Need in different languages

Need in Different Languages

Discover 'Need' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'need' is a small but powerful part of our everyday vocabulary. It signifies a requirement or necessity, driving us to seek out the essentials for survival and happiness. From a basic need for food and water to more complex emotional and intellectual requirements, 'need' is a concept that transcends cultures and languages.

Throughout history, the concept of 'need' has been explored in philosophy, literature, and science. It's a universal human experience that has shaped societies and driven innovation. Understanding the nuances of this word in different languages can provide insight into the unique perspectives and values of different cultures.

For example, in Spanish, 'need' is 'necesitar', while in French it's 'avoir besoin'. In Mandarin Chinese, it's '需要 (xūyào)', and in Japanese, it's '必要 (hitsuyō)'. Each of these translations offers a slightly different perspective on the concept of 'need', reflecting the language and culture from which they come.

In the following list, you'll find the translations of 'need' in a variety of languages, from common tongues to lesser-known dialects. Whether you're a language enthusiast, a cultural explorer, or simply curious, this list is sure to inspire and educate.

Need

Need in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansbehoefte
The Afrikaans word "behoefte" comes from the Dutch word "behoefte" which has the same meaning but also refers to "want" in the sense of desire or craving.
Amharicፍላጎት
The Amharic word "ፍላጎት" (need) is derived from the Proto-Ethiosemitic word *pilag-, meaning "to desire, crave".
Hausabukata
The word 'bukata' is also related to the Hausa word 'buka', which means 'to open' or 'to reveal'.
Igbomkpa
The word "mkpa" in Igbo can also refer to an act of borrowing or lending.
Malagasynila
The Malagasy word "NILA" derives from the Sanskrit word "NILA" meaning "blue" or "darkish".
Nyanja (Chichewa)zosowa
The Nyanja word "zosowa" can also refer to a state of destitution or a lack of basic necessities.
Shonakudiwa
The word "kudiwa" in Shona can also mean "to want" or "to desire".
Somaliu baahan
The word "u baahan" in Somali is also used to express a lack or scarcity of something.
Sesothotlhoko
The word "tlhoko" in Sesotho can also refer to a "lack" or a "deficiency."
Swahilihitaji
Hitaji can also mean 'purpose' or 'requirement'.
Xhosaimfuno
The Xhosa word 'imfuno' is derived from the Proto-Nguni *im-pfuno, meaning 'the thing that lacks'. Its cognate is found in most Bantu languages.
Yorubanilo
The word 'nílò' can also mean 'a place of residence' in Yoruba.
Zuluisidingo
The Zulu word "isidingo" can also refer to a "desire" or a "want".
Bambaramago
Ewehiã
Kinyarwandabikenewe
Lingalamposa
Lugandaokwetaaga
Sepedinyaka
Twi (Akan)hia

Need in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicبحاجة إلى
The word "بحاجة إلى" can also mean "to be in need of" or "to require something".
Hebrewצוֹרֶך
The Hebrew word "צוֹרֶך" also means "requirement" and "purpose".
Pashtoاړتیا
The Pashto word "اړتیا" is rooted in the Proto-Indo-European language and shares its etymology with Sanskrit, the Indo-Iranian languages, as well as Greek, Latin, and Germanic terms.
Arabicبحاجة إلى
The word "بحاجة إلى" can also mean "to be in need of" or "to require something".

Need in Western European Languages

Albaniannevoja
The Albanian word "nevoja" (need) is derived from the Latin "negotium," meaning "business, occupation" or "that which must be done."}
Basquebeharra
Beharra can also mean 'obligation' or 'necessity', indicating a strong sense of compulsion.
Catalannecessitat
The word "necessitat" derives from the Latin word "necessitas," which means "compulsion" or "constraint."
Croatianpotreba
The Croatian word "potreba" originates from the Proto-Slavic "potreba" meaning "difficulty" or "trouble."
Danishbrug for
The word 'brug for' can also mean 'use for' or 'benefit from'.
Dutchnodig hebben
The verb "nodig hebben" originally meant "to compel" or "to bring into necessity".
Englishneed
The word "need" is derived from the Old English word "nedan," meaning "to compel" or "to force."
Frenchavoir besoin
Avoir besoin, meaning 'to need', comes from the Latin habere, meaning 'to have', and the Latin besogne, meaning 'work' or 'task'.
Frisianneed
The word "need" in Frisian can also refer to a state of poverty or the necessities of life
Galiciannecesidade
The Galician word "necesidade" can also refer to a "lack" or an "absence" of something.
Germanbrauchen
The German word "brauchen" shares a root with the English word "brook", meaning to tolerate or endure.
Icelandicþörf
The Old Norse word for "need," "þörf," is cognated to the English words "thorp," which originally referred to outlying farmsteads, and "thorpe," which refers to a village.
Irishriachtanas
The Irish word "riachtanas" also means "necessity" and "obligation".
Italianbisogno
In 18th century Neapolitan it also meant to fart ('far bisogno') because of the sound caused by passing gas that is similar to the sound the hungry gut makes.
Luxembourgishbrauchen
The word "brauchen" in Luxembourgish can also mean "to use" or "to have need of"
Maltesebżonn
The word "bżonn" may also refer to a type of fabric or thread.
Norwegiantrenge
The Norwegian word "trenge" originally meant "to press" or "to crowd".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)necessidade
In Portuguese, "necessidade" can also refer to a toilet or bathroom, originating from the Latin "necessitas", meaning "compulsion" or "urgency".
Scots Gaelicfeum
The Gaelic word feum has cognates in other Celtic languages, such as beum in Irish.
Spanishnecesitar
"Necesitar" shares its etymology with the Ancient Greek word "anagke", which means "constraint" or "obligation".
Swedishbehöver
Swedish 'behöver' derives from a word indicating 'to keep something alive'.
Welshangen
The Welsh word 'angen' can also be used in the imperative sense, with the meaning of 'require'.

Need in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianтрэба
The word
Bosniantreba
Bosnian word "treba" also has a meaning "a type of a traditional folk song" that originated in North-Eastern Bosnia.
Bulgarianтрябва
"Трябва" originates from the Old Bulgarian word "трѣба", which means "demand" or "necessity".
Czechpotřeba
The word “potřeba” originally meant 'misfortune, suffering, need' and was transformed into a positive meaning only later on.
Estonianvajadus
The word "vajadus" is derived from the Proto-Uralic root *waδa-, which also means "lack" or "shortage".
Finnishtarve
The word "tarve" also means "a demand" or "a requirement".
Hungarianszükség
The word "szükség" derives from the Old Hungarian word "szüks", meaning "narrow, strait".
Latvianvajadzība
"Nepieciešamība" (necessity) is derived from the word "piedzīt" (to drive).
Lithuanianreikia
The Proto-Indo-European noun *ḱreh₃s- meant "growth" or "heap", and is also the origin of the English words "harvest" and "crease".
Macedonianпотреба
The word "потреба" in Macedonian also means "demand".
Polishpotrzeba
The noun potrzeba in Polish shares its roots with the adjective potrzebny (necessary).
Romaniannevoie
The Romanian word "nevoie" is derived from the Latin "necessitas", meaning "lack" or "want".
Russianнужно
The word "нужно" can also mean "it is necessary" or "it is required".
Serbianпотреба
In Serbian, "potreba" also refers to a necessary quantity or amount required.
Slovakpotreba
The word "potreba" in Slovak also means "request" or "demand".
Slovenianpotrebujejo
The word "potrebujejo" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *potreba*, meaning "necessity" or "want".
Ukrainianпотрібно
In Old Ukrainian, the word "потрібно" could mean "necessary" or "to need".

Need in South Asian Languages

Bengaliপ্রয়োজন
Gujaratiજરૂર છે
Hindiजरुरत
The word जरुरत, meaning 'need', stems from the Persian word 'zarurat' signifying 'requirement'. In Hindi, it also connotes 'urgency' or 'necessity'.
Kannadaಅಗತ್ಯ
The ancient Kannada form 'ಅಗತ್ಯ' originates from the Sanskrit word 'आगत' , which means to make accessible.
Malayalamആവശ്യം
Marathiगरज
In addition to meaning "need", the Marathi word "गरज" also means "noise" or "thunder".
Nepaliआवश्यक छ
The Nepali word 'आवश्यक छ' ('need') originates from the Sanskrit word 'अपेक्षित' (apekṣit) meaning 'required' or 'sought after'.
Punjabiਲੋੜ ਹੈ
Sinhala (Sinhalese)අවශ්‍යතාවය
The root word, අවශ්‍ය (awaśya), comes from Sanskrit and means 'indispensable' or 'essential.'
Tamilதேவை
The Tamil word "தேவை" is also used figuratively to refer to desire, wish, or demand for something, extending its semantic domain beyond physical or material requirements.
Teluguఅవసరం
The word "అవసరం" in Telugu also refers to an opportunity or a requirement, rather than strictly a necessity.
Urduضرورت
The word "ضرورت" in Urdu is a derivative of the Arabic word "ضَرورة" and can also mean "urgency" or "compulsion."

Need in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)需要
The Chinese character "需" (need) can also mean "to request" or "to ask for".
Chinese (Traditional)需要
The word "需要" also means "demand" or "requirement" in Chinese, implying a sense of urgency or necessity.
Japanese必要
必要 originally meant "to be in a strait" hence "in need," from Chinese 必 "strait" and 要 "in need."
Korean필요한 것
"필요한" in Korean literally means "to be lacking".
Mongolianхэрэгцээ
The word "хэрэгцээ" (need) is also used to refer to the material requirements of an organization or person.
Myanmar (Burmese)လိုအပ်တယ်

Need in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianperlu
The word "perlu" in Indonesian is derived from the Sanskrit word "pre" meaning "to desire" or "to wish".
Javanesebutuh
Butuh in Javanese can also refer to a type of freshwater crab, similar to a crayfish.
Khmerត្រូវការ
The Khmer word "ត្រូវការ" (trŭuk-kaor) can also mean "to be necessary", "to be due", or "to be appropriate"
Laoຕ້ອງການ
Malaymemerlukan
The word 'memerlukan' in Malay is derived from the root 'merlukan', which means 'to seek' or 'to require'.
Thaiความต้องการ
The Thai word "ความต้องการ" (need) shares a root with the word "การทวงถาม" (demand), suggesting that both concepts are intertwined in Thai culture.
Vietnamesenhu cầu
The Sino-Vietnamese compound "nhu cầu" is calqued from Chinese "xuqiú" (需求), itself composed of "xu" (須, "necessary") and "qiú" (求, "to request, need").
Filipino (Tagalog)kailangan

Need in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijaniehtiyac
The word "ehtiyac" comes from the Persian word "eḥtiyāj" which also means "need" in English.
Kazakhқажеттілік
Kyrgyzкерек
The Kyrgyz word "керек" also means "requisite" or "requirement" in English.
Tajikлозим аст
The word "лозим аст" is derived from the Persian word "لازم است" (lāzim ast), which means "it is necessary" or "it is important".
Turkmenzerur
Uzbekkerak
"Kerak" can also refer to bread in some regions of Uzbekistan
Uyghurneed

Need in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianpono
“Pono” can also mean “goodness, rightness, morality, or excellence.”
Maorihiahia
In Maori, 'hiahia' can also refer to a craving or longing, beyond just a necessity.
Samoanmanaʻoga
The Samoan word `manaʻoga` can also mean 'desire' or 'wish'.
Tagalog (Filipino)kailangan
The Tagalog word "kailangan" is derived from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian root word *kayu, meaning "tree". This reflects the importance of trees and lumber in the cultures of many Southeast Asian societies.

Need in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaramunasiri
Guaranikotevẽ

Need in International Languages

Esperantobezono
'Bezono' derives from the Greek 'chresis,' meaning 'use,' 'need,' or 'requirement.'
Latinnecessitudo
In Roman law, "necessitudo" denoted kinship, or the legal obligation owed to a relative.

Need in Others Languages

Greekχρειάζομαι
"Χρειάζομαι" comes from the same root as the word "χρεία", which means "use", "necessity", or "want".
Hmongxav tau
The Hmong word "xav tau" can also mean "to want".
Kurdishlazimî
The word 'lazimî' in Kurdish shares its etymology with the Arabic word 'lazim' meaning 'necessary' or 'essential'.
Turkishihtiyaç
The word "ihtiyaç" is derived from the Arabic word "iḥtiyāj" meaning "lacking" or "requiring".
Xhosaimfuno
The Xhosa word 'imfuno' is derived from the Proto-Nguni *im-pfuno, meaning 'the thing that lacks'. Its cognate is found in most Bantu languages.
Yiddishנויט
The Yiddish word "נויט" (need) is derived from the German word "Not" and also means "distress" or "emergency".
Zuluisidingo
The Zulu word "isidingo" can also refer to a "desire" or a "want".
Assameseপ্ৰয়োজন
Aymaramunasiri
Bhojpuriजरूरत
Dhivehiބޭނުން
Dogriलोड़
Filipino (Tagalog)kailangan
Guaranikotevẽ
Ilocanokasapulan
Krionid
Kurdish (Sorani)پێویست
Maithiliजरूरत
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯄꯥꯝꯕ
Mizomamawh
Oromofedhii
Odia (Oriya)ଆବଶ୍ୟକତା
Quechuamañakuy
Sanskritआवश्यकता
Tatarкирәк
Tigrinyaድሌት
Tsongaxilaveko

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