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必要がある (hitsuyou ga aru) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Need

Author Anna Baffa Volpe for article '必要がある (hitsuyou ga aru) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Need'

Anna Baffa Volpe

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必要がある (hitsuyou ga aru) Meaning Japanese Grammar - Need

The expression (ひつ)(よう)がある (hitsuyou ga aru) means to be necessary, need.

The expression as we can deduce from the translation is used to express the need or necessity to do something.

Its negative form is (ひつ)(よう)がない and expresses its opposite: don't need to do, no necessity to.

In this post we learn more about the meaning of (ひつ)(よう)がある, how it is formed and when (ひつ)(よう)がある is used through real example sentences.


How (ひつ)(よう)がある is formed

(ひつ)(よう)がある is formed:

  • by the noun (ひつ)(よう) need, necessity
  • by the particle が representing the subject
  • by the existence verb ある that means be, exist

⇨ there is a need; it is necessary

The structure is quite simple and uses only the plain form of the verb in the present tense.

Verb in the Affirmative form+(ひつ)(よう)++ある

あなたの(くるま)はよく(せん)(じょう)する(ひつ)(よう)があるね。

Your car needs a good wash!

(ぎん)(こう)(でん)()をかける(ひつ)(よう)がある。

I need to call the bank.

あなたはすぐにそこに()(ひつ)(よう)がある。

You must go there immediately.

(ひつ)(よう)がある to express needs and necessities

This expression translates the verbs need, be necessary and depending on the sentence and context can also express the nuance with the verb have to.

(わか)いときに(おお)くのことを(まな)(ひつ)(よう)がある。

You have to learn a lot when you are young.

なぜそんな(ほん)()(ひつ)(よう)があるのですか。

Why do you need to read such a book?

(ひつ)(よう)があった for past needs

The same expression is also used in the past tense through the past of the verb ある: あった.

(かれ)(そう)(だん)する(ひつ)(よう)があった。

It was necessary to consult him.

(ひつ)(よう)がない: No need to

The negative form uses ない, the negative auxiliary of ある and なかった for the past tense.

The particle が is often omitted in the negative or replaced by は.

(ひつ)(よう)がない: as we can see, the negative form is applied to the same expression and not to the verb that precedes it.

(いそ)(ひつ)(よう)がない。

There is no need to hurry.

あなたはそれを()(ひつ)(よう)がない。

You don't need to know that.

あなたは明日(あした)(はや)()きる(ひつ)(よう)がない。

You don't have to get up early tomorrow.

(ひつ)(よう)だ it's necessary

(ひつ)(よう) creates another form preceded by the particle and followed by the copula だ in the plain form and です in the polite form.

Noun++(ひつ)(よう)+
Verb+ことが+(ひつ)(よう)+

もっと(じょう)(ほう)(ひつ)(よう)だ。

I need more informations.

この(りょう)()には(かた)いトマトがいくつか(ひつ)(よう)だ。

For this dish you need hard tomatoes.

We can find the particle instead of .

(ほん)(とう)(げん)(りょう)(ひつ)(よう)

Do you really need to lose weight?

This sentence is part of the title of an article dealing with health (けん)(こう) and the final verb is omitted: [(ひつ)(よう)ですか].

How much money do we need to live?
Co-authors of the book: Yamazaki Hajime and Iwaki Mizuho

(じん)(せい)にお(かね)はいくら(ひつ)(よう)か。

How much money do we need to live?

Examples of (ひつ)(よう)がある

(わたし)(いえ)(あたら)しく()りなおす(ひつ)(よう)がある。

My house needs a new paint job.

このタイヤは(くう)()()れる(ひつ)(よう)がある。

These tyres need to be inflated.

この(もん)(だい)(ぜん)(たい)として(かんが)える(ひつ)(よう)がある。

The issue needs to be considered as a whole.