French Grammar Explained /
To need - How to use "avoir besoin de"
What a heat outside! I really need some water. Is there a store nearby?
Yes, sure. Right around the corner. And when you come back, I will tell you how you can avoid dying of thirst in a French-speaking country.
I'm back! I'm very curious!
So, before we begin: do you remember the conjugation of the verb avoir?
Yes. I think so. It's a bit difficult, because it's irregular, but I hear it all the time in the Live Lessons.
Go ahead.
J'ai, tu as, elle/il/on a, nous avons, vous avez, ils/elles ont.
Great! So, let's go back to what you said at the beginning. "I need some water". The structure that we will be focussing on today is need which is avoir besoin de in French.
That's a long word!
Yes, well, it's several words. But you'll get used to it!
So how do I say I need?
I think you can try it yourself. Start with the verb avoir in the first person singular (I).
That's easy: J'ai
Fine. And then you just add besoin de.
J'ai besoin de, is that right?
And you needed some water, in French eau. Be aware of the fact that this word begins with a vowel.
J'ai besoin d'eau?
Très bien! And now I need coffee. How can I say that in French?
Coffee is café, right? So it's J'ai besoin de café.
I'm so proud!
j'ai besoin d'eau | nous avons besoin de riz |
tu as besoin de confiture | vous avez besoin d'huile |
elle/il/on a besoin de pain | ils/elles ont besoin d'ananas |
And how do I say that I don't need something?
Excellente question ! Do you remember what we need to form the negation in French?
Oui : ne and pas. But where to put them, there are so many words in j'ai besoin de!
The rule still applies: around the verb...
J' ne ai pas besoin de ? it's looking weird to me!
Indeed... I would say one word: vowels!
Ok... Je n'ai pas besoin de?
BRAVO 👏🏼
Yeah! Look:
Je n'ai pas besoin de professeur.e !
I don't need a teacher!
Ha ha, yeah that's all I wish for you!