construction is correct but more formal or literary; in everyday European Portuguese the infinitive form antes de comprar is far more common.