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verb

behöva

need

När man inte klarar sig utan något och måste ha det.

Definition & meaning

Behöva means to need or to have to. It expresses a need or necessity.

  • Jag behöver hjälp. — I need help.
  • Du behöver inte komma. — You don’t have to come.

It can also mean to require:

  • Huset behöver renoveras. — The house needs to be renovated.

Grammar & Word origin

Behöva is a verb. Its principal forms are:

  • Infinitive: behöva
  • Present: behöver
  • Past: behövde
  • Supine: behövt

It can be followed by a noun or an infinitive, usually without att: Jag behöver sova — “I need to sleep.”

The word is related to the noun behov , meaning “need” or “requirement.”

Synonyms & antonyms

  • behöva ha — “need to have”; emphasizes needing to possess or obtain something.
  • vara tvungen att — “have to”; often expresses a stronger obligation than behöva.
  • klara sig utan — “manage without”; an approximate opposite when something is not needed.

Common phrases & collocations

  • behöva hjälp — to need help
  • behöva tid — to need time
  • inte behöva — not to need to; not to have to
  • behöva göra något — to need to do something

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Examples

Jag behöver hjälp med läxan.verb

I need help with the homework.

Behöver du vila efter resan?verb

Do you need to rest after the trip?

Vi behövde mer tid för att avsluta arbetet.verb

We needed more time to finish the work.

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