In this grammar lesson, you will learn how to say to need in French (avoir besoin de).
In this lesson you will learn about:
- to need in French with nouns
- to need in French with verbs
- how to need in French is used in sentences
- how you can quiz yourself on how to say to need in French
- how to practice with flashcards on how to say to need in French
- how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn French
Please refer to the French A1 Curriculum to get a better overview of French grammar, if you are curious about this fits in French A1.
By the end of the lesson, you will know all about how to say to need in French!
Table of Contents
To need in French with Nouns
If you want to say that you need something in French, you will use the following idiom.
- avoir besoin de [quelque chose] = to need [something]
The literal meaning is “to have need of”. However, you don’t need to remember this literal meaning.
Avoir gets conjugated depending on the context when you used this idiom.
Tu as besoin de sommeil.
You need some sleep.
Il a besoin de nouvelles chaussures.
He needs new shoes.
J’ai besoin d’une enveloppe.
I need an envelope.
You may have noticed that in the last example there is the article une after d’.
This is because you are using an indefinite article (une).
If you want to use an article, then you will use the following variation.
- avoir besoin de/d’ + [article] + noun
To need in French with Verbs
You can also use to need in French with verbs.
You will use the following idiom for that.
- avoir besoin de [infinitif] = to need [to do]
J’ai besoin d’étudier.
I need to study.
J’ai besoin d’aller en vacances !
I need to go on holiday!
Vous avez besoin d’écrire quelque chose ?
Do you need to write something?
As you can see the infinitive (full verb) is used after avoir besoin de.
Please note that de becomes d’ in front of a vowel or mute h in both categories.
Examples Sentences on To Need in French
The final section of this lesson on how to say to need in French is about seeing the idiom in action.
This is valuable because you can improve your understanding on how to say to need in French through examples.
J’ai besoin d’une enveloppe.
I need an envelope.
J’ai besoin d’étudier.
I need to study.
J’ai besoin d’aller en vacances !
I need to go on holiday!
Tu as besoin de sommeil.
You need to sleep.
Il a besoin de nouvelles chaussures.
He needs new shoes.
Nous avons besoin de volontaires.
We need volunteers.
Nous avons besoin de musique.
We need music.
Nous avons besoin de Diane.
We need Diane.
Vous avez besoin de vacances.
You need a holiday.
Ils ont besoin de nourriture et d’eau.
They need food and water.
Elles ont besoin de l’argent.
They need the money.
Quiz Yourself on How to Say to Need in French
At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.
You will see the sentences of the previous chapter.
You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.
Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.
You can redo the quiz as many times as you want.
How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson
Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!
It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.
Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.
There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.
- Anki
- The Flashcards in our Courses
Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.
After you have downloaded Anki for free, you can get our French A1 Anki Deck.
This Anki Deck contains 3,764 flashcards with which you can practice absolutely everything for French A1.
All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.
You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!
However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?
The Courses of Language Atlas
Have you ever wondered what the best way is to learn a new language?
I have been learning languages for over 20+ years and I was always frustrated with books, courses, and classes that I had tried.
It never really seemed to work for me.
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So I thought, “why not make something myself?“.
Using my experience and by doing research I created Language Atlas, a platform where people can learn French and Spanish in the most effective and efficient way.
I created free lessons and quizzes so that there would always be a easy and accessible way for people to learn or brush up on their language skills.
However, I also created courses that are much more comprehensive and in-depth.
These courses are easy to follow, clear, and allow you to become fluent in the most effective and efficient way.
The courses of Language Atlas have:
- 800+ Lessons with audio
- 800+ Quizzes
- 10,000 Flashcards with explanations, images, and audio
- A gamified way of learning a new language
- A vibrant community (including support from me)
You can register for free and try the French A0/A1 and Spanish A0/A1 Courses for free!
This includes over 60 lessons and quizzes, 500 flashcards that adapt to how you learn, and access to the community (including support from me).
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