behöva + Infinitive

Need to

Level 4

Use behöva followed by a verb in its infinitive form (base form) to say that you 'need to' do something.

How It Works

behöva is a versatile verb used to express necessity, similar to the English 'need to'. It functions like a modal verb, meaning it's followed by another verb in its infinitive (base) form without the infinitive marker att.

Structure:
Subject + behöver (conjugated) + Infinitive Verb

Conjugation:

  • Present: behöver (Jag behöver...)
  • Past (Preterite): behövde (Jag behövde...)
  • Supinum (for perfect tenses): behövt (Jag har behövt...)

Negation:
To say you 'don't need to' do something, you place inte after behöver. The phrase behöver inte is very common and means 'don't have to'.
Example: Du behöver inte komma om du inte vill. (You don't need to come if you don't want to.)

behöva vs. måste
Both express necessity. Måste can present a requirement as more categorical; behöva often frames it as a need. Both can concern practical circumstances or rules, so internal need versus external obligation is not an absolute division.

  • `Jag måste gå till jobbet.` (I must go to work - it's my duty/obligation.)
  • `Jag behöver gå till affären.` (I need to go to the store - because we're out of milk.)

behöva + Noun
Be aware that behöva can also be followed by a noun to mean 'to need (something)'.
Example: Jag behöver en ny telefon. (I need a new phone.)

In an inverted main clause, the subject follows the finite verb before inte: I dag behöver du inte betala. In ordinary subordinate order, inte precedes the finite verb: eftersom du inte behöver betala. The simple subject-first formula is only one arrangement.

Examples (5)

  1. Jag behöver köpa mjölk på vägen hem.

    I need to buy milk on the way home.

    Word by Word: I need buy milk on the way home.

  2. Vi behövde lämna festen tidigt.

    We needed to leave the party early.

    Word by Word: We needed leave the party early.

    This example shows the past tense form, behövde.

  3. Behöver du gå nu?

    Do you need to go now?

    Word by Word: Need you go now?

  4. Hon har behövt arbeta övertid hela veckan.

    She has needed to work overtime all week.

    Word by Word: She has needed work overtime whole the-week.

    This uses the perfect tense with har + the supinum form behövt.

  5. Du behöver inte betala för biljetten, jag bjuder.

    You don't need to pay for the ticket; it's my treat.

    Word by Word: You need not pay for the-ticket, I treat.

Common Mistakes

  • Incorrectly adding 'att' after 'behöva'.

    Jag behöver att sova mer.
    Jag behöver sova mer.

    Unlike English 'need to do', the Swedish verb behöva is followed directly by the infinitive verb without the marker att. It behaves like other modal verbs such as kan (can) or vill (want).

  • Using a finite verb instead of an infinitive after behöver.

    Man behöver stannar här.
    Man behöver stanna här.

    Behöver is finite; stanna remains infinitive. Behöva can express a necessity arising from rules as well as practical needs. Måste may be a more categorical instruction in context, but behöver is not automatically ungrammatical when a rule is involved.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

behöva + InfinitiveLevel 4Need to

Learn This First

To use 'behöva + infinitive', you need to understand how Swedish verbs are conjugated in their basic forms and how the infinitive (the 'to' form) works. It is also helpful to be familiar with other ways of expressing necessity, like 'måste', to understand when to use 'behöva' instead.

Words in This Pattern

behöva