How can you use "hace falta"?

Question

What does "hace falta" mean? Needed? How would you translate "You use this expression when something is needed" ? Muchas gracias!

Answer 1

falta = mistake

noun

Falta feminine noun 1. lack (carencia) ; shortage (escasez) hay falta de trabajo -> there's a shortage of work a falta de -> in the absence of por falta de -> for want o lack of fue absuelto por falta de pruebas -> he was acquitted for lack of evidence es una falta de educación -> it's bad manners es una falta de respeto -> it shows a lack of respect

thank you! :) - SofiainDC, Feb 19, 2011

Answer 2

Just to add a simple guideline:

"Me hace falta" carries the same general meaning as "I need", meaning I need it but I do not have it.

For example, in English we would say "I need money [I don't have the money to make that purchase]". Since "money" is singular and it is the subject in the Spanish sentence, "hace" will be singular. "Me hace falta el dinero".

On the other hand, if I need 500 more pesos to make the purchase, I would say "I need 500 more pesos". Since 500 pesos is a plural subject, the verb must also be plural. "Me hacen falta quinientos pesos".

Note that this structure is formed just like "gustar". In other words, use the indirect object pronoun [me,te,le,nos,os,les].

Me hace(n) falta - I need... Te hace(n) falta - you need... Le hace(n) falta - he/she/Ud. need... Nos hac(n) falta - we need... Os hace(n) falta - vosotros need... Les hace(n) falta - they/Uds. need...

I hope this has helped.

Fantastic! Even I understood this and I am the Duke of dumdon. - ray76, Feb 19, 2011

Answer 3

Ejemplo: "A los alpinistas les hace falta el aire cuando ascienden a grandes alturas.Por ese motivo llevan botellas de oxígeno."

" Si te falta el aire,te asfixias".

"Me faltan 3 euros para pagar la compra.Necesito 23 € y solo tengo 20."

"No me hace falta nada más que tu cariño.Es todo lo que necesito"

I think the full stop is wrong before Es todo, it changes the meaning.A comma would be better i think. - ray76, Feb 19, 2011

Ray:Poner una coma es válido también, pero observa que son dos frases distintas con distinto sujeto y por eso prefiero poner un punto. - lukaaxx, Feb 19, 2011

Answer 4

I hope a native speaker will come along to give you the translation you want. In the meantime; Faltar may be used as an alternative to necesitar or tener que. It's used in the lyrics of Collar de perlas, a song from the point of view of a woman who has lost her lover.

Siento en el alma

much ganas inmensas de llorar

Tú me haces falta

Y juré no decírtelo jamás.