Portuguese Phrase
O que você precisa que eu faça?
Meaning
This question asks the listener what they need you to do. It conveys willingness to help and expects a specific task or action in response.
When to use
Use it when you want to offer assistance in a professional or personal setting, especially after someone has mentioned a problem or a project that requires your involvement.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Oquevocêprecisaqueeufaça?
O que (interrogative)
"O que" introduces a question about something unknown; it functions like “what” in English.
precisar + que + subjunctive
The verb precisar (to need) is followed by the conjunction que and a verb in the subjunctive when expressing a necessity for someone else to act.
Subjunctive of fazer → faça
After que, the verb fazer moves to the present subjunctive form “faça” to indicate a desired or required action.
Pronoun eu (subject)
The subject pronoun eu is optional in Portuguese but is kept here for clarity and emphasis.
Question mark placement
In Portuguese, only the final punctuation mark is used for questions; the opening question mark (¿) is not used.
🗨In Conversation
O que você precisa que eu faça?
What do you need me to do?
Preciso que você envie o relatório até sexta-feira.
I need you to send the report by Friday.
✕Common Mistakes
O que você precisa que eu faço?
After precisar, the verb must be in the subjunctive (faça), not the indicative (faço).
O que você precisa eu fazer?
The conjunction que is required; “precisa eu fazer” is ungrammatical.
O que você precisa que eu faz?
The verb “fazer” must be conjugated to the subjunctive “faça”, not the present indicative “faz”.
↔Alternatives
O que devo fazer?
What should I do?
O que você quer que eu faça?
What do you want me to do?
Como posso ajudar?
How can I help?
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian Portuguese the subjunctive after verbs of necessity (precisar, querer, precisar que) is very common and sounds natural. Dropping the subject pronoun (eu) is also acceptable in informal speech, e.g., “O que você precisa que eu faça?” → “O que você precisa que eu faça?” (same) or “O que você precisa que eu faça?” → “O que você precisa que eu faça?”. In Portugal, the same structure is used, but speakers may prefer a slightly more formal tone when addressing colleagues.