Portuguese Phrase
O que nos falta?
Meaning
Literally, 'What are we missing?' It asks for something that is lacking or needed by the speaker and the listener, whether it be an item, a skill, or an abstract quality.
When to use
Use this phrase when you suspect something is absent in a plan, a conversation, a project, or a personal situation and you want to identify the missing element. It works in both formal and informal contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Oquenosfalta?
Interrogative pronoun 'O que'
'O que' means 'what' and is used to ask about something unknown; it functions as a subject or object in a question.
Clitic pronoun 'nos'
'nos' is a clitic pronoun meaning 'to us' or 'for us', placed before the verb in European Portuguese and before the verb in Brazilian Portuguese in questions.
Verb 'faltar' (to lack)
'faltar' is an intransitive verb that takes an indirect object (the thing lacking) and a subject (the thing that is missing). In this construction, the subject is omitted and the thing missing is implied.
Word order in questions
In Portuguese, the typical order for a yes‑no or wh‑question is: interrogative phrase + verb + subject/complement. Here, 'O que' (what) + 'nos' (to us) + 'falta' (is missing).
🗨In Conversation
O que nos falta para terminar o projeto?
What are we missing to finish the project?
Acho que só precisamos de mais tempo.
I think we just need more time.
✕Common Mistakes
O que nosso falta?
Do not replace 'nos' with 'nosso' – 'nosso' is a possessive adjective, not a clitic pronoun.
O que nos faltam?
Avoid using 'faltam' here; 'faltam' is used when the subject is plural (e.g., 'O que nos faltam?').
O que nos falta.
In very informal speech, some learners drop the question mark and intonation, turning it into a statement. Keep the rising intonation to signal a question.
↔Alternatives
O que está faltando?
What is missing?
O que nos falta fazer?
What do we still need to do?
O que ainda nos falta?
What do we still lack?
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian Portuguese, speakers often drop the clitic pronoun in casual speech, saying simply 'O que falta?' The full form 'O que nos falta?' adds a sense of collective responsibility and is common in team settings, meetings, or when discussing shared goals. In Portugal, keeping the clitic is more typical, especially in formal contexts.