Portuguese Phrase
Que documentos eu preciso?
Meaning
Literally, “What documents do I need?” It is used when you want to know which official papers or forms are required for a specific procedure, such as applying for a visa, opening a bank account, or registering for a course.
When to use
Use this question when you are about to start a bureaucratic process, travel abroad, or fill out any official form that asks for identification or proof of residence. It works in both formal and informal settings, though you may hear a more casual version with ‘papéis’ in everyday conversation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quedocumentoseupreciso?
Que (interrogative)
Used to ask 'what' or 'which' about a noun; placed at the beginning of a question.
documentos (noun, plural)
A plural noun meaning 'documents' or 'papers'.
eu (subject pronoun)
First‑person singular pronoun, often optional in Portuguese but added for emphasis.
preciso (verb)
First‑person singular present of precisar ‘to need’; no preposition is needed when the object follows directly.
🗨In Conversation
Que documentos eu preciso?
What documents do I need?
Você vai precisar do RG, do CPF e de um comprovante de residência.
You’ll need your ID card, your tax number, and a proof of address.
✕Common Mistakes
Que documentos eu preciso de?
The verb precisar already includes the object; adding ‘de’ makes the sentence redundant.
Que documento eu preciso?
Use the plural ‘documentos’ unless you are asking for a single specific document.
Qual documentos eu preciso?
‘Qual’ agrees with singular nouns; for plural you need ‘Quais’. Use ‘Que’ for a more natural phrasing.
↔Alternatives
Quais documentos eu preciso?
Which documents do I need?
Que papéis eu preciso?
What papers do I need?
Que documentos são necessários?
What documents are necessary?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, the word ‘documentos’ almost always refers to official IDs such as RG (general registration), CPF (tax ID), and a comprovante de residência (proof of address). When speaking to a clerk, it’s polite to say ‘por favor’ and to keep your documents organized in a folder. In some regions, people may use the informal term ‘papéis’ when talking about paperwork among friends.