"Necesitar" or "necesitar de"?

Question

There are some verbs after which the preposition "de" is only occasionally added.

I studied in Argentina and sometimes heard things like "mirá ese vago, necesita de amor" or "Para la receta yo necesito leche, me la podes conseguir?" I never figured out when it was followed by "de".

I know there are some verbs that are almost always followed by "de," like gozar, but there are others that are not usually followed by "de" and I can't figure out when they should.

Is it like French, where "de" can mean "some"? So "Je veux vin" is I want wine but "Je veux de vin" is roughly "I want some wine".

Hello Debajo and welcome to the SpanishDict forum :) Great question ;) - FELIZ77, Jan 13, 2016

Welcome to SpanishDict. Please take a moment and complete your SD profile as it relates to language. Thanks. - rac1, Jan 13, 2016

Answer 1

In some areas "de" is used as a partitive,(as in French but without the definite article) meaning "some" I believe, since Argentinian Spanish differs greatly from Standard Spanish, as in the use of "vos" with corresponding altered "vosotros" verb froms to agree with "vos," you will find many variations from what is considered standard or "international" Spanish.

Most Spanish speakers including myself will use (when necessary) "un poco de." Like I said, there appears to be no "rules" governing this. It's just one of those things you hear, depending where you are.

The following graphic could also be stated without the "de." when I see it with the "de" It gives me the feeling of "I need what those embraces give me that end up in a kiss." Bad English, but it conveys the idea. ¿Vale? I hope I didn't muddy the waters even more.

I find that very helpful. :) - bosquederoble, Jan 13, 2016

Thanks! I came across the partitive the other day and thought that could be it, but in retrospect, I think the last thing you said is correct. Like "La torta necesita de azúcar" means "the cake needs whatever sugar gives it" rather than the sugar itself. - DebajoLaLunaNoche, Jan 13, 2016

Answer 2

Owing to low battery, I cannot answer your question until restored. - annierats, Jan 13, 2016