carece

Carece is a present-tense verb form found in Spanish and Portuguese that means “lacks” or “is without.” It is the third-person singular form of the verb carecer in each language, typically used with the preposition de to indicate what is missing, as in carece de recursos (Spanish) or carece de recursos (Portuguese). The construction is common in formal writing and journalism, as well as in everyday speech.

Etymology and cognates: carecer derives from Latin carēre, meaning “to be without.” Related forms appear in other Romance languages with similar meanings, reflecting a common origin in expressions of deficiency or absence.

Usage and nuance: In both languages, carece de is used to assert a deficiency or lack of something essential or relevant to a context—resources, evidence, rights, information, etc. The term can carry a neutral tone or emphasize a shortcoming, depending on context and choice of accompanying nouns. It is generally used with nouns introduced by de, though synonyms such as faltar or carecer de may convey slightly different nuances.

Examples:

- Spanish: El proyecto carece de viabilidad financiera.

- Portuguese: O relatório carece de dados suficientes.

In both cases, carece de introduces what is missing for the subject to meet a condition or standard.

See also: carecer, carencia, faltar.