logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
December 11, 2020 by Michelle Margaret Fajkus Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments

A Quick Guide to Expressing Your Needs in Spanish

¿Qué necesitas? What do you need? Let’s learn how to express your needs in Spanish.

Even in our native language, we may have a hard time expressing our needs to others. Still, it’s essential to be able to verbalize our needs and communicate with other people about what is important to us.

Consider following these simple guidelines:

  • Use as much first-person language as you can. Using words like I, me, my, and mine can help you access and clearly express your needs.
  • Ask for what you want more of instead of less of. Instead of “Stop being so messy”, try “I need more organization in our house.” 
  • Be aware of your speaking tone. Stay calm and centered and fill your words with grounded energy.

It’s important to start off on the right foot in Spanish and learn to express our basic needs. Keep reading to learn more about our diverse human needs and how to express your needs in Spanish.

What are Basic Needs? 

Around 80 years ago, Abraham Maslow developed his famous 5-tier model of the hierarchy of human needs. Psychology researchers have since expanded it to include nine levels. 

Maslow clarified that satisfaction of a need is not an all-or-nothing phenomenon. In other words, a need does not have to be 100% satisfied before the next need emerges.

Image source

Needs in Spanish: Basic Physical and Safety Needs

Physical survival is the first thing that motivates our behavior. Our most basic needs for survival include air, food, water, shelter, sleep, and clothing. The human body cannot function optimally unless these needs are satisfied. 

Once an individual’s physiological needs are met, safety and security needs become pertinent. We generally want order, predictability, and control in our lives. Things like emotional security, financial security, mental health, and wellbeing take priority.

So, how do you express basic needs in Spanish?  

First of all, the Spanish verb for “to need” is necesitar. The following three fundamental structures exist for expressing needs.

1. I need (noun).

Yo necesito tomar agua. – I need to drink water.

Tú necesitas comer. – You need to eat.  

Él necesita encontrar una nueva casa. – He needs to find a new house.  

Necesitamos aire fresco. – We need some fresh air. 

2. I have (noun).  

In other words, I am currently experiencing something.

Pro Tip: In Spanish, you “have” thirst, whereas in English you “are” thirsty. The same applies to hunger, hotness, coldness, and various other needs and feelings.

Yo tengo sed. – I am thirsty. 

Yo tengo hambre. – I am hungry.

Tengo un problema. – I have a problem.

Tengo un dolor de cabeza. – I have a headache.

Ellos tienen calor. – They are hot.

Nosotras tenemos frío. – We are cold.

Yo tengo sueño. – I am sleepy.

Yo tengo prisa. – I am in a hurry.

3. I need to (verb).  

You use this form to refer to an action that is necessary or important.

Yo necesito comer. – I need to eat.

Necesito buscar ayuda. – I need to find help.

Necesitamos salir de aquí. – We need to get out of here.

Ella necesita correr. – She needs to run.

Adding Adjectives

Of course, you can go into more detail about your needs. Here’s a simple way to describe their intensity using the words poco and mucho.

Yo tengo un poco de sed. – I am a little bit thirsty. 

Yo tengo mucha hambre. – I am very hungry. 

Tengo un poquito de calor. – I am a little bit hot.

Tengo tanto frío. – I am so cold.

Yo tengo muchísima prisa. – I am in a huge rush.

See also: 

  • How to Talk About Your Mood in Spanish
  • 50 Feelings and Emotions in Spanish

Expressing Psychological Needs in Spanish

Once we’ve fulfilled our physiological and safety needs, we move on to needs at the social level. We all want to feel love and a sense of belonging. It’s human nature to seek friendship, intimacy, trust, acceptance, affection, and love. We want to affiliate with various groups, such as our family, friends, and work colleagues.

Esteem-related needs include both self-esteem and a desire for respect from others (status).

Spanish Verbs Related to Emotional and Psychological Needs

  • Aceptar – to accept
  • Reconocer – to acknowledge
  • Insistir – to insist
  • Querer – to want 
  • Preferir – to prefer
  • Pedir – to request
  • Esperar – to hope
  • Desear – to desire, to wish
  • Preguntarse – to ask oneself, to wonder
  • Preguntar – to ask, to inquire
  • Aprender – to learn
  • Crecer – to grow
  • Recordar, acordar – to remember
  • Poder – to be able to
  • Creer – to believe
  • Crear – to create

Example Sentences

Me pregunté si necesito un poco de tiempo sola. – I asked myself if I need some time alone.

Estoy buscando un compañero cariñoso, inteligente, guapo y chistoso. – I’m looking for a caring, intelligent, handsome, and funny companion.

Quiero que nuestra amistad esté llena de confianza. – I want to our friendship to be full of trust.

Prefiero que me aceptes por quien soy. – I prefer that you accept me for who I am.

Expressing Higher Needs in Spanish

Self-actualization needs have to do with personal growth and realizing our full potential.

Cognitive needs refer to understanding, curiosity, and exploration.

Aesthetic needs are all about the appreciation of beauty, balance, form, color, and artistic value.

Transcendence needs relate to values that expand our consciousness beyond the personal self. Examples include connecting with nature, giving selflessly to others, and having spiritual experiences.

Here is some helpful vocabulary related to these types of higher needs in Spanish.

La meta – goal

El objetivo – objective

La curiosidad – curiosity

El arte – art

El valor – value

El beneficio – benefit

El merito – merit

La intención – intention

La espiritualidad – spirituality

La religión – religion

La comprensión, el entendimiento – comprehension, understanding

El desarrollo personal – personal development

Comprender, entender – to understand

Transcender – to transcend, to emerge

Illuminar – to illuminate, to enlighten

Servir – to serve

Thirsty for More Spanish?

Effectively expressing our needs and desires is essential for living a balanced and content life. If you feel stressed, it’s likely that you have an unmet need to acknowledge and express.
Want to continue improving your Spanish language skills? Take a free class to practice expressing yourself with our native Spanish-speaking teachers!

free spanish class online trial

Want more free Spanish lessons, fun content, and strategies for easy learning? Check these out:

  • 10 Essential Ways to Use “Que” in Spanish
  • Spanish Preterite vs Imperfect: 25 Online Exercises to Practice Your Skills
  • Your Child Knows Some Spanish Words, Now What? How to Turn Vocabulary Into Real Conversations
  • 29 Cool and Catchy Spanish Phrases To Use With Friends [+Audio]
  • Fun Ways to Practice Spanish with Family (Even If Everyone’s at Different Levels)
  • 10 Simple Spanish Words Your Preschooler Can Learn This Week
  • The 25 Most Useful Spanish Phrases You Need to Learn Today
  • 50 Useful Spanish Transition Words for Everyday Speech and Writing
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Michelle Margaret Fajkus
Follow on FB
Michelle Margaret Fajkus
Editor & Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
Michelle Margaret Fajkus is a bilingual writer and longtime yoga teacher. A former advertising copywriter turned bilingual elementary school teacher, she is now a freelance writer, editor and translator. A native Texan, Michelle has Mexican roots and learned Spanish in middle and high school. She has become more fluent thanks to living as an expat in Guatemala. She lives with her family on beautiful Lake Atitlan.
Michelle Margaret Fajkus
Follow on FB
Latest posts by Michelle Margaret Fajkus (see all)
  • Ver Conjugation: Free Spanish Lesson, Exercises, and PDF - December 5, 2024
  • What Are the Different Levels of Language Proficiency? - October 17, 2024
  • Master All the Forms of Ser in Spanish: Your Ultimate Grammar Guide - July 18, 2024
spanish vocabulary
1

Related Posts

mission trip Spanish

45+ Mission Trip Spanish Phrases You Need To Know

December 23, 2021
Read More
Spanish quotes

44 Essential Spanish Quotes and Proverbs to Fuel Your Motivation

October 21, 2021
Read More
Spanish body parts

Spanish Body Parts: Vocabulary, Idioms, and Culture

January 4, 2022
Read More
Spanish greetings

Spanish 101: Greetings and Farewells

May 2, 2022
Read More

Leave a Comment! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

15 Unique Spanish Words With No English TranslationPrevious Post
Top 10 Most Remarkable Latin American Authors of All TimeNext Post

About Us

With over 10 years of experience, HSA is where your goals merge with our teachers’ passion: to improve your Spanish fluency. Custom-tailored to fit your needs, you choose your program, schedule, favorite teachers, pace of learning, and more.. Learn More

Resources

  • About
  • Get a Transcript
  • FAQs
  • How it Works
  • Partners

Recent Posts

  • 10 Essential Ways to Use “Que” in Spanish
    10 Essential Ways to Use “Que” in Spanish
    June 1, 2025
    Have you ever wondered how to use “que” in...
  • Which Family Language Strategy Works for You?
    Which Family Language Strategy Works for You?
    May 31, 2025
    If you want to help your child learn a new...

Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Contact Us© 2022 HSA. All rights reserved.