<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-19</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000727489</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PREDICTIVE SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PRDS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001187746</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GENERAL ATLANTIC PARTNERS 54 L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>U</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4559458</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>.4645</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Price is $0.4645417 per share.  Filing software does not permit more than four digits in Item 4.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Matthew Nimetz, A Managing Member</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

