Breakdown of A bomba a vapor precisa de mais água.
a água
the water
precisar de
to need
mais
more
o vapor
the steam
a bomba
the pump
Questions & Answers about A bomba a vapor precisa de mais água.
Why do we use a in bomba a vapor instead of de?
In Portuguese, the preposition a is used to show the power source, mechanism, or fuel that operates a machine. Because the pump is powered by steam, it is a bomba a vapor. If you used de (like bomba de vapor), it could imply the pump is physically made out of steam, or that its purpose is to pump steam rather than being powered by it.
Why is there no definite article here, making it just a vapor instead of ao vapor?
When expressing a mechanism or fuel source, the preposition a usually stands alone without a definite article. You will see this pattern in phrases like fogão a gás (gas stove) or motor a gasóleo (diesel engine). A notable exception is barco à vela (sailboat), where the feminine article is traditionally kept.
I keep forgetting if precisar always needs the preposition de. Is it mandatory here?
Yes, when followed by a noun, the verb precisar (to need) strictly requires the preposition de. Direct translation from English often makes learners want to drop it, but saying precisa mais água is grammatically incorrect in Portugal. It must be precisa de.
I know bomba means bomb. Is it the exact same word for a mechanical pump?
Exactly. The word bomba is used for explosives, but it is also the standard word for any mechanical pump. You will frequently see it in everyday contexts like bomba de água (water pump) or bomba de gasolina (petrol station or petrol pump).
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