Faltar of Necesitar?

Question

When do you use me falta/n and yo necesito and what is the difference between the two?

Answer 1

Faltar means "to be lacking" Me falta el dinero para Ir al cine. I lack the money to go to the movies. ( or the money is lacking to me.) There are other uses, but this is the basic meaning.

El Señor es mi pastor, nada me faltará. The Lord Is my shepherd I shall not want, (or nothing shall be lacking to me) From the 23rd psalm.

"Necesitar" is just like the English verb, "to need"

"Necesito trabajar si quiero tener el dinero para ir al cine" I need to work if I want to have the money to go to the movies."

OK? D.

Daniela, I am not a native like yourself dear but in my opinion both are almost interchangeable. - Joydeep_Singh, Nov 10, 2014

Have a vote amiga. - ian-hill, Nov 10, 2014

Me falta dinero, no need for article. - annierats, Nov 10, 2014

Apart from that minor point effing good answer! - annierats, Nov 10, 2014

And donLt go, this website is like this, minor quarrels all the time, please stay. - annierats, Nov 10, 2014

In all parts of Mexico where I have visited I have heard them say: "Me faltan los centavos." It seems that the use of the definite article is optional at least in Mexican Spanish which is what I speak. - Daniela2041, Nov 10, 2014

Also, notice my Englih----"if I want to have the money to go...ect, It refers to a specific amount of money. - Daniela2041, Nov 10, 2014

Answer 2

Isn't it the same thing in English?

Not necessarily. - rac1, Nov 10, 2014

No it is not. - ian-hill, Nov 10, 2014

No. - annierats, Nov 10, 2014

I'll go with rac, because that's the case in Spanish too. :-D - chileno, Nov 11, 2014

Answer 3

In Spanish you don't use necesitar in many cases where you usually say to need in English. The need must be more of an actual need in Spanish. For example, you just came in out of the rain, you have wet clothes. you could say “La ropa necesita secar”, or “hace falta secar la ropa" The clothes themselves have no need to be dry or wet, you are the one who needs them to be dry. I'd say that the point is to know if they are interchangeable sometimes, and they are in some cases. “Me hace falta dinero” vs “necesito dinero” are perfect examples of this. Back to the wet cloths, “La ropa necesita secarse” vs “le falta secarse” are not a perfect match but they are very similar. I believe there are differences in use, they are NOT necessarily interchangeable. "Necesito" is more intense and concrete than "me hace falta". You would never say "me hace falta un taxi" if you have to take your child to the emergency room, but "necesito un taxi”. At times there is a distinct difference between “lack” and “need”.

It takes an Irishman to know what Spnish is all about. ¡Enhorabuena Jack! - Daniela2041, Nov 10, 2014

:) - Jack-OBrien, Nov 10, 2014

I enjoy your 'down to earth' answers Daniela. - Jack-OBrien, Nov 10, 2014

Answer 4

Daniela explanation is almost correct. In Spain "faltar" and "necesitar" are interchangeable several times (not always). It depends of the person who say the sentence:

"Me falta un cromo para completar el album" - I´m lack of one trading card to complete the album

"Necesito un cromo para completar el album" - I need one trading card to complete the album

On the other hand, "faltar" is generally used with "hacer":

"Me hace falta conseguir el dinero" "Necesito conseguir el dinero"

Both examples can be translated as: I need to get the money

Is it a cultural difference as to the meaning in Spain and the meaning in Latin America? - rac1, Nov 10, 2014

Amber, they are interchangeable in americas aswell ... infact I have heard the venezuelan frends using hacer falta more than necesitar :) - Joydeep_Singh, Nov 10, 2014

Sheesh! You guys! You're starting to get my Irish up! All I did was to give word for word translations! Whichever phrase you use is up to you! I guess my Master's degree in Spanish vale poco aquí. Mejor me vaya. - Daniela2041, Nov 10, 2014

Don't do that amiga :) - ian-hill, Nov 10, 2014

You are doing a fantastic job, amiga. :):) - rac1, Nov 10, 2014