falta-me/me falta + Noun

Faltar Construction

Level 2

The Portuguese verb faltar works like 'to be missing.' Instead of saying 'I lack money,' you say 'Money is missing to me' (Falta-me dinheiro).

How It Works

The faltar construction is the standard way to express objective lack or insufficiency in Portuguese.

1. Sentence Structure:
The most natural structure follows: [Verb Faltar] + [Indirect Object] + [Subject/Thing Missing].
Example: Falta-me coragem (I lack courage / Courage is missing to me).

2. Verb Agreement:
Because the thing missing is the grammatical subject, the verb must agree with it in number:

  • Falta um minuto (One minute is missing).
  • Faltam dez minutos (Ten minutes are missing).

3. Telling Time:
It is idiomatic to use faltar to say how many minutes remain until the next hour. Example: Faltam cinco para as três (It is five to three).

4. Faltar vs. Sentir falta de:
Use faltar for objective absence (missing ingredients, time, money). Use sentir falta de for the subjective experience of missing something, whether it is a person, a place, or even a habit like drinking coffee or getting enough sleep.

5. Common Synonyms and Variations:

  • Fazer falta: A very common alternative meaning 'to be missed' or 'to be needed'. Example: Você nos faz falta (We miss you/You are needed by us).
  • Faltar a: To miss an event or be absent. Example: Ele faltou à aula.
  • Pronoun Placement: Portugal prefers enclisis (Falta-me), while Brazil often uses proclisis in speech (Me falta).

Examples (6)

  1. Falta-me coragem para saltar.

    I lack the courage to jump.

    Word by Word: Lacks-to-me courage for to-jump.

    Here, 'coragem' is the singular subject, so 'falta' is singular.

  2. Faltam dez para as duas.

    It's ten to two.

    Word by Word: Lack ten for the two.

    This is the standard way to tell time when minutes are remaining until the next hour.

  3. Faltam-nos apenas dois euros.

    We are only missing two euros.

    Word by Word: Lack-to-us only two euros.

    Since 'dois euros' is plural, the verb must be 'faltam'.

  4. Não me falta nada nesta casa.

    I don't lack anything in this house.

    Word by Word: Not to-me lacks nothing in-this house.

    In negative sentences, the pronoun 'me' moves before the verb (proclisis).

  5. Sinto falta de tomar café de manhã.

    I miss drinking coffee in the morning.

    Word by Word: I-feel lack of to-drink coffee of morning.

    Unlike the objective 'faltar', 'sentir falta de' expresses a subjective feeling of missing something.

  6. A tua ajuda faz muita falta.

    Your help is very much needed.

    Word by Word: The your help makes much lack.

    The expression 'fazer falta' is a common synonym meaning 'to be missed' or 'to be necessary'.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'Eu' as the subject (English-style).

    Eu falto dinheiro.
    Falta-me dinheiro.

    In Portuguese, you don't 'lack' the money; the money 'is lacking' to you. Using 'Eu falto' sounds like you are absent from a place.

  • Failing to pluralize the verb for plural subjects.

    Falta cinco minutos.
    Faltam cinco minutos.

    Unlike the verb 'haver' (there is/are), 'faltar' is not impersonal. It must agree with the plural subject 'cinco minutos'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

falta-me/me falta + NounLevel 2Faltar Construction

Learn This First

To use the 'faltar' construction, you need to understand how to conjugate regular -ar verbs in the present tense. Additionally, you must be familiar with indirect object pronouns (like 'me', 'lhe', 'nos') and the rules for placing them either before the verb (proclisis) or after the verb (enclisis).

Words in This Pattern

faltarme