A2 (Elementary)Lesson 9: Basic Clause Patterns & Everyday Usage
Poder (can), querer (to want) and precisar (to need) are only half the set. This point adds ter que (to have to), dever (obligation, advice or probability) and conseguir (to manage to). Poder can also express ability; conseguir emphasizes managing or succeeding.
Ter que / ter de + infinitive express obligation: Tenho que sair agora. (I have to leave now.) Ter que is common in conversation; ter de is also valid in speech and writing.
Dever + infinitive can express obligation or advice: Você deve falar com o médico. (You should talk to the doctor, in an advice context.)
Dever also expresses probability: Ele deve estar em casa. (He is probably home.) Context distinguishes the readings; dever de is also documented for probability.
conseguir + infinitive = to manage it, to pull it off: Consegui terminar o trabalho. (I managed to finish the work.)
Não posso can express lack of permission, possibility or ability. Não consigo emphasizes not managing: Não posso ir and Não consigo ir may overlap, depending on context.
In the present indicative, conseguir changes its stem in the eu form: eu consigo, você consegue — like seguir → sigo.
Precisar de + noun is usual; precisar (de) + infinitive allows either form: Preciso de ajuda. (I need help.) / Preciso estudar. (I need to study.)
ter que / ter de + infinitivo (have to) · dever + infinitivo (must; should; probably) · conseguir + infinitivo (manage to) · poder + infinitivo (permission; possibility; ability) · precisar de + substantivo | precisar (de) + infinitivo
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These verbs help you distinguish obligation, advice, probability and managing an action. Não consigo dormir clearly emphasizes not being able to get to sleep; não posso dormir can also express inability, depending on context. Ter que is useful for everyday obligations, while dever can express a requirement, recommendation or guess, as in deve ser caro (it must be expensive).
Ter is a verb you already have. Put que and an infinitive after it and you get the ordinary, everyday way of saying "have to":
| Form | Portuguese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| eu | tenho que sair | I have to leave |
| você / ele, ela | tem que sair | you / he, she has to leave |
| nós | temos que sair | we have to leave |
| vocês / eles, elas | têm que sair | you all / they have to leave |
Tenho que acordar às cinco amanhã. (I have to wake up at five tomorrow.)
| Portuguese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Eu tenho que estudar para a prova de segunda. | I have to study for Monday's test. |
| A gente tem que sair às seis da manhã. | We have to leave at six in the morning. |
| Você não tem que pagar agora. | You don't have to pay now. |
| Tive que trocar o pneu no meio da estrada. | I had to change the tire in the middle of the road. |
| Você deve beber mais água. | You should drink more water. |
| O restaurante deve estar cheio a essa hora. | The restaurant is probably full at this hour. |
| Não consigo entender o sotaque dele. | I can't understand his accent. |
| Você consegue vir na sexta? | Can you make it on Friday? |
| Consegui dois lugares na primeira fila. | I got two seats in the front row. |
| Não posso atender agora, estou em reunião. | I can't take the call now, I'm in a meeting. |
Conjugating the second verb in this pattern. Eu tenho que trabalho is wrong here; use Eu tenho que trabalhar. (I have to work.) Conjugate ter and keep the following action in the infinitive.
Treating posso as permission only. Não consigo dormir. (I can’t get to sleep.) emphasizes not managing to sleep. Não posso dormir can express inability too; context decides.
Rejecting de before an infinitive. Both Preciso estudar and Preciso de estudar are accepted. Before a noun, de is usual: Preciso de um lápis. (I need a pencil.) Direct noun objects also occur.
Regularizing conseguir. The standard present-indicative form is eu consigo (I can, I manage), not eu consego; compare seguir → sigo.
Dropping the connector in ter que / ter de. Tenho ir agora is wrong for “I have to go now”. Use Tenho que ir agora or Tenho de ir agora.
Confusing no obligation with a prohibition. Você não tem que vir. normally means “You don’t have to come”. Você não pode vir can express a prohibition, inability or impossibility; não deve can express advice or an obligation not to do something. Context matters.
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