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How to Say ‘I need help’ in Portuguese

Preciso de ajuda

preh-SEE-zoo duh uh-ZHOO-duh

[preh-SEE-zoo duh uh-ZHOO-duh]

💬 Usage Tip: Preciso always needs de before the thing you need. For example, Preciso de um táxi "I need a taxi".

Phrase Breakdown

Preciso

[preh-SEE-zoo]

I need

First-person singular of 'precisar,' used to express necessity.

Example

A palavra "preciso" aparece em "Só preciso de mudar..."

The word "preciso" appears in "I just need to change..."

de

[duh]

of

A preposition meaning "of" or "for," depending on context.

Example

Falámos de carreira durante o intervalo.

We talked about career matters during the break.

ajuda

[uh-ZHOO-duh]

help

A noun meaning 'help' or 'assistance'.

Example

Dizemos Pela ajuda quando alguém nos atende bem.

We say 'For the help' when someone assists us well.

Related guides

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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