Understanding the Meaning of ‘Faltar’
The verb faltar primarily means “to lack,” “to be missing,” or “to be absent.” It is used to express the absence of something or someone, or the need for something that is not present. Faltar is a regular verb, but its construction is often different from English, making it essential for learners to pay attention to its usage and sentence structure.
Using ‘Faltar’ to Express Need
One of the most common uses of faltar is to indicate that something is needed or missing. In these sentences, faltar often works similarly to the English phrase “to need” or “to be lacking.” However, the subject and object are reversed compared to English.
Structure
In Portuguese, the thing that is missing becomes the subject, and the person who needs it is expressed with an indirect object pronoun (me, te, lhe, nos, vos, lhes). For example:
- Falta açúcar. (There is no sugar. / Sugar is missing.)
- Faltam três cadeiras. (Three chairs are missing.)
- Falta-me tempo. (I lack time. / I need more time.)
- Está faltando dinheiro para comprar o carro. (There isn’t enough money to buy the car.)
Examples with Pronouns
- Falta-me coragem para falar com ele. (I lack the courage to talk to him.)
- Faltam-nos ideias para o projeto. (We lack ideas for the project.)
- Falta-lhe paciência. (He/She lacks patience.)
Notice how the verb agrees with the thing that is missing, not the person who needs it.
Using ‘Faltar’ to Express Absence
Faltar is also used to say that someone or something is absent, often in the context of events, appointments, or obligations.
Expressing Absence from a Place or Event
- Ele faltou à aula ontem. (He missed class yesterday.)
- Você já faltou ao trabalho? (Have you ever missed work?)
- Muitos alunos faltaram à prova. (Many students missed the exam.)
In these examples, the verb faltar is often followed by the preposition a (to), indicating the event or place missed.
Expressing Time Remaining with ‘Faltar’
Another common use of faltar is to talk about time left before an event. In this sense, it means “to go” or “to remain.”
Examples
- Faltam cinco minutos para o filme começar. (There are five minutes left before the movie starts.)
- Faltam dois dias para as férias. (There are two days left until the holidays.)
Here, the verb agrees with the amount of time remaining.
Common Expressions with ‘Faltar’
There are several idiomatic expressions in Portuguese using faltar that are useful to know:
- Faltar com a palavra – to break one’s word
- Faltar o ar – to be out of breath
- Faltar à verdade – to lie (literally, to miss the truth)
Tips for Mastering ‘Faltar’
- Always remember that faltar is used impersonally in many cases; the thing that is missing is the subject of the verb.
- Practice using indirect object pronouns (me, te, lhe, nos, vos, lhes) to indicate who is lacking something.
- Listen for faltar in real-life Portuguese conversations, TV, and podcasts to get a feel for its natural use.
- Practice forming sentences with faltar in different tenses and contexts for fluency.
Conclusion
Mastering the verb faltar will greatly expand your ability to express need, absence, and time in Portuguese. Whether you are talking about what you lack, what’s missing from a place, or how much time is left before an event, faltar is essential. For more tips and interactive practice, check out Talkpal’s AI-powered language learning tools that make mastering Portuguese engaging and effective!
