Log inSign up

Hace falta más tiempo.

Hace falta más tiempo.
More time is needed.
From Lesson 446:Lack of means (no tener con qué)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Hace falta más tiempo.

Why do we use hace falta here instead of se necesita?
Both express that something is required, but hacer falta is a highly conversational and natural way to express that something is missing, lacking, or necessary. It translates roughly to "to make a lack."
What is the grammatical subject of this sentence?
The subject is actually más tiempo. The phrase hacer falta works backwards for English speakers, exactly like the verb gustar. The thing that is lacking or needed is the subject performing the action, which is why the verb is the singular hace.
If I wanted to say "More hours are needed," how would this sentence change?
Because the thing needed is the subject, the verb must agree with it. If you change the singular más tiempo to the plural más horas, the verb must also become plural: Hacen falta más horas.
How would I change this sentence to say "I need more time"?
Since it functions like gustar, you just add an indirect object pronoun before the verb to specify who is experiencing the need. You would say Me hace falta más tiempo.

Learn Hace falta más tiempo and more in Spanish

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Spanish →