Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

  1. #1
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    10

    difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    Hi, can someone please explain the difference between нужен, надо, нужно?

    I never know exactly which to use when I say things like:

    - I need / I don't need / do you need?

    - It is not necessary / It is not needed

  2. #2
    Старший оракул Seraph's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Posts
    782
    Rep Power
    17

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    нужен has to agree, m, f, n, pl. нужно is n. make sense? Mne нужен... Mne нужнo.. etc

    Russian idiom has the item needed as the subject, not the person needing it. Person needing it is the dative object мне тебе ему ей нас вас им. нужен agrees with the item, m, f, n pl нужен нужна нужно нужны.

  3. #3
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    Quote Originally Posted by Seraph
    нужен has to agree, m, f, n, pl. нужно is n. make sense? Mne нужен... Mne нужнo.. etc

    Russian idiom has the item needed as the subject, not the person needing it. Person needing it is the dative object мне тебе ему ей нас вас им. нужен agrees with the item, m, f, n pl нужен нужна нужно нужны.

    надо more like must as in must do, must proceed, etc.
    ok, makes sense... thanks.

  4. #4
    Почтенный гражданин bitpicker's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    653
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    I have been told that мне нужно and мне надо both mean 'I have to' (in English maybe it is more precise to imagine 'it is my obligation to...'). And so far I have been using them interchangeably. They are then followed by the verb signifying the action the dative object (here мне) is obliged to perform.

    'Need' is expressed like Мне нужна книга, so -as Seraph said- the book is the subject needed by the object 'me'.

    Robin
    Спасибо за исправления!

    Вам нравится этот форум, и вы изучаете немецкий язык? Вот похожий форум о немецком языке.

  5. #5
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    Quote Originally Posted by bitpicker
    I have been told that мне нужно and мне надо both mean 'I have to' (in English maybe it is more precise to imagine 'it is my obligation to...'). And so far I have been using them interchangeably. They are then followed by the verb signifying the action the dative object (here мне) is obliged to perform.

    'Need' is expressed like Мне нужна книга, so -as Seraph said- the book is the subject needed by the object 'me'.

    Robin
    I don't know, I'm pretty sure people have been asking me (at least sometimes) if I need plastic bags using надо, although I could be wrong about that... (since my memory pretty much sucks)

  6. #6
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Ukraine
    Posts
    844
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    Мне надо/нУжно [глагол].
    Мне надо/нужно отдохнуть.
    Мне надо/нужно добраться до вокзала.

    Мне нужен (для муж. рода) / нужнО (для ср. рода) [существительное]
    Мне нужен отдых.
    Мне нужнО лечение.
    Мне нужен вокзал. (в смысле "нужно добраться до вокзала")

    I'm pretty sure people have been asking me (at least sometimes) if I need plastic bags using надо, although I could be wrong about that...
    People do say things like that sometimes, but technically it's wrong.

  7. #7
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    Quote Originally Posted by E-learner

    I'm pretty sure people have been asking me (at least sometimes) if I need plastic bags using надо, although I could be wrong about that...
    People do say things like that sometimes, but technically it's wrong.
    ah, perhaps that explains why I get confused

  8. #8
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Ukraine
    Posts
    844
    Rep Power
    15

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    Quote Originally Posted by E-learner
    Мне надо/нУжно [глагол].
    Interesting.
    Although "Мне нужно яблоки" is incorrect, "Мне нужно два яблока / (не)много яблок" is perfectly ok.

    So, I suggest expanding the "rule" by

    Мне надо/нУжно [существительное с указанием количества]

  9. #9
    Завсегдатай it-ogo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Ukraine
    Posts
    3,048
    Rep Power
    29

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    Мне нужны яблоки.
    Мне надо яблок. (Genitive)
    "Россия для русских" - это неправильно. Остальные-то чем лучше?

  10. #10
    Почётный участник
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    89
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    if someone asks me if I need a кулочик (sp?) or пакет in the grocery store, can I just answer "нужен" ?

  11. #11
    Завсегдатай it-ogo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Ukraine
    Posts
    3,048
    Rep Power
    29

    Re: difference between нужен, надо, нужно

    Quote Originally Posted by ycomp
    if someone asks me if I need a кулочик (sp?) or пакет in the grocery store, can I just answer "нужен" ?
    "кулёчек"="кулёк"

    Yes, you can (if this word was in a question).
    "Россия для русских" - это неправильно. Остальные-то чем лучше?

Similar Threads

  1. Mix up with нужен...
    By kid in forum Translate This!
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: May 23rd, 2008, 12:23 PM
  2. Нужно Или Надо
    By utörk in forum Grammar and Vocabulary
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: August 19th, 2006, 05:09 AM
  3. Надо/нужно
    By kamka in forum Learn English - Грамматика, переводы, словарный запас
    Replies: 27
    Last Post: April 27th, 2006, 10:13 AM
  4. Какая разница между надо и нужно?
    By Rasputin in forum Говорим по-русски
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: September 19th, 2005, 08:36 AM
  5. Перевод нужен
    By kalinka_vinnie in forum Translate This!
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: March 20th, 2005, 02:31 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


Russian Lessons                           

Russian Tests and Quizzes            

Russian Vocabulary